Guiding Document For Strategic Planning In Social Studies
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Intended Use:
This document is intended to be used as a resource to help guide the strategic planning process for developing a plan of action for
Social Studies curriculum and instructional programs. Planning and strategy are not the same.
What is Strategic Planning?
It is a disciplined effort that produces fundamental decisions and actions that shape and guide what an organization is, who it serves,
what it does, and why it does it, with a focus on the future. Effective strategic planning articulates not only where an organization is
going and the actions needed to make progress, but also how it will know if it is successful. Simply put, strategic planning is a
process that brings to life the mission and vision of an organization.
A strategic plan is a document used to communicate with the organization the organizations goals, the actions needed to achieve
those goals and all of the other critical elements developed during the planning exercise.
Essential Actions:
While there are no hard and fast rules for developing a strategic plan, there are some basic elements that should be addressed.
Recurring research uphold that there are some actions which should occur with Strategic Planning.
Strategic planning basics. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://balancedscorecard.org/Resources/StrategicPlanningBasics/tabid/459/Default.aspx
A Process for Developing A Strategic Plan For Social Studies Programs
Outlining A Process
The Vision and Mission:
To begin the planning process, it is essential to have a clear understanding of the vision and mission of your Local Education Agency
(LEA) and how your Social Studies program aligns with or fits within both. In developing and aligning the vision and mission of your
Social Studies program there are a few critical questions that will need to be addressed.
The Vision
 What is the LEA’s vision?
 What is the role of Social Studies in the LEA’s vision?
The Mission
 What is the LEA’s mission?
 What is the role of Social Studies in the LEA’s mission?
As you determine how your Social Studies program aligns with your LEA vision and mission, ask yourself:
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Would it benefit the growth of your Social Studies program to have its own vision and mission?
What the common areas of focus that all stakeholders would agree are essential to successful Social Studies outcomes for
students?
What types of things might need to be achieved in order to help realize your mission and vision?
A Process for Developing A Strategic Plan For Social Studies Programs
The State of Your Social Studies Program:
Strategic planning includes strategic appraisal. As you begin to appraise the LEA’s Social Studies program the following section may
provide some very helpful information and allow you to collect some extremely meaningful data. Here is some data that may be
considered in order to define the state of your social studies program. This data can be used in the phase of planning that later
focuses on determining means and outcomes.
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What is the number of teachers the social studies program will be charged to support?
What are the various types of school scheduling at each level (elementary, middle and high school) that need to be
considered?
What is the scope and sequence being used at the high school level?
What is the nature of the working relationship between the schools and central office?
What legislative considerations concerning Social Studies, curriculum or teaching conditions must be addressed?
If the LEA or schools have purchased any commercial programs or curricula, what are the means by which you assess their
effectiveness?
How do you know that the programs or curricula being used by the LEA or the schools aligns to the standards students are
expected to master?
How much time is dedicated to vertical articulation and planning?
What are the major mandates and expectations of the LEA professional development plan(s)?
How are professional development opportunities for Social Studies educators determined?
How much time is dedicated to developing Social Studies leaders? (i.e. lead teachers, department chairpersons, master
teachers)
What types of social studies professional development and learning opportunities are provided to teachers in the LEA?
Are there any external partnerships that are particular to Social Studies in your LEA?
Is global awareness being encouraged in the content (using facts, data, texts and information around the world), context
(connections to create global awareness) and contact (work with partners and colleagues internationally)?
What particular framework is being used to develop the Social Studies curriculum?
What effective strategies and practices are teachers using to engage students in the learning process?
What opportunities are available for social studies to collaborate with other content areas?
How are you incorporating disciplinary literacy into the social studies program?
What are the tools your LEA used to collect data assessing mastery, understanding and proficiency?
A Process for Developing A Strategic Plan For Social Studies Programs
Ends: The Desired Outcomes
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What are the data driven documents which are necessary to accomplish agreed upon goals/objectives?
What are the primary and essential outcomes that you want all social studies educators to be able to articulate and work to
achieve?
What are your long range goals? (3 to 5 years)
What are your immediate goals? (1 year)
What specifically do we need to accomplish to assure that the vision is realized?
What are some possible obstacles to achieving the goals/objectives?
What are internal weaknesses or external obstructions stand between achieving the goals?
Means: The Resources Needed And Available In Helping To Achieve The Desired Outcomes
 What resources are needed in order to achieve the goal/objectives?
 What are the types of needs assessments and lists of resources have been developed and given to Social Studies educators
and stakeholders?
 What types of opportunities are available or possible for for adding resources that might be needed?
 Who are your potential allies in supporting Social Studies?
 What systems are in place that can serve as resources in achieving the goals/objectives?
What kind of time can be allocated to achieving goals/objectives?
Ways: The Strategies, Steps Or Processes Needed To Help Achieve The Outcomes
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How will we use the resources we have to achieve the goal/ objective?
What are the protocols and processes in place to help drive planning?
What curriculum development methods are being practiced within the LEA for Social Studies? (Understanding by Design, ConceptBased Curriculum and Instruction, etc.)
What types of curriculum frameworks, templates, lesson plan structures are being mandated by the LEA or individual schools?
A Process for Developing A Strategic Plan For Social Studies Programs
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In what ways is technology being used?
What systems are in place to help achieve the desired outcomes?
Which strategies or plans do you have time to strategically explore?
Which strategies or plans do you have to deal with immediately?
Data Sources:
What types of databases do you have access to?
What data sources will be used at the LEA level to evaluate outcomes?
Responsible Persons:
 Who will be the person(s) responsible for helping to develop and plan Social Studies:
o Curriculum?
o Programs?
o Professional Development?
o Documents?
 Who will be responsible for helping to implement social studies programs and initiatives at the LEA level?
Evaluation: Determine What The Data Tells You
 What does the data tell you?
 How do you use data to inform your program decisions?
 How and when will you measure success?
 What types of tools will you use to evaluate and assess programs and achievement?