Lincoln Public Schools officials floated questions about the district to 38,000 Lincoln residents over the past six months then culled the 3,800 responses down to five broad themes.
Those themes -- based on responses to open-ended questions seeking to find out what Lincoln wanted from its school district -- will be the basis of the next strategic plan.
Those include academic success, creating global citizens, support for students, support for educators and family and community partnerships.
The board will now take those themes and come up with five-year, as well as annual, strategic goals.
The board approved its first strategic plan in 2011, shortly after Steve Joel took over as superintendent. The board narrowed down broad themes to more concrete goals such as increasing the graduation rate, creating a technology plan and building a career academy.
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This time, the district hired a consultant to help get more public input. They came up with five questions that asked how the community felt about the district, what it could do to improve and offer a world-class school district.
They created an online survey and asked staff, parent and community groups to fill them out. LPS staff and board members attended numerous public meetings and handed out surveys there and at four open houses.
LPS staff compiled the responses by subject and a committee comprised of staff and community members came up with the themes.
Christa Yoakum, a community organizer with Nebraska Appleseed who served on the committee, said she was impressed with LPS’s efforts.
“It’s never good to move forward without the input of the people affected,†she said. “This was a huge commitment to doing that.â€
This is the largest qualitative study in which LPS Assessment Director Leslie Eastman said she's participated.
At Tuesday’s board meeting, several proponents of dual language programs renewed requests to start one at LPS.
The proponents said they've continued to meet since they appealed to the board last year and participated in the strategic planning meetings.
Board President Don Mayhew said the board will consider dual language programs once the strategic plan is approved, adding that he’s personally supportive of the idea.
The themes didn't directly address dual language programs but did include more specific suggestions -- everything from offering rigorous courses and expanding focus programs and internships, to promoting innovation, leadership and creativity. The surveys touched on the need for providing social, mental, emotional and physical health care, providing staff mentoring, hiring a diverse staff and expanding after-school programs.
The board members will hold another work session and meet one-on-one and hope to approve the plan in August.