Strategic Planning Guide

STRATEGIC 

PLANNING 

The backbone of organizational growth

“The strategic planning process has been vital for the improvement of Lawrence County Schools, especially 

in the area of career technical education. Our strategic planning process involved community members and 

stakeholders. These groups worked together on a shared vision, which was concerned with how the 

organization should look and how it should function. Our strategic plan serves a guide and a roadmap on the 

journey to a successful career tech program. In turn, our plan is an accountability piece for all involved. It 

helps ensure movement is occurring and this movement is on the correct path.” 

Jon Bret Smith, Ed.D. 

Superintendent 

Lawrence County Schools 

“All leaders and team members of any organization need a playbook for success. The Chickasaw City Schools 

Strategic Plan Committee convened 28 months ago. We developed a focus for our school system that every 

employee understands and pursues. Each person has an ‘elevator speech’ to share with stakeholders and 

new employees to keep the mission of Chickasaw City Schools at the forefront. Strategic planning has 

enabled our school system to define who we are, where we are, and more importantly, our destination. I owe a 

debt of gratitude to The University of Alabama Center for Economic Development for their leadership as we 

developed our strategic plan.” 

David Wofford 

Superintendent 

Chickasaw City Schools 

“If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” 

Benjamin Franklin

STRATEGIC PLANNING 

The backbone of organizational growth 

Strategic planning is a process to define long term direction, make decisions, and allocate resources to 

meet organizational goals. There are many ways to approach strategic planning. In most cases, however, 

the use of simple terms and simple processes will move organizations and individuals toward their 

collective goals in a concise and seamless manner. 

When beginning the process of strategic planning, organizations must be inclusive of all team members 

who will work on the plan. A diverse team will allow the organization to benefit from the talents of the 

individual members. Representatives of all employment levels of the organization should be at the table, 

with conscious thought given to diversity of gender, race, culture, etc. 

Strategic plans usually contain several parts: 

1. Assessment of the Organization 

This assessment describes the current condition of the organization. What are the data telling you about 

your organization, the conditions that affect the work, and the conditions that affect the workforce, etc.? 

2. Statement of Purpose 

Strategic plans are developed with an end in mind. Many organizations elect to develop vision and mission 

statements. These statements take much time and energy to develop and many times become a jumble of 

words that even those with the highest aspirations have trouble interpreting and therefore reaching. Why not 

develop a simple “statement of purpose” that, with a few words, tells you exactly where you want to be upon 

implementation of the plan? 

Example of a statement of purpose for 

a school district that developed its 

strategic plan to ensure that students 

were education- and work-ready upon 

completion of their K-12 experience: 

“Preparing ALL students for success 

the day after graduation.” 

Strategic Planning Guide — 1

3. Goals 

Goals are broad statements that are measurable and that when achieved will indicate accomplishment of the 

stated purpose for which the plan was written. 

4. Objectives 

Objectives are measurable targets written in observable terms. Objectives help define the work that must 

be accomplished. Objectives are specific and build toward accomplishing the established goals. 

5. Strategies 

Strategies are activities implemented to achieve objectives. Strategies break objectives down into small 

pieces and show success when these components are aggregated. 

6. Accountability (Action Plan/Timeline) 

This is the part of the plan that holds individuals or groups responsible for implementation and completion of 

plan components. This section contains the specific actions that individuals or groups will be responsible for 

and the timeline within which activities are to occur. 

7. Accountability (Monitoring) 

Organizations are only as strong as the people in the organization. Monitoring refers to the process by which 

peer reviews take place in a judgment free environment, so that team members feel confident to present 

their work and move toward success. The old adage that “we must inspect what we expect” is true in this 

phase of strategy development and implementation. 

8. Accountability (Continuous Improvement) 

It is not uncommon for strategic plans to be developed and then find their place on the shelf to collect dust. 

Strategic plans should be the direct route to continuous improvement. Strategic plans are no longer developed 

for a three-, five-, or ten-year period. Strategy work has to evolve at the “speed of change” in our society, 

work, community or life. As business, work, government, community, family, etc. change, so should the plans 

change/evolve to help organizations remain viable. 

9. Occurrences That May Cause You to Pivot 

Situations may occur in work and communities that are completely out of the control of those in 

leadership roles. Some examples are the COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters like tornadoes, the 

loss of a major employer, etc. These events affect citizens in general, employers, employees, schools, 

churches, etc. The strategic plan should be a roadmap to starting the process for rebuilding in a 

proactive rather than reactive way. 

2 — Strategic Planning Guide

STRATEGIC PLANNING 

Planning and development of/for a community requires that individuals understand the components 

that must be considered and how these components work together. Figure 1 shows the components of 

community development. 

Your Community 

Your Region 

| | | | | | | 

Government Human Resources Business Development Quality of Life 

Community 

Development 

Corporation 

Environment / 

Historic Preservation 

Community 

Involvement 

| | | | | | | 

Police Education Retail Healthcare Development 

Nature Preserves & 

Sanctuaries 

Churches 

| | | | | | | 

Fire 

Workforce 

Housing / 

Adaptive Reuse of 

Commercial 

Redevelopment 

Development 

Neighborhoods 

Historic Buildings 

Civic Groups 

| | | | | 

Water/Sewer Industry Recreation Highest & Best Use Volunteers 

| | | | 

Roads Tourism Libraries Nonprofits 

| | | 

Public Buildings 

Entrepreneurs / 

Incubators 

Arts and Culture 

| 

Industrial/Business 

Parks 

| 

Airports 

Figure 1 

Figure 1: Communities have an organizational structure that is dependent on the people (human resources). 

