The strategic plan aims to improve the Decisions Program to better accommodate the changing needs of its students. Due to changes in discipline laws, the program now serves more volatile students needing significant support. The plan has 3 objectives: 1) enhance instructional staff capabilities through certification and professional development; 2) improve technology infrastructure by adding computers and wireless internet; 3) bolster student support services by streamlining referrals and adding a counselor. The plan will be evaluated annually using student and staff surveys, academic records, and anecdotal feedback to assess progress and make revisions.

1. STRATEGIC PLAN
The systemic improvement of the
Decisions Program

2. RATIONALE
Because of the changes in the interpretation and application
of law 37h 1/2, which refers to student discipline, the usage
of the Decisions Program has been altered dramatically. The
changes in the application of the law include a directive to
keep students in their mainstream setting for all but the
most acute of cases. This has caused a shift of the student
population of the program from settled and stable students
with minor accommodations to a more volatile sect in need
of significant supports.

3. VISION
Through staff development, improving technology, and
improving protocols and practices, the Decisions
Program will be able to accommodate the diverse needs
of our students with greater efficacy.

4. THE PLAN
3 OBJECTIVES
• Objective 1: Enhancing the capabilities of the
instructional staff
• Objective 2: The improvement of technology
infrastructure
• Objective 3: Bolstering student support services

5. Objective 1: Enhancing the capabilities
of the instructional staff
• Action Strategy 1: Requirement for special education
certification for all instructional staff
• Action Strategy 2: Professional development specific to
learning disabilities and behavior management
• Action Strategy 3: The capability of the instructional staff to
modify curriculum to suit the needs of the students in their
current environment.
• Action Strategy 4: Give the Decisions Program the power to
assign online coursework supplementation

6. Objective 2: The improvement
of technology infrastructure
• Action Strategy 1: Install 10 computer workstations
• Action Strategy 2: The installation of wireless internet
access

7. Objective 3: Bolstering
student support services
• Action Strategy 1: Streamline the referral protocol
• Action Strategy 2: Assign a full time counselor
• Action Strategy 3: Granting program director referral and
dismissal powers
• Action Strategy 4: Revisits and check-ins with former
students

8. TIMELINES
• Objective 1 will be initiated in Fall 2016
• Time to plan PDs, get existing staff working towards SpEd
certification, and evaluation of the online course protocols
• Objective 2 will be fulfilled in the summer of 2016
• Technology infrastructure will be built during this time.
• Objective 3 will be installed in Spring 2016
• This will allow for a “soft rollout” of procedures. Testing and
refining practices.

9. PLAN EVALUATION
• In the first year of implementation the improvement plan will
be evaluated in June 2016 and then again in January 2017.
• The Decisions Program director will first meet with the
instructional staff and counselor to discuss the results of the
action strategies put forth by the improvement plan.
• After the first year, the improvement plan will then be
evaluated on an annual basis. These evaluations will take place
during the summer, before the start of the subsequent school
year. It is then that revisions can be made to take effect the
following fall.

10. INTRUMENTS of EVALUATION
• Student entrance/exit surveys
• Academic records
• Attendance records
• Grade promotion data
• Instructional staff and counselor anecdotal input on student
performance
• Staff surveys
• Parent surveys
• Parent anecdotal account on their students
• Student daily point sheet data