Comprehensive Planning (CP)
Career and Technical Center(CTC) Offline Planning Guide
Research Study
During the spring of 2010, PDE commissioned a research study to analyze and make recommendations regarding the current planning processes and tools used by LEAs and their alignment with the school improvement processes and tools. The study identified the need for a comprehensive process and tool that aligns LEA planning and school-level planning.
Comprehensive Planning Project
Under the direction of PDE, Capital Area Intermediate Unit and Delaware County Intermediate Unit collaboratedto design and develop a single, streamlined, yet systemic, Comprehensive Planning process and plan management system for LEAs and schools within the Commonwealth to ensure that:
- LEAs and their schools are using the same proven planning practices.
- All planning is collaborative, coordinated and representative of the participation of all stakeholders.
Legislative Highlights
Submission will consist of a single CTC Plan containing up to six goals every three years. The single plan will meet legislative requirements including, but not limited toChapters 4, 12, 14, 16 and49.
Contributors to Project
Bureau of Teaching and Learning Support, Bureau of Special Education, Bureau of Assessment & Accountability, Bureau of Career & Technical Education, Bureau of School Leadership and Teacher Quality, Center for Data Quality & Information Technology, Educational Technology Office, Pennsylvania Intermediate Units-Curriculum and Student Services Coordinators, PAIMS, IU 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 17, 20, 24, 25 & 27 Personnel, Pennsylvania Association for School Administrators and The Education Policy and Leadership Center.
Important Instructions for Using this Offline Guidance Tool
It is essential to receive training from the Comprehensive Planning Support Team to most effectively implement the process and utilize this offline guidance tool.
Please do not be overwhelmed by the size of this document. Instead of mostly narratives, several reflective survey type questions were developed that include single response questions, filling in charts and Likert responses. Throughout the process, you will be asked to reflect upon items.
This offline tool is to guide you during the process. Therefore, you may download and save it for yourCTCuse. This offline tool is best used electronically as rows are designed to expand to your entries and there are no character limits. In some cases, you may need to insert rows when you want additional items such as Concerns, Strategies, Action Steps, etc.
Rationale for Comprehensive Planning
Continuous planning by CTC is essential to providing increased student performance and quality results. Innovative, exemplary and research-based programs, coupled with staff development, focused and aligned resources and public participation in planning are critical factors in educational entities that demonstrate continuous growth. Comprehensive Planning is a continuous process that efficiently guides users through the planning process while ensuring that a school will meet all aspects of compliance. The Guided Planning Structure with Guiding Questions at its core increases the likelihood that planning teams will consider system characteristics associated with high performing educational entities and will do so within a systemic context.
Characteristics of High Performing Educational Systems
High performing educational systems with varied demographic conditions have shown they share common characteristics. These nine characteristics are strongly correlated to consistently high performing educational systems. As educational system teams go through the process of Comprehensive Planning, they will look for the presence of characteristics, such as clear and shared focus. Research has shown that there is no silver bullet – no single thing that educational systems can do to ensure high student performance. Rather, high performing education systems tend to show evidence of the following nine characteristics:
1.Clear and Shared Focus
Everybody knows where they are going and why. The vision is shared—everybody is involved and all understand their role in achieving the vision. The vision is developed from common beliefs and values, creating a consistent focus.
2.High Standards and Expectations
Teachers and staff believe that all students can learn and that they can teach all students. There is recognition of barriers for some students to overcome, but the barriers are not insurmountable. Students become engaged in an ambitious and rigorous course of study.
3.Effective Leadership
Effective leadership is required to implement change processes within a school. This leadership takes many forms. Administrators often play this role, but so do teachers and other staff. Effective leaders advocate, nurture and sustain a school culture and instructional program conducive to student learning and staff professional growth.
4.High Levels of Collaboration and Communication
There is constant collaboration and communication between and among teachers of all grades. Everybody is involved and connected, including parents and members of the community to solve problems and create solutions.
5.Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment Aligned with Standards
Curriculum is aligned with local, state and national standards. Research-based materials and teaching and learning strategies are implemented. There is a clear understanding of the assessment system, what is measured in various assessments and how it is measured.
6.Frequent Monitoring of Teaching and Learning
Teaching and Learning are continually adjusted based on frequent monitoring of student progress and needs. A variety of assessment procedures are used. The results of the assessment are used to improve student performances and also to improve the instructional program.
7.Focused Professional Development