For communities to grow and prosper, local leaders must determine their goals for the near and long terms 

and implement activities to reach their goals. Some communities are what they are because it “just happened.” 

These communities haven’t owned their destinies, and the result may be less than it could have been with 

good planning. Other communities have decided what their niche is going to be and have blossomed as a 

result with population growth and good jobs to support a high quality of life for their citizens. This makes 

maximum use of the human resource component of community development. 

The strategic planning process allows for the assessment of the organization, a deep dive into the factors 

that affect its growth and development. Following are some examples of data sets that should be considered 

when planning for community growth, economic growth and workforce development, including schools. 

These three growth sectors cannot be considered in isolation. They must work together to ensure quality of 

life for citizens. 

Community development cannot occur without economic development, and economic development cannot 

occur without workforce development that ensures that workers have the capacity to produce goods and 

services. All three components must be working simultaneously to see success overall. 


Steps for Developing the Plan 

Figure 2 shows the steps for developing a strategic plan. Following these nine steps will ensure that a 

comprehensive plan is developed and monitored to completion. 

Steps for Developing a Strategic Plan 

STEP 

STEP 1 – Assessment 

STEP 2 – Statement of Purpose 

STEP 3 – Goals 

STEP 4 – Objectives 

STEP 5 – Strategies 

STEP 6 – Action Plan 

STEP 7 – Monitoring 

STEP 8 – Continuous Improvement 

STEP 9 – Pivot Points 

WHAT? 

What is the data telling you about your current 

condition? 

What defines the optimum for your organization or 

community? 

What must be accomplished to reach your optimum? 

What are the measurable targets? 

What are the broad activities that when accomplished 

will help to achieve an objective? 

What are the specific actions to be taken based 

on the strategies? 

What are your performance levels? 

(accountability/evaluation) 

Are you moving forward based on what you accomplish 

and learn? (Can’t be OK with status quo.) 

What would cause you to pivot? (Natural disaster, 

pandemic, loss of major employer, etc.) How will you be 

proactive rather than reactive? 

Figure 2 

Figure 2: Nine steps for strategic planning. 


STEP 1 – ASSESSMENT 

It is important to understand your community at a particular point in time, like a snapshot. This is called the 

“current condition.” The assessment described in figure 3 requires a deep dive into the data. 


STEP 


WHAT? 


condition? 

Figure 3 

Figure 3: There are multiple data points available from a multitude of sources. The UA Center 

for Economic Development and the UA Center for Business and Economic Research are good sources. 

Below are data sets that are helpful to understanding the current condition of a community. This is not an 

exhaustive list. To make these points, we have chosen a case study of Covington County, Alabama. 

Data sets important to community development include the following: 

1. Who makes up the population? Understand the population by demographic (age, gender, race, 

ethnicity, etc.). 

DEMOGRAPHIC SUMMARY 

Covington County, AL 

INCOME 

Geography: County 

$44,536 

Median Household 

Income 

$24,704 

Per Capita Income 

$110,476 

Median Net Worth 

KEY FACTS 

200000+ 

37,970 

Population 

44.7 

Median Age 

150000-199999 

100000-149999 

15,693 

Households 

$37,551 

Median Disposable Income 

75000-99999 

50000-74999 

EDUCATION 

35000-49999 

EMPLOYMENT 

15% 

No High 

School 

Diploma 

38% 

High School 

Graduate 

31% 

Some College 

16% 

Bachelor's/Grad/Prof 

Degree 

25000-34999 

15000-24999 

0-14999 

0 

1,000 

HOUSEHOLD INCOME 

2,000 

White Collar 

Blue Collar 

Services 

56% 

35% 

9% 

6.0% 

Unemployment 

Rate 

Figure 4a 


POPULATION BY AGE 

14 

12 

10 

Percent 

8 

6 

4 

2 

0 

0-4 5-9 10-14 15-19 20-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65-74 75-84 85+ 

Figure 4b 

2021 

2026 

80 

70 

60 

2021 POPULATION BY RACE 

Percent 

50 

40 

30 

20 

10 

0 

White Black Am. Ind. Asian Pacific Other Two+ 

2021 Percent Hispanic Origin: 2.0% 

Figure 4c 

VARIABLE 

COVINGTON COUNTY, AL 

2021 Total Population 37,970 

2021 Male Population 18,506 

2021 Median Male Age 42.7 

2021 Female Population 19,464 

2021 Median Female Age 46.5 

Figure 4d 


2. What is the educational attainment level of citizens? Understand the numbers associated with people 

earning degrees (high school diplomas, two- or four-year degrees, technical skills and credentials of 

value, terminal/professional degrees). Understand the commonalities; for example, is there a higher 

number of people who specialize in certain occupations, such as STEM occupations or advanced 

manufacturing? 

