Whether you’re stepping into your first superintendency or refreshing a district plan that’s lost momentum, the first 100 days of strategic planning matter. A lot. This is the time to listen closely, build trust, and lay the groundwork for a vision that sticks.
If you’re wondering how to start strategic planning in a way that’s thoughtful, inclusive, and grounded in what your community needs most, this is for you.
Here are some of the most common questions we hear from superintendents beginning this journey. And if you’re looking for a step-by-step guide, grab your free copy of K12 Coalition’s Next 100 Days Playbook built for the real-life complexity of district leadership.
Am I ready to start the strategic planning process in my district?
Strategic planning starts with listening. If you’ve taken time to understand your district’s current reality, built relationships, and surfaced core challenges, you’re likely ready to begin.
Still unsure? Take K12 Coalition’s quick quiz: Am I Ready for Strategic Planning? It will help you assess your readiness and pinpoint where to begin.
Does my current strategic plan need a refresh?
A strategic plan is only effective if it reflects your current context and is used to guide real decisions. If your plan feels outdated, irrelevant, or disconnected from daily work, it may be time to revisit it.
Some signs your plan needs a refresh:
- Your district’s needs or student demographics have changed.
- New state policies or funding shifts have changed your priorities.
- The plan includes too many goals or initiatives and lacks focus.
- Staff and stakeholders don’t refer to the plan in their day-to-day work.
You don’t always need to start from scratch. In many cases, you can build on what’s working and re-center your focus on what students need most now.
Case Study: Gainesville ISD
K12 Coalition partnered with district leaders to refine GISD’s vision and mission, creating clarity for leadership and a shared sense of purpose for teachers. The updated vision was actionable.
Through focus groups and surveys with students, families, educators, and community leaders, Gainesville’s plan reflected broad-based values rooted in equity, opportunity, and voice. This trust-building process created a foundation for long-term buy-in and relevance.
GISD’s new five-year plan, VISION 2026, defined student success in academic terms and through future-ready skills. The plan centered on access, innovation, and equity, ensuring every student had what they needed to thrive in college or careers.
What’s the first thing a new superintendent should do?
Before setting new goals or launching initiatives, take time to understand the people, systems, and history that shape your district. Start a structured listening tour that includes classroom visits, small-group conversations with staff, meetings with community members, and data reviews with your leadership team.
Listening is how you build trust, identify patterns, and uncover the root causes behind persistent challenges. What you hear in these early months should inform every decision you make going forward, including how you approach strategic planning.
Earn trust by listening intently, acting strategically, and communicating clearly. Your first months aren’t about proving you’re the smartest person in the room. They’re about proving you’re the most trustworthy. Build relationships, honor the good that came before you, and focus on systems over quick fixes. When people trust your heart and believe in your vision, they’ll follow you through bold change. Listen well. Lead with clarity. And never underestimate the power of consistent communication.
— Jon George, K12 Coalition Strategic Advisor
What mistakes should I avoid in the early stages of strategic planning?
Many leaders feel pressure to act quickly, but moving too fast can backfire. Here are a few common missteps to avoid:
- Rushing into planning before you’ve listened well: If people feel excluded or unheard, your plan is unlikely to gain traction.
- Trying to solve everything at once: Focus on a small number of priorities that will move the needle. Strategic planning is about clarity, not complexity.
- Not bringing in experienced thought partners: Without a partner who has experience guiding strategic planning across diverse districts, you risk building a plan that looks strong in theory but falls apart in implementation.
An experienced facilitator can help structure the process, ask the right questions, surface blind spots, and keep the work moving forward. At K12 Coalition, we support district leaders throughout the entire process, from early listening to goal-setting to making sure the final plan is actionable and owned by the people doing the work.
How do I manage stakeholder expectations throughout the strategic planning process?
Be transparent from the beginning. Share your timeline, the process you’re using, and how you’ll gather and use feedback. Set clear communication routines, such as monthly updates, leadership check-ins, or community forums, and stick to them.
What is the best way to develop my strategic vision?
An effective strategic vision is grounded in what you’ve learned and clear enough to guide real choices. It should:
- Reflect the voices of your community
- Focus on student outcomes and equity.
- Be specific enough to shape your district’s work
A strong vision should guide everyday decisions. If it only lives in a slide deck, it won’t shape the work.
We all know education leaders are pulled in a hundred directions, and superintendents feel the pressure to act and respond quickly, but building in time to get clear (about your leadership, about the district, about what matters most for students…) means that actions will be thoughtful and intentional. This intentionality provides a foundation for meaningful, lasting change.
— Jess Wilson, K12 Coalition Strategic Advisor
How do I start the strategic planning process in my district?
You’re not alone. Strategic planning can feel like another thing on an overflowing plate. That’s why we built the Next 100 Days Playbook, to help leaders carve out the time and space to plan with intention.
You Don’t Have to Plan Alone
Strategic planning is some of the most important and challenging work you’ll do as superintendent. You need a process that’s grounded in your district’s reality and built to drive results. That takes clarity, time, and the right support.
If you’re thinking through your next steps and want a partner who understands the complexity of school systems, K12 Coalition is here to help. Book a call with our team to see how we support superintendents and leadership teams in building strategic plans that actually move the work forward.
