The District has engaged in a formal Strategic Planning process four times in the previous 15 years. The original Strategic Plan was developed during the 2007-2008 school year. A diverse team of staff, Board members, parents and community members based its work on Jim Collin's book "Good to Great." They reviewed the District's survey data, assessment data, school improvement plans, and future trends in education. The team worked collaboratively to create a new mission statement and list of beliefs, which captured the spirit of the District and expressed our essential purpose. This plan served as a guide to District endeavors from 2008-2011.

The Strategic Planning process was repeated during the 2011-2012 school year. The second process was similar to the first in that it began with a comprehensive District survey of parents, staff, students and community members. The Team, which again included staff, parents, and Board members, reviewed the components and accomplishments of the past plan, analyzed survey data, and researched 21st century learning-- the skills students need to thrive in the 21st century and evolving global community. The Team identified District strengths and areas for improvement, as well as future opportunities and potential challenges. New themes were identified, and action plans were created. The new action plans include a focus on Common Core Standards (Math and English Language Arts), Gifted/Enrichment programming, technology, finances, human resources, supplemental summer programming, SEL, student differentiation, and implementing 21st century skills. The new Strategic Plan that guided the District from 2012-2015. 

In 2015, the Board of Education extended the 2012-2015 Strategic Plan with updated goals and objectives for the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 school years. 

In 2017, the District organized a formal Strategic Planning effort to review District priorities and establish a new Strategic Plan. An external consultant supported a diverse team of stakeholders in reviewing the District's survey data, assessment data, school improvement plans, and future trends in education. The team worked collaboratively to revise the District belief statements and establish goals to guide the District from 2018-2021.

During the 2021-2022 school year, the District selected nationally recognized Battelle For Kids as our external consultants to assist in facilitating the Strategic Planning process. A cross sectional group of staff, parents, students, and community members first created a Portrait of a District 29 Graduate which identified the desired skills and competencies of our students. Another group of stakeholder then reviewed a variety of survey and student performance data to identify strengths and opportunities for growth and improvement, and establish goals and objectives to guide future work.

If you have questions about the District 29 Strategic Plan, please contact Dr. Edward J. Stange (Superintendent of Schools) at stangee@srd29.org.