COUNTY PER CAPITA INCOME, 2019 

$30,000 

$25,000 

$20,000 

$15,000 

$10,000 

$5,000 

$0 

$18,473 

Barbour 

$21,038 

Butler 

$27,806 

$23,687 $24,563 $24,645 $25,276 $27,097 

$21,711 $22,453 $23,675 

Coffee Covington Crenshaw Dale Geneva Henry Houston Pike Southeast 

HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE OR HIGHER, 2015-2019 

100% 

80% 

73.2% 

85.0% 85.9% 83.4% 79.2% 

86.1% 

80.3% 79.4% 

86.0% 85.0% 82.4% 

60% 

40% 

20% 

0% 

Barbour 

Butler 

Coffee 

Covington 

Crenshaw 

Dale 

Geneva 

Henry 

Houston 

Pike 

Southeast 

BACHELOR’S DEGREE OR HIGHER, 2015-2019 

25% 

20% 

15% 

10% 

11.6% 

16.1% 

22.8% 

15.3% 

17.4% 18.1% 

12.5% 

17.1% 

21.7% 

23.7% 

17.6% 

5% 

0% 

Barbour 

Butler 

Coffee 

Covington 

Crenshaw 

Dale 

Geneva 

Henry 

Houston 

Pike 

Southeast 

Source: US Census Bureau Quickfacts 

The University of Alabama Center for Economic Development 

Figure 5a 


TABLE 6.8 INDUSTRY MIX (FIRST QUARTER 2019) 

Industry by 2-digit NAICS code 

Total 

Employment 

Share 

Rank 

Average 

Monthly 

Wage 

Average 

Monthly 

New Hire 

Earnings 

11 Agriculture,Forestry,Fishing and Hunting 2,233 1.70% 15 $3,129 $2,764 

21 Mining 215 0.16% 20 $4,564 $4,473 

22 Utilities 2,248 1.71% 14 $8,554 $4,599 

23 Construction 4,879 3.72% 10 $3,456 $3,060 

31-33 Manufacturing 22,996 17.5% 1 $3,717 $2,601 

42 Wholesale Trade 4,939 3.8% 9 $4,336 $3,251 

44-45 Retail Trade 17,115 13.0% 3 $2,340 $1,552 

48-49 Transportation and Warehousing 6,887 5.2% 6 $3,772 $3,007 

51 Information 1,018 0.8% 17 $3,796 $2,251 

52 Finance and Insurance 3,048 2.3% 12 $4,578 $2,929 

53 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 1,243 0.9% 16 $3,235 $2,193 

54 Professional,Scientific,and Technical Services 3,977 3.0% 11 $4,115 $2,684 

55 Management of Companies and Enterprises 762 0.6% 19 $3,626 $2,228 

56 Administrative and Support and Waste 

Management and Remediation Services 

5,566 4.2% 8 $2,049 $1,687 

61 Educational Services 11,857 9.0% 5 $3,301 $1,842 

62 Health Care and Social Assistance 19,920 15.2% 2 $3,412 $2,545 

71 Arts,Entertainment,and Recreation 775 0.6% 18 $1,186 $679 

72 Accommodation and Food Services 12,181 9.3% 4 $1,153 $983 

81 Other Services (except Public Administration) 2,695 2.1% 13 $2,618 $1,764 

92 Public Administration 6,739 5.13% 7 $2,749 $1,934 

ALL INDUSTRIES 131,291 100.00% $3,179 $2,059 

Source: Alabama Department of Labor and U.S. Census Bureau. 

Figure 5b 

TOTAL POPULATION 25+ WITH A BACHELOR’S DEGREE OR HIGHER 

1500 

13% 

1200 

900 

1209 

903 917 

23% 

30% 

12% 

600 

474 

517 

22% 

300 

0 

Science and 

Engineering 

Science and 

Engineering 

Related Fields 

Business 

Education 

Arts, 

Humanities 

and Others 

Arts, Humanities and Others 

Education 

Business 

Science and Engineering Related Fields 

Science and Engineering 

Source: https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=education&g=0500000US01039&tid=ACSST5Y2019.S1502 


Figure 5c 


2500 

2000 

1500 

1000 

500 

739 

HEALTH SCIENCE 

including CNA, CPCT, EKG 

1198 

1692 

2455 

1949 

3000 

2500 

2000 

1500 

1000 

500 

CONSTRUCTION TRADES 

including Welding, HVAC, 

Electrical, and Carpentry 

2831 

1798 2093 2360 2389 

1000 

800 

600 

400 

200 

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY 

including Microsoft MTA, 

CompTIA, PC Pro, Security Pro, C-TECH 

120 

337 

729 

829 

513 

0 

500 

400 

300 

200 

100 

2015 

2016 

2017 

2018 

2019 

MANUFACTURING 

including NIMS, AC/DC, 

NCCER MECH, NCCER ELECTRICAL 

243 

376 

423 408 393 

0 

300 

200 

100 

2015 

2016 

2017 

2018 

2019 

STEM 

including AutoCAD, Revit, 

Solid Edge, SOLIDWORKS, Autodesk Inventor 

600 

588 

1200 

529 516 

500 

1000 

429 

400 

800 

127 

0 

600 

400 

200 

2015 

2016 

2017 

2018 

2019 

TRANSPORTATION 

including ASE Maintenance & Repair, 

ASE Diesel, ICAR, Briggs & Stratton 

1046 

1110 

666 

842 

815 

0 

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 

0 

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 

Source: https://www.alabamactso.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Alabama-CTE-Impact-Report-2019-2020.pdf 

