analysis of the strategic planning process as applied to the school board of Palm Beach County

The most effective planners in both the private and the public sector are those who are best at strategic planning. Although strategic planning is easier to apply to the private sector, it is becoming the dominant paradigm in the public sector as well. Because politics tend to dominate the planning process in the public sector, successful strategic planning is more difficult to accomplish. School districts are spending an increasing amount of time and resources on planning. It is believed that planning processes that include demographic representation on strategic planning teams will allow school districts to use visionary and strategic thinking, leading to the achievement of consistent and planned results. The purpose of this study was to determine if a significant relationship exists between selected demographic characteristics of action teams and the acceptance of the action plans by the strategic planning team. A review of the related literature includes the history of strategic planning, comparison of private sector and public sector strategic planning, examination of strategic planning in public education, and an overview of stakeholder participation. The study was done during the action team phase of a strategic planning process undertaken by one of the nation's largest public school districts. Two hundred and sixteen action team members were asked to complete and return a three part evaluation instrument. One hundred and sixty nine surveys were returned, comprising a 78 percent response rate. A multiple regression was used to predict acceptance of plans by the strategic planning team from a model composed of demographic characteristics of action team members. Of the six hypotheses tested there were no significant relationships between selected demographic characteristics of action team members and the measure of acceptance of action plans by the strategic planning team. Public school districts may find this study useful as they prepare to do long-range or strategic planning.