Does the District have an implementation plan for its five goals?

The School Board lists five goals on its website. They are:

Goal 1: Learning For All Students
Every student will be provided a comprehensive educational program aligned with the Washington state standards that increases student achievement to the highest level, increases attendance and decreases the high school drop-out rate.

Goal 2: Safe, Positive, Well-Maintained Schools
Every student will be provided with a safe, clean, orderly and adequately equipped school that is organized for its educational purpose and where every student is welcomed, respected and valued.

Goal 3: Quality Staff Providing Quality Service
Every student will be provided with a quality education by highly qualified staff who will be continuously trained in teaching strategies, support programs and staff development activities.

Goal 4: School/Family/Community & Communication
Every student will be supported through open communication with parents, students, colleagues and community partners.

Goal 5: Acquisition & Allocation of Resources
Every student will be supported through the strategic allocation of all resources by continuously reviewing, updating and fully implementing all Tacoma Public Schools plans.

These describe the direction we want to go. Yet they are not very specific. Would any reduction in the high school drop-out rate constitute success? What is the strategy that guides the “strategic allocation” of resources? How can you tell if a student is “respected and valued”?

In short, general goals need to be supported by adequate plans. Does the Board have an implementation plan to reach the goals? Is there a conscientious way we will monitor how the various activities of school system employees support or don’t support the goals? Has the Board organized District activities so that these goals will guide the direction of its various offices?

The Board did support the Get Smart Tacoma initiative. While not specifically focused on the Board’s five goals, its report did contain several benchmarks. But note that the specific “short term success and initial steps” section of the report, starting on p. 9, has items that have been watered down considerably on the “vision element” summaries on the main web page of Get Smart Tacoma. The GST initiative is a parallel effort to set goals and get to a better state of affairs. It is not an implementation plan, it is not the Board’s.

If the Board does have an implementation plan, it should be posted on the Board website. Concerned citizens could read it, talk about it, and find ways to get more involved in Tacoma schools.