0 

2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 


Figure 5d 

INDUSTRY EMPLOYED PERCENT US PERCENT LOCATION QUOTIENT 

Total 16,023 100.0% 100.0% - 

Agriculture/Forestry/Fishing 594 3.7% 1.3% 2.85 

Mining/Quarrying/Oil & Gas 343 2.1% 0.4% 4.20 

Construction 1,414 8.8% 7.1% 1.19 

Manufacturing 2,634 16.4% 9.9% 1.55 

Wholesale Trade 349 2.2% 2.5% 0.88 

Retail Trade 1,811 11.3% 10.7% 1.16 

Transportation/Warehousing 830 5.2% 5.1% 1.11 

Utilities 513 3.2% 0.9% 3.56 

Information 156 1.0% 1.8% 0.56 

Finance/Insurance 628 3.9% 5.2% 0.80 

Real Estate/Rental/Leasing 157 1.0% 1.9% 0.48 

Professional/Scientific/Tech 659 4.1% 8.3% 0.50 

Management of Companies 0 0.0% 0.1% 0.00 

Admin/Support/Waste Management 899 5.6% 3.7% 1.44 

Educational Services 962 6.0% 9.3% 0.62 

Health Care/Social Assistance 1,999 12.5% 14.8% 0.83 

Arts/Entertainment/Recreation 142 0.9% 1.5% 0.56 

Accommodation/Food Services 534 3.3% 5.9% 0.59 

Other Services (Excluding Public) 573 3.6% 4.5% 0.78 

Public Administration 826 5.2% 5.2% 1.08 

Source: ESRI, Civilian Labor Profile, Covington County 

Figure 5e 

Figures 5a-5e: Planners must understand income levels, graduation levels, degree attainment, 

credential attainment and specialty occupations such as STEM and advanced manufacturing. 


MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME, 2019 

Florala 

$27,944 

Covington 

Southeast 

$42,189 

$42,676 

Alabama 

$50,536 

United States 

$62,843 

$0 $10,000 $20,000 $30,000 $40,000 $50,000 $60,000 $70,000 

EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT, POPULATION 25+, 2019 

15% 

17% 

37% 

Covington County 

Less than 

High School 

Bachelor's Degree 

or Higher 

8% 

20% 

42% 

Florala Town 

Less than 

High School 

Bachelor's Degree 

or Higher 

31% 

Some College 

or Associates 

High School 

or GED 

30% 

Some College 

or Associates 

High School 

or GED 

Source: 2019 American Community survey 5-year estimates 


Figure 6 

Figure 6: This graphic depicts the regional perspective for Covington County. 

3. Who are the people in the workforce? Determine the number/percentage of people who are employed, 

underemployed, unemployed, working age but don’t work (labor market participation rate). Know what 

capacity your citizens have regarding the type of work that will be a good fit for your community (your 

niche) and how you can grow that capacity to create a microcosm of people with those skill sets. 


MARCH 2021 DATA 

Labor Force Employed Unemployed Rate (%) 

Barbour 8,362 7,890 472 5.6 

Butler 8,836 8,332 504 5.7 

Coffee 21,223 20,706 517 2.4 

Covington 14,928 14,513 415 2.8 

Crenshaw 6,019 5,837 182 3.0 

Dale 20,632 19,994 638 3.1 

Geneva 10,646 10,376 270 2.5 

Henry 6,753 6,552 201 3.0 

Houston 46,168 44,609 1,559 3.4 

Pike 15,621 15,129 492 3.1 

Southeast 159,188 153,938 5,250 3.3 

Alabama * 2,236,280 2,151,610 84,670 3.8 

United States* 160,558,000 150,848,000 9,710,000 6.0 

*Seasonally Adjusted 

Source: State of workforce report XIV 

Source: AL Dept of Labor, Labor Market Information Division, most recent data as of 5/11/2021 

Figure 7 

Figure 7 shows those who are identified by the Alabama Department of Labor and 

University of Alabama Workforce Reports as being employable. Employed individuals are active 

in the workforce; unemployed individuals are actively seeking work but not currently working. 

The rate is the percentage of the labor force that is unemployed. 

WORKING-AGE POPULATION 

Ages 16-64 

Alabama Covington County Florala Town 

3,102,263 22,247 857 

Source: AL Dept of Labor, Labor Market Information Division, most recent data as of 5/11/2021 

Figure 8 

Figure 8 defines the labor force in Covington County. The total possible labor force includes those 

who are new workers (age 16+) and those who continue to work later in life (up to age 64). 


LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION RATE 

National rate (March 2021) = 61.5% State rate (March 2021) = 56.9% 

Employed 

Unemployed 

+ 

= 

Working-age population 

Labor force participation rate 

March 2021 Covington County population = 37,200 (-1.4% since 2011) 

14,928 labor force (3/21) 

22,247 working-age population 

= 67.1% in labor force in Covington Co 

Source: 2015-2019 ACS Demographic and Housing 5-Year Estimates & AL Dept of Labor 

Figure 9 

Figure 9 represents the “labor force participation rate.” This rate describes the health of the total 

labor force. Alabama lags behind the national labor force participation rate by approximately 5 

percentage points. To understand the potential that a community has to grow economically, planners 

must know who is available to work, a critical component for site selectors when locating new business 

and industry. It is also critical to existing businesses and industries who may wish to expand. In this 

example, 67.1% of people who are eligible to work are working. The question becomes, “What are the 

other 32.9% of potential workers doing?” Some people will still be in school and some will be retired. 

These people should be backed out of the 32.9% who are “not working” to get a true number. 

Attempts should then be made to get as many people as possible into the workforce. 

4. What are the commuter patterns for workers? Determine the number of people who come into the county 

to work as compared to the number of people who leave the county to work. 


SOUTHEAST ALABAMA COMMUTING PATTERNS 

County Inflow Outflow 

Barbour 3,576 5,311 

Butler 3,021 4,491 

Coffee 7,720 10,116 

Covington 4,521 5,603 

Crenshaw 1,728 3,900 

Dale 8,374 10,049 

Geneva 1,932 6,596 

Henry 1,689 5,676 

Houston 20,241 13,289 

Pike 7,240 6,007 

Source: State of workforce report XIV 

PERCENT OF WORKERS 

Average commute time (one way) 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 

Less than 20 minutes 54.9 54.8 52.1 50.1 49.6 

20 to 40 minutes 24.8 22.5 26.2 25.0 27.5 

40 minutes to an hour 9.0 9.9 8.1 8.5 9.5 

More than an hour 3.1 4.1 3.3 4.7 3.9 

Average commute time (one way) 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 

Less than 20 minutes 48.6 44.7 46.9 41.6 45.1 

20 to 40 minutes 29.0 29.8 27.8 32.7 29.2 

40 minutes to an hour 14.7 14.7 14.1 14.0 13.4 

More than an hour 5.8 7.7 7.9 8.2 9.6 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau; Alabama Department of Industrial Relations; and Center for Business and Economic Research, The University of Alabama. 

Figure 10 

Figure 10 shows commuter patterns for Covington County. Understand what these people are doing 

as they enter or leave the county. If there is a larger number of people leaving the county to work than 

coming in, what can you do as a county to change that ratio? People are very willing to travel longer 

distances for a good job, family-supporting wage and higher quality of life 

5. Who are the entrepreneurs in the community and what do they do? Understand the demographic 

(age, gender, race, etc.); know what they contribute to the economy and what resources they need 

to remain viable. 

Data sets important to economic development include the following: 

1. What are the current economic engines in the county? Understand the numbers associated with retail, 

manufacturing, hospitality/tourism, service, education, etc. 


COVINGTON COUNTY WORKFORCE DEMAND 

High-Demand and High-Earning Occupations: 

• Legal Occupations 

• Health Diagnosing and Treating Practitioners and 

Other Technical Occupations 

• Management Occupations 

• Architecture and Engineering Occupations 

• Management, Business, and Financial Occupations 

Top Five Most Specialized Occupations: 

• Farming, Fishing and Forestry Occupations 

• Installation, Maintenance and Repair Occupations 

• Health Technologists and Technicians 

• Transportation Occupations 

• Construction and Extraction Occupations 

Top Five Most Common Occupations: 

• Office and Administrative Support Occupations 

• Production Occupations 

• Sales and Related Occupations 

• Construction and Extraction Occupations 

• Management Occupations 

Largest Employment Industries: 

• Manufacturing 

• Health Care and Social Assistance 

• Retail Trade 

• Construction 

• Educational Services 

Source: DATAUSA 

Figure 11 

Figure 11 shows opportunities for high-demand, high-earning, most specialized, largest employment 

and most common occupations. Understanding these workforce demands will help communities 

discover gaps that may provide additional job opportunities. 

2. What are the natural resources available to be used by new or expanding businesses/industries? 


ALABAMA’S STRATEGIC PLAN 

Aerospace/Aviation Agriculture Automotive 

• Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul 

• Commercial Space Products 

• Supply Chain 

• Unmanned Systems 

• Crops 

• Processed Food 

• Agricultural Equipment 

• Original Equipment 

Manufacturer 

• Suppliers 

Bioscience Chemicals Forestry 

• Medical Equipment and Supplies 

• Pharmaceuticals 

• Biotechnology 

• Agricultural Chemicals 

• Industrial Chemicals 

• Construction Materials 

• Building Materials 

Metals and Advanced Materials 

• Steel Manufacturer 

• Fabricated Metal Products Manufacturer 

• Additive Manufacturer, or 3D Printing 

• Carbon Fiber Composites 

Source: Accelerate Alabama 2.0 

Figure 12 

Figure 12 shows the resources available in Alabama that are also included in the state’s Accelerate 

Alabama 2.0 Strategic Plan. Each county must identify the natural resources that will help it grow. 

3. Is there a “ready” workforce? Is the current workforce trainable? Are there sufficient and diverse career 

and technical program offerings in the K-12 system that will ensure a strong pipeline of workers? What 

are the opportunities for continued education and training through the Alabama Community College 

System? Are there strong connections to higher education that will assist you to meet your goals? Are 

there apprenticeship programs that will be a good fit for citizens and business and industry alike? 


ABC SCHOOL SYSTEM CAREER TECH PROGRAM OFFERINGS 2021-2022 

30,000’ OVERVIEW OF PROGRAM VIABILITY 

Programs 

Advanced 

Manufacturing 

Auto Service 

Technology 

Business 

Management and 

Administration 

Career 

Technical 

Center 

X 

X 

High 

School 

#1 

High 

School 

#2 

Middle 

School 

#1 

X X X 

Middle 

School 

#2 

Career Prep X X X 

Cosmetology X 

Drafting Design/ 

Pre-Engineering 

Electronics/ 

Robotics 

Health Science X 

Industrial 

Maintenance 

(Mechanical) 

Welding X 

Agri-Construction X 

General Agriculture X 

Army JROTC X X 

FACS-Food, 

Wellness, Dietetics 

Work-Based 

Learning 

X 

X 

X 

X X X X 

X X X 

High 

Demand 

Fast 

Growing 

High 

Demand 

and Fast 

Growing 

Recognized 

Credential 

of Value 

Declining 

Occupation 

Figure 13 shows a simple way to determine if career and technical offerings are 

accelerating community, economic and workforce growth. 

Figure 13 

Other questions that need answers are: 

• What workforce development components are available to assist with business startup, development and 

growth? 

• What are the opportunities for new businesses/industries regarding incentives including start-up, 

funding, land, infrastructure, etc? 

Data sets important to education/workforce development include the following: 

1. What is the education attainment level of citizens? Understand the numbers associated with people 

earning degrees (high school diplomas, two- and four-year degrees, technical skills credentials, terminal/ 

professional degrees etc) as depicted earlier in figures 5 and 6. 


2. Who are the people in the workforce (figures 7, 8, 9)? Determine the number/percentage of people who 

are employed, underemployed, unemployed, working age but don’t work (labor market participation rate). 

What can you do to increase a low labor market participation rate? 

3. What opportunities are available for adult learners who need to earn a high school diploma or upskill for 

better jobs? 

Figure 14 

Figure 14 depicts opportunities for real life accomplishment through adult education offerings in the 

Alabama Community College System. Access information at www.accs.edu, then click on “adult education.” 

The Alabama Community College System is also a great delivery system for creating a skilled workforce 

and upskilling workers through specialized programs and classes. 

Figure 15 

Figure 15 depicts opportunities available to Alabama citizens through the Alabama Office of Apprenticeship. 

The mission of the Alabama Office of Apprenticeship is to expand the use of registered apprenticeships and 

Alabama Industry Recognized Apprenticeship Programs for providing high-quality career training, enabling 

workers and employers to prosper in pursuit of continued economic development. More information can be 

accessed at www.alapprentice.org. 


4. How does student achievement in the community compare to surrounding communities and the state as 

a whole? Understand patterns associated with the following components: 

a. Demographics including race, socioeconomic status, disabilities, student/teacher ratios, etc. 

b. Academic growth, including proficiency in reading, math and science 

c. Graduation rates, college- and career-readiness indicators, and matriculation to education beyond 

high school 

d. Chronic absenteeism. Students who don’t come to school will also have a hard time showing up at 

work (especially high school students) 

e. Teacher demographics including race, level of education/certification, years of service, in-field 

placement, etc. 

f. Pathways that students choose upon graduation from high school, including numbers associated 

with entry in two- and four-year institutions, number of students who go directly to work, number of 

students who enter the military, number of students who don’t matriculate to a next step after 

graduation. Students must have more than a high school diploma to meet the demands of the 

21st-century workplace. Most high-skill, high-wage jobs now require education beyond high school 

and in most cases acquisition of credentials of value. 

g. What are the outcomes of student choices, including the percentage of two- and four-year completion 

rates; direct-to-work outcomes for students who elect to go directly to work out of high school; 

number of students/citizens who continue to upskill, earning additional certificates/credentials once 

their formal education is complete. 


COVINGTON COUNTY REPORT CARD TEMPLATE 

INDICATOR 

WS Harlan 

Elementary School 

Florala High School 

STATE 

SUCCESS RATE (%) SUCCESS RATE (%) SUCCESS RATE (%) 

Overall Score B (87) B (83) B (84) 

Academic Growth 100 94.93 93.06 

• Reading Proficiency 45.95% 40.83% 45.27% 

• Math Proficiency 52.7% 25% 46.52% 

• Science Proficiency 25% 28.99% 38.87% 

Graduation Rate No Data 92% 90% 

College/Career Readiness Rate No Data 76% 75.05% 

Chronic Absenteeism 2.74% 10.25% 11.17% 

Students with Disabilities 22.79% 17.97% 13.52% 

Economically Disadvantaged 75.37% 71.89% 52.23% 

In-Field Teachers 85.71% 72.31% 93.65% 

Grads Two-Year 46% 28% 

Grads Four-Year 3% 30% 

Grads Not Enrolled 51% 42% 

Source: WWW.ALSDE.EDU/PARCA 

Figure 16 

Figure 16 shows a snapshot of educational data for the case study. Many more data points 

are available to help with decision making and can be accessed at www.alabamaachieves.org. 


STEP 2 – STATEMENT OF PURPOSE 


STEP 



WHAT? 


condition? 


community? 

Figure 17 Developing a Statement of Purpose 

Figure 17 

The statement of purpose describes the “what” you are trying to accomplish with the strategic plan 

(figure 17). As stated earlier, start with the end in mind. Develop a simple statement that clearly indicates 

where you want to be when the plan is actualized. 

Example of a statement of purpose 

for a school district that developed its 

strategic plan to ensure that students 

are education- and work-ready upon 

completion of their K12 experience: 

“Equipping Tomorrow’s 

Workforce Today” 


STEP 3 – GOALS 


STEP 




WHAT? 


condition? 


community? 


Figure 18 

Figure 18 Develop goals that are long term and aligned with the statement of purpose. 

Goals are broad and measurable and will have objectives and activities broken out for each one. When 

objectives and activities are successfully implemented and aggregated, the goals will be accomplished. 

Goals must be SMART: 

• Specific 

• Measurable 

• Attainable 

• Relevant 

• Time-based 

Goals must be specific so that organizations don’t lose sight of the end result. Measurable goals have 

targets so you always know where you are in relation to completion. Attainable goals break big projects into 

smaller parts that are easier to manage and accomplish. Relevant goals make sense when compared to your 

statement of purpose, market, client base and industry. Time-based goals are limited by a span of time or a 

deadline. 

As a refresher, remember that goals are long term, measurable and aligned with your statement of purpose. 

To accomplish goals, objectives should be developed that break goals down into pieces that are more easily 

managed, can be assigned to groups or individuals, and have a timeline (figure 19). When objectives are 

developed for a specific goal, then implemented and aggregated, the organization should come close to 

meeting the established goal. 


Example: It’s not uncommon to hear that municipalities or agencies don’t really have a 

strategy, but that’s a myth. If you look more closely at individual cities, you’ll see that 

some are growing quickly ... and some are not. Cities with strong growth have chosen 

strategic goals and objectives based on their specific socioeconomic situation. Yes 

— virtually all municipalities have goals based on balancing the budget and improving 

safety. But the most successful cities refine those high-level goals and associated 

objectives. Does the city-planning portion of the budget need more focus than public 

utilities? Is street crime or retail crime more of a safety issue? Choosing goals and 

objectives that function as answers to questions like these is the most strategic (and 

successful) approach for cities. 

It’s also important to note that a municipality’s strategy must be specific to its economy 

and population and take into account the diversity of the citizenry. Goals and objectives 

cannot all be focused on a single source of revenue, such as tourism or manufacturing. 

For example, cities along the Gulf Coast have realized that when an oil spill occurs, a 

reliance on tourism is detrimental. They need a more resilient and diverse economy to 

build a healthy community. In short, municipal goals and objectives should be diverse 

enough to withstand economic and environmental shifts. 


STEP 4 – OBJECTIVES 


STEP 





WHAT? 


condition? 


community? 


What are the measurable targets? What are the bitesized 

pieces that will help you to reach your goals? 

Figure 19 Developing Objectives 

Figure 19 

Objectives break goals down into bite-size pieces and when accomplished and aggregated move organizations 

closer to meeting their goals. Like goals, objectives must be measurable and should always begin with a verb. 

Verb + Adjective + Noun 

action description result 

Figure 20 

Figure 20 depicts the structure for objectives. Using this structure, an example of an objective might be, 

“Develop a world-class website that makes it easy for stakeholders to interact with us.” 


STEP 5 – STRATEGIES 


STEP 






WHAT? 


condition? 


community? 






Figure 21 

Figure 21 Developing Strategies 

Strategies further break down objectives into manageable pieces. These more granular statements assist the 

organization in deploying the objectives by providing direction focused on specific strategies or activities. 

For example, if the objective is “Develop a world-class website that makes it easy for stakeholders to interact 

with us,” the strategies/activities might include the list below. 

• Strategy 1: Survey internal and external stakeholders to determine their most valued features in a 

company website. 

• Strategy 2: Develop a request for proposal (RFP) that defines requirements for a new website. 

• Strategy 3: Locate providers who have the capacity to deliver features most valued by the stakeholder base. 

• Strategy 4: Deploy the RFP. 

• Strategy 5: Analyze the responses to the RFP for capacity/ability to deliver requirements. 

• Strategy 6: Contract with the most logical choice of respondents to deliver the new website according to 

timelines indicated. 

Notice that these strategies are presented in chronological order. While this ordering is not required, it does 

lend itself to simpler and more organized implementation. 


STEP 6 – ACTION PLAN 


STEP 







WHAT? 


condition? 


community? 








Figure 22 Developing the Action Plan 

Figure 22 

The action plan is the document that defines specific actions based on the objectives and strategies to be 

accomplished. This document may also be used as an accountability plan. Figure 23 shows an example of an 

action plan that specifies who is responsible for certain goals, objectives and strategies; defines benchmarks; 

and lays out timelines for getting the work done. If this step is not taken, the work of the strategic plan will 

most likely be left undone, and the plan will “gather dust on the shelf” because there is no accountability for 

implementation. The old adage that “we must inspect what we expect” applies here. 


STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN SAMPLE 

“Equipping Tomorrow’s Workforce Today” 

STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN 

(TO BE REVIEWED QUARTERLY AND SHOULD MIRROR CTE REQUIREMENTS FROM CARL D PERKINS CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION ACT) 

OBJECTIVE STRATEGY WHO? MEASUREMENT BENCHMARK or 

TARGET 

TARGET DATE 

NOTES 

GOAL 1: Provide relevant CTE programs 

Objective 1: Expand current and develop new high-skill, high-wage, high-demand CTE programs to meet industry needs 

Strategy 1-a 

Conduct semiannual review with industry 

leaders/standards/reports to guide what 

programs are offered 

Initiatives: 

• Workforce (WF) data 

• Meetings 

• Surveys 

• Visits 

CTE Director/ 

Local WF 

Advisory Chair 

• # b/I people with 

input 

• Comparison to WF 

data 

• Comparison to 

Perkins req’t and 

COS 

___ b/I reps with 

input 

___ programs align 

with WF data 

___ meet 

requirements of 

Perkins and COS 

• Date first 

review 

• Date second 

review 

Program offerings 

must keep up with 

speed of change 

Strategy 1-b 

Increase programs and technology at local 

schools to meet the demands of the WF 

Initiatives: 

• Analyze local WF data 

• Conduct a needs analysis 

• Determine funding sources 

Superintendent, 

BOE, CTE 

Director, Local 

WF Council 

• # programs updated 

with equipment 

• % alignment of 

equipment with 

standards 

___% of programs 

that meet the 

demand of the WF 

___% of programs 

aligned with WF 

data 

NLT Jan. 15 each 

year 

Equipment upgrades 

must keep up with 

speed of change 

Strategy 1-c 

Incorporate/ensure students earn 

certifications in all CTE programs 

CTE Director 

CTE Teachers 

Local WF 

council 

• % students earning 

CRIs 

• % students earning 

stackables 

___% of students 

earning 


earning 

Mid-year 

End of year 

All students must have 

access to earn 

certifications 

• % students with no 

certifications 


with no certification 

Figure 23 

Figure 23 shows an example of an Action Plan. 


STEP 7 – MONITORING 


STEP 








WHAT? 


condition? 


community? 










Figure 24 describes the monitoring process. 

Figure 24 

Monitoring the implementation of a strategic plan is critical for success. It is recommended that plan 

implementation be monitored at least quarterly in the first year. This monitoring is to ensure that responsible 

parties understand their roles in the success of the plan and its effect on the organization as a whole. During 

these monitoring meetings, those responsible for part of the plan should report on their progress and ask for 

assistance if needed. These monitoring meetings are also good times to brainstorm new ideas and come to 

consensus on concerns. 

Monitoring should not be perceived as a negative activity; it is not a “gotcha” opportunity, but more a way to 

provide support to individuals and groups as the strategic plan is put into practice. Once the first year is 

done, monitoring may be scheduled in longer intervals giving individuals and groups more time needed to 

accomplish increasingly difficult activities. The person responsible for the overall implementation should 

remain abreast of all work on the plan in order to ensure seamless implementation across all goals. 


STEP 8 – CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT 


STEP 









WHAT? 


condition? 


community? 












Figure 25 

Figure 25 Continuous Improvement leads to organizational growth 

Continuous improvement should be obvious as a “culture” inside organizations. Continuous improvement 

should be the goal of every organization and every person within an organization. Maintaining the status quo 

will not improve an organization; it will, in many cases, cause an organization to stall. Maintaining the status 

quo is not representative of keeping up with the “speed of change” around us. Since monitoring takes place 

at regular intervals, it should be immediately obvious when changes need to be made to the plan or the 

activities supporting the plan. 

Continuous improvement is designed to empower employees to solve problems and gradually improve the 

efficiency of their work processes and the organization as a whole. The culture of continuous improvement 

lets employees know that their ideas are important and that they are heard. 


Continuous improvement requires commitment and is a lot of work. Knowing the benefits of the process can 

provoke action, allow for proper resource allocations, and inspire everyone to put in the hard work necessary 

to accomplish goals. Some of the benefits of having a continuous improvement culture are below. 

Benefit 1: More Engaged Employees 

Developing a continuous improvement culture hits directly at the problem of unengaged employees. At its 

core, continuous improvement is designed to empower employees to solve problems and gradually improve 

the efficiency of their work processes. Employees know that their ideas are important. This changes the 

employee’s role and responsibilities from being passive to being an active participant in business decisions 

and processes. These employees will work harder to implement the overall strategic plan. 

Benefit 2: Lower Employee Turnover 

Turnover in organizations is very expensive. In addition to severance, the company must pay for recruiting, 

hiring, and training someone new to do the job. In many jobs, it can take several years of on-the-job training 

for an employee to gain the necessary experience to excel. A continuous improvement culture has been 

shown to boost employee engagement and reduce turnover rates. Employees who actively participate in the 

betterment of the company gain a sense of pride and accomplishment that leads to a greater sense of 

belonging and fewer reasons to leave the organization. In this instance, the strategic plan helps to grow the 

intellectual capital of the organization. 

Benefit 3: More Competitive Products and Services 

Continuous improvement drives the improvement of both processes and products. Companies that actively 

look for ways to enhance their business will invariably increase the value of their products and services. This 

will lead to more sophisticated and more economically competitive offerings overall. Mapping out the 

improvements through strategic planning helps organizations grow and expand. 

Benefit 4: Better Customer Service 

Customer service starts with understanding what the customer finds valuable and working to deliver that 

value. Continuous improvement provides a framework for identifying customer values and for minimizing 

waste in the value delivery process. Organizations that represent a continuous improvement culture are 

better able to align their products and services to customer values. This will lead to products and services 

that anticipate the needs of customers even before they know the need themselves. Strategic planning helps 

organizations forecast ways to provide better customer service. 


Benefit 5: Proactive Learning Culture 

In the modern workplace, knowledge and technology quickly become obsolete. If you are doing business in 

the same way that you did ten or even five years ago, your company will quickly go out of business. A 

continuous improvement culture is one that challenges employees and managers to go beyond their comfort 

zone. The only way to improve upon existing processes is to try something new. That something new can be 

scary at first and be beyond the current competencies of the organization. Continuous improvement gives 

organizations a framework for reaching the next level of excellence. An organization that practices continuous 

improvement is never satisfied with its current accomplishments. There is always something to be changed 

and improved upon. 

(Excerpted from writings of Nawras Skhmot, a Norwegian civil engineer and entrepreneur on the topic of continuous improvement.) 


STEP 9 – PIVOT POINTS 


STEP 









STEP 9 – Pivot Points 

WHAT? 


condition? 


community? 












What would cause you to pivot? (Natural disaster, 

pandemic, loss of major employer, etc.) How will you be 

proactive rather than reactive? 

Figure 26 

Figure 26 It’s important to know when to pivot and be prepared for it. 

Strategic planning should also lead organizations to think about what would cause them to pivot? 2020 

caused all of us to take a look at what might be next and how we will handle it. The same question applies to 

our organizations. Whether it be family, work, social, personal, political, religious, personal safety, or any other 

topic, the COVID-19 pandemic affected every aspect of our lives. How has the pandemic caused your business 

plan to change? What lasting effects are there? 


Things that may cause us to pivot are natural disasters, a new or expanding pandemic, loss of a major 

account or supplier, workforce shortages or inability to find qualified workers, etc. The strategic planning 

process should be used to explore and help organizations get in front of the next emergency so that we are 

proactive rather than reactive with solutions.

Strategic Planning Guide

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