GA Strategic Planning and Performance Management
The SECC will assist GaDOE in the development of an annual strategic planning process, by reexamining its mission, goals, strategies, and organizational structures. The SECC in collaboration with the Building State Capacity and Productivity (BSCP) Center will also aid GaDOE in improving the function of the agency by focusing on clear, measurable, and well-communicated goals and managing their performance at all levels to attain those goals.
Previous Work Updates
2016
November
On November 28, Glenda Copeland, Georgia state liaison, met with Matt Jones, Chief of Staff, and Matt Cardoza, Chief Communications Officer, to present them with copies of the ESSA Feedback from Superintendent Richard Woods’ Advisory Groups summary report and to discuss requirements for the final summary report of all ESSA feedback received by the departments, including the 8 regional sessions conducted by the Education First group and from the Southern Education Foundation meeting. One report will include summary recommendations from all groups for posting on the GaDOE website and copies for the writing committees that will include all comments received.
October
On October 11, Glenda Copeland, SECC Georgia state liaison, and Tara Zuber, AIR researcher, conducted a feedback session for 60 teachers to collect responses to questions from the ESSA writing teams at the Twin Towers East. SECC will provide individual reports of the feedback sessions to Matt Jones, chief of staff at GaDOE, and the ESSA writing teams. They also will provide a summary report from all sessions, including the eight regional sessions conducted by the Education First group and from the Southern Education Foundation meeting.
September
On August 3, Matt Jones, GaDOE chief of staff, requested assistance from SECC in collecting feedback from Superintendent Woods’ Advisory Councils (superintendents, parents, middle school students, high school students, and teachers). In preparation for this role, Beth Howard-Brown, SECC director, and Glenda Copeland, SECC Georgia state liaison, participated in the first Regional Feedback Session in Clayton County and recorded notes from the discussion in two of the five groups. The first group, Superintendents Advisory Council, met on August 30, when Copeland and Catherine Jacques, AIR, facilitated the two-hour session with 20 superintendents who provided input on the five topics that their ideas are requested to assist the writing teams in crafting Georgia’s ESSA plan. On September 11, Jacques and Tara Zuber, AIR researchers, conducted feedback sessions for 40 parents and for 40 middle grades students. On September 12, they facilitated a session for 40 high school students. The teacher feedback session will be held on October 11. SECC also will provide individual reports of the feedback sessions and will provide a summary report from all sessions, including the eight regional sessions conducted by the Education First group.
August
SECC’s Glenda Copeland met with Avis King, GaDOE deputy superintendent, School Improvement, to review the Year 5 work plan for Georgia. King discussed changes in the organization of work and approved items included for her group in the plan.
February
There is no activity update for this month.
January
On January 12, Dr. Sam Redding, Building State Capacity and Productivity (BSCP) center; and Glenda Copeland, Georgia state liaison, American Institutes for Research; met with GaDOE Superintendent Richard Woods and Matt Jones, chief operating officer, to discuss goals for the first meeting with the executive cabinet. They then joined cabinet members to begin a process of discussing each individual’s understanding of the meaning of the strategic plan’s five pillars and how their group’s work contributes to meeting those goals. This process can lead to developing a common language and understanding of the application of the pillars and how each division’s work supports achievement of those goals. Copies of the BSCP center’s publication, Strategic Performance Management, was provided to each member of the cabinet. As the cabinet continues its discussions and makes revisions to their documents, Jones will forward them to Redding for his feedback.
2015
December
Dr. Sam Redding, BSCP Center, and Matt Jones, GaDOE chief of staff, exchanged e-mails and had a conference call to establish goals for a meeting with the executive cabinet on January 12, 2016. The group will begin by establishing a common understanding of the plan’s pillars and how their work supports achievement of those goals.
