MIDLAND Midland ISD has unveiled its comprehensive strategic plan, which outlines a path to dramatically improving the academic success of students, schools, and the district as a whole. The new strategic plan introduces meaningful goals and requirements for specific accountability metrics to ensure progress.
MISD Superintendent Stephanie Howard began the process of creating the strategic plan shortly after returning to the district in January. Typically, it can take a year or more to develop a comprehensive strategic plan but Howard recognized the urgency of the work, and prioritized its completion in just nine months. This swift action underscores the district’s unwavering commitment to elevating the quality of education for all students, ensuring they are well-prepared for future success, a news release said.
The first six months included seeking feedback on the current needs of the entire educational community, including students, parents, staff, and citizens. This process resulted in the compilation of more than 20,000 survey responses, multiple workshops and 12,000 focus group comments. These responses were compiled and led to the implementation of the plan when school started in August.
The district’s goals are ambitious but attainable. By 2026, MISD aims to meet or exceed the state average in academic performance. Looking further ahead, the district aims to be in the top quartile of its comparison group by 2033. These goals are a testament to the district’s commitment to long-term success.
School ratings at MISD have fluctuated in recent years – from 89% of campuses meeting standard in 2018, to 50% in 2019, and 79% in 2022. (The Texas Education Agency did not release ratings in 2020 and 2021.) The new strategic plan aims to stop the trend of inconsistency, with monthly and quarterly reports to the School Board, and an annual review of all accountability metrics. While awaiting the release of the 2023 ratings, MISD has remained committed to improving instruction and outcomes across all grades and classrooms, the release said.
In conjunction with student experience and achievement goals, the strategic plan also outlines specific goals and metrics for growing and developing professional staff and engaging with the community.
“Our new strategic plan empowers us to make impactful decisions, allocate resources effectively, and create an environment where every student can thrive,” Howard said in the release. “We are excited to tackle this journey together, driven by the inputs and aspirations of our entire school community.”
The strategic plan, including a scorecard with success metrics and yearly targets, and a detailed letter from Dr. Howard can be found at midlandisd.net/strategicplan.
