A strategic plan works like a roadmap, clearly defining the best route for the district to take in the years ahead. Because a strategic plan establishes a direction for the district, it helps sharpen our focus to get there. This plan helps us develop the right goals and targets which help everyone focus their efforts into meeting them.

The development of this five-year plan has been a highly collaborative process over two years. We had input from a significant number of stakeholders as well as experts in the field of education. At the same time, the pandemic has transformed how we work so this plan incorporates lessons learned from our need to rapidly shift how we educate our students and give them the skills needed to deal with this and other societal changes.

Beginning in December 2019, Columbus City Schools partnered with Battelle for Kids to engage stakeholders to develop a Portrait of a Graduate that is unique to our community and our schools along with a strategic plan that aligns with the CCS Portrait of a Graduate. Each Design Team was composed of more than 150 internal and external stakeholders who represent the various groups of our community including families, students, teachers, administrators, staff, partners, policymakers, and business leaders. This enabled Columbus City Schools to engage diverse perspectives to build a shared vision for our students.

The plan helps us focus on what matters most - our students. We ask that you continue to focus on doing what is best for our students, supporting their social and emotional needs and their academic performance.

We will work collaboratively to ensure we devote adequate time and training to ensure every staff member is equipped with what is necessary to be successful in their role.

Yes. We had two design teams, one for the strategic plan and one for the Portrait of a Graduate. For each, teachers were included along with classified staff, principals, and administrators. Teachers are critical to the work we do every day, and we always want to hear about how we can collaborate with our educators to improve the learning experience for our students.

Talk to your supervisor if you want to help. Feel free to check out the detailed strategic plan resources on our website.

A Portrait of a Graduate is a shared vision for all students in our community. The Portrait of a Graduate articulates the skills and mindsets our community prioritizes for our students. Now more than ever, learning experiences must not only provide rigorous academic content but foster other 21st century skills -- such as critical thinking, communication, and creativity -- our young people need to thrive in a complex, rapidly changing world. The Portrait of a Graduate will be a North Star that ensures our district prepares students for success, now and in the future.

Our final Portrait of a Graduate will capture a set of competencies that our community and district prioritize for our students. Each of these competencies will reflect both the local and global contexts and be informed by relevant research.

Visit PortraitofaGraduate.org/Resource-Hub for examples from other school districts across the country.

The Portrait of a Graduate will serve as our district’s North Star and guide our efforts to ensure all our programs initiatives advance our shared aspirations for every student in our district. The Portrait of a Graduate anchors our strategic plan, a road map to activate our Portrait of a Graduate and align our programs and initiatives.

We wanted our Portrait of a Graduate to be locally developed, but globally positioned. We used a collaborative design process with the Portrait Design Team to welcome many voices and elicit ongoing input. The Portrait Design Team was comprised of more than 150 internal and external stakeholders who represent the various groups of our community including families, students, teachers, administrators, staff, partners, policymakers, and business leaders. This Design Team enabled us to engage diverse perspectives to build a shared vision for our students. Partnering with our community builds a shared understanding of the ‘why’ as Columbus City Schools works to transform our educational system.

The Portrait of a Graduate is a shared vision for all students, from our youngest learners to our high school graduates. This vision will shape the educational experiences of our students, from the first time they walk through our doors until they graduate.

Many school systems across the country have engaged their communities in developing a Portrait of a Graduate. Every school system’s Portrait is unique, reflecting the shared vision of their community. Columbus City Schools worked alongside Battelle for Kids to employ a process that has been tested across the nation and is designed to engage a wide array of community voices. The Portrait Design Team, a group of more than 150 community stakeholders, was charged with developing the Portrait of a Graduate. The work of the Portrait Design Team was bolstered by a series of community conversations throughout the process.

A rigorous academic curriculum is critical for every student. Our Portrait of a Graduate is a vision that purposefully integrates academic content with 21st-century learning experiences that cultivate the skills, mindsets, and literacies that prepare students to become lifelong learners and contributors.