The world is rapidly changing. With the advent of the digital age and the interconnected nature of the global economy, the definition of what it means to be appropriately prepared has been transformed. Content knowledge and test scores are no longer the only, or even the most predictable, variables that portend student success. These elements are certainly still necessary, but they are no longer sufficient. It is now known from research and experience that 21st century learners will also need to develop a sophisticated set of skills and foundational personal dispositions to ensure they can navigate the uncertain challenges we know they will encounter.

With this in mind, the Garrison Union Free School District Board of Education committed itself to a process of strategic planning that could serve as a foundation for Superintendent Carl Albano to guide the district on a path to future stability. To accomplish this, they sought out a data-based, strategic coherence review of the school system’s capacity to help understand what changes needed to be made so that all the school’s systems could be aligned and focused on ensuring student success and preparedness for life, learning and work beyond school. In the spring of 2020, the Board endorsed a novel approach called Strategic Coherence Planning. Unlike traditional strategic planning processes that encourage a diffusion of improvement energy and resources, Strategic Coherence Planning uses data-based, backwards design to focus the process on those highest leverage improvement strategies that have demonstrated over time to have the largest influence on student learning and impactful preparation for life, learning and work success in a digital age. The concept of Strategic Coherence planning was created and pioneered by the selected consultant, Jonathan Costa, from EdAdvance in Litchfield, Connecticut.

Click below to read the report that resulted from this two-year project.

Final Strategic Coherence Plan