Strategic Thinking and Planning
If your improvement plan isn’t getting you the results you want, it’s time to refocus. Develop a plan that establishes concrete, actionable steps that will enrich student learning and professional practice.
Accelerate leadership, learning, and professional practice
Cognia’s research-based strategic thinking and planning process stimulates future thinking and creativity. Its flexible model guides you to identify new areas of improvement in your school or to build on your strengths to implement new approaches. You’ll create a shared vision for improvement and a theory of action to assure effective implementation. The process engages key stakeholders and results in a strategy map and implementation plan that drive tangible improvement.
How it works
The process promotes a culture of continuous improvement by engaging leaders in the transformative process of strategic thinking and planning. You set the course. We stay and support the plan’s implementation. This process is adaptable and scalable, based on your needs.
You choose a configuration of services to fit your institution and your team’s needs.
Each solution includes an overview of the four phases of the strategic planning process and training, coaching, support, and facilitation by Cognia experts.
Envisioning: Engage your team and stakeholders in future thinking to go beyond short-term fixes and imagine what your school can be.
Planning: You’ll create a plan that closes the gaps between your current reality and your vision for the future
Implementing: Your theory of action will guide concrete action steps with clear roles and responsibilities for your team
Evaluating: You’ll evaluate how successfully your plan was implemented, analyze outcomes, and adjust next steps
The Strategic Thinking and Planning Library is available in the online Learning Community for Cognia members
Designed as a companion to Cognia’s four-step Strategic Thinking and Planning process, the Learning Labs in the library are aligned to each phase of the process and provide targeted activities to build capacity and encourage stakeholder accountability.
Support your mission through Strategic Thinking and Planning
Santa Rosa District Schools embraced Cognia’s process to support its district mission and increase its already high graduation rate.
Set your course
Explore the options that work best for you. We look forward to talking to you.
Flexible options—based on your needs
Learn more about what Strategic Thinking and Planning could look like for you.
Support options
Cognia stands ready to support you based on your needs. Choose the delivery method that works best for you.
Initiate level |
Support level |
Apply and Embed levels |
| Education leaders get an understanding of the four phases of this process. Follow up coaching allows leaders to ask questions, receive feedback, and/or provide scheduled Q&A sessions for support. | In addition to professional learning in the Initiate level, leaders work with a Cognia expert to build capacity and/or implement strategies. They learn the process in more detail, try out each phase, then return to the next session armed with questions. | This option offers a highly customized series of sessions embedding the overview content into existing school or system processes. Follow up coaching and support ensures that practices and processes are rooted in the culture of your school or system. |