Survey Responses to the Baldrige Quality Model and Implementing a College of Education Strategic Plan

The process of ensuring that a College of Education is equipped to address the challenging requirements of educating students for the twenty-first century is one that connects leadership with student achievement and faculty development. All three must work together in order to invigorate education programs. A regional southeastern university collected data using a survey published by The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for the Baldrige program titles Are We Ready and Are We Ready as Leaders. The objectives of the Baldrige quality model are to identify and recognize role-model institutions, establish criteria for evaluating improvement efforts, and to disseminate and share best practices. This study analyzed the perceptions of faculty and administrators in the college on the following seven organizational factors: Leadership, Strategic Planning, Customer Focus, Measurement, Analysis and Knowledge Management, Workforce Focus, Operations Focus and Results. The data provided a reference base for comparisons with responses from replicated future surveys, and would enable the institution to revise and implement its strategic plans. This study provided relevant information that would enable the college of education to improve its overall operation and mission