The use and impact of strategic planning as perceived by school superintendents in Nebraska\u27s class II, III, and VI school districts

The purpose for conducting this study was to examine the use and impact of strategic planning as perceived by Nebraska\u27s school superintendents. The research was designed to gather perceptions of superintendents on the degree of implementation of strategic planning, the reasons why school leaders began to utilize strategic planning, the effects of strategic planning, the factors that impact the degree of implementation of strategic planning, and the factors that impact the perceived effectiveness of strategic planning. The study design featured a dominant quantitative segment and a less dominant qualitative segment. The quantitative aspect featured a survey of the 287 school superintendents, while the qualitative aspect consisted of follow-up interviews with 10% of the respondents to the survey. The findings of the study revealed: (1) That there was a high level of interest in and use of strategic planning. (2) There was no single most important reason for entering into the strategic planning process, but rather multiple reasons or a combination of reasons. (3) That strategic planning was bringing about visible changes in curriculum, parental involvement, and school restructuring within their districts. (4) A significant relationship existed between the degree of implementation and the length of time the process had been used. There was a greater level of implementation in districts where the process had been in place for a longer period of time. (5) No significant relationship existed between the degree of implementation and the enrollment within the district, the tenure of the superintendent in the district, or the use of an outside facilitator. (6) A significant relationship existed between the use of strategic planning and the district\u27s enrollment. As enrollment increased there was a corresponding increase in the use of strategic planning. (7) A significant relationship existed between the perceived effectiveness of strategic planning and both the degree of implementation and the length of time a district had used strategic planning. Strategic planning was perceived as more effective in districts that had been involved in the process for a longer period of time. (8) No significant relationship existed between the perceived effectiveness of strategic planning and the use of an outside facilitator