- Anne Arundel County Public Schools
- AACPS 5 Year Strategic Plan
AACPS Strategic Planning - The Next 5 Years
-
Forging a future that fully represents the needs and desires of students, Anne Arundel County Public Schools is embarking on the development of a new five-year Strategic Plan.
Anne Arundel County Public Schools focused its goals on the important work of cultivating an environment where students, staff, and the community can belong, grow, and succeed.
AACPS enlisted the consultation of Insight Education Group to facilitate the development of this new plan and recently completed the process of collecting feedback from parents/guardians, community members, business/organizational partners, and district employees on areas where the district will focus its efforts over the next five years. The feedback via committee meetings, survey, and focus groups informed the development of AACPS’ new strategic plan. The feedback also included a distinct student survey that gathered their ideas and priorities for the future.
Key Priorities/Developing a RoadmapA survey, sent out in October 2023, established a priority list for AACPS to be used for the next five years of planning. Questions such as the characteristics graduates should have to ensure future success, and an open question about future hopes and dreams for Anne Arundel County Public Schools were included.
A Steering Committee comprised of approximately 70 individuals (employees, parents, principals, community members, students) began its work (see below) and was an integral part of the process as the plan was developed.
As AACPS transitions to a new web content platform in July 2024, the new strategic plan will have an interactive presence with easily translatable features.
Please submit all inquiries and comments about the AACPS Strategic Plan to strategicplan@aacps.org
Strategic Planning - Work & Meetings Summaries
-
The Work of the Steering Committee
Steering Committee members serve as valuable partners during the strategic planning process by providing feedback and innovative ideas for developing a strategic plan that reflects a first-class, world-class school district.
Approximately 65 individuals (employees, parents, principals, community members, student leaders) representing numerous facets of the county are participating in the Strategic Plan Steering Committee.
List of Steering Committee Members
Steering Committee members share ideas and solicit feedback from their larger group of constituents, resulting in a more robust and inclusive process. In addition to the Steering Committee, there will be multiple sources of engagement and feedback (surveys and focus groups). The Steering Committee will be responsible for analyzing feedback and providing suggestions for revisions based on trends in feedback data.
Roles and Responsibilities
The Steering Committee’s role is to provide support and guidance in the development of the Strategic Plan. Steering Committee members:
- Understand the elements and expected outcomes of the strategic plan;
- Appreciate the plan’s significance for the district and community;
- Be genuinely interested in the project and the outcomes that are intended; and
- Be an advocate for the strategic plan by doing what they can to promote it.
- Consider ideas and issues raised with an open mind;
- Provide guidance to the superintendent and their team;
- Help balance conflicting priorities and resources;
- Foster positive communication outside task force meetings regarding the plan’s progress; and
- Contribute to the process of developing the plan.
-
Steering Committee Meeting #1 - October 19, 2023
At its initial meeting, the AACPS Strategic Plan Steering Committee focused on the following tasks:
- Review the process and timeline for plan completion.
- Understand the steering committee’s role in the process and the purpose of a strategic plan.
- Understand the structural and content elements to inform the plan design.
- Begin to develop foundational language for the plan.
-
Steering Committee Meeting #2 - November 20, 2023
At its second meeting, the AACPS Strategic Plan Steering Committee focused on the following tasks:
- Review takeaways from the first meeting.
- Refine and offer feedback on core values.
- Examine feedback to inform considerations for 'Portrait of a Graduate' categories and draft Vision statements.
- Brainstorm ideas for district mission.
-
Steering Committee Meeting #3 - December 14, 2023
At its third meeting, the AACPS Strategic Plan Steering Committee focused on the following tasks:
- Review takeaways from the second meeting.
- Revisit and refine Core Values, Portrait of a Graduate, and Vision.
- Review ideas about district mission and develop draft statements.
-
Steering Committee Meeting #4 - February 6, 2024
At its fourth meeting, the AACPS Strategic Plan Steering Committee focused on the following tasks:
- Finalized input for language for Core Beliefs, Vision, Mission, and Portrait of a Student.
- Developed a draft list of priorities for the next five years.
-
Steering Committee Meeting #5 - February 26, 2024
At its fifth meeting, the AACPS Strategic Plan Steering Committee focused on the following tasks:
- Identified main insights and trends from the data review (homework from previous meeting).
- Explored goals and desired outcomes based on the data, survey, focus group feedback, and representative experience.
- Discussed and evaluated potential strategies for achieving the defined goals.
-
Steering Committee Meeting #6 - March 12, 2024
At its sixth meeting, the AACPS Strategic Plan Steering Committee focused on the following tasks:
- Refined goals and strategies through the lens of core beliefs.
- Built equity commitment across the plan.
-
Steering Committee Meeting #7 - April 11, 2024
At its final meeting, the AACPS Strategic Plan Steering Committee focused on the following tasks:
- Finalized priorities, goals, and strategic actions.
- Offered feedback on the final plan (draft).
- Discussed implementation and monitoring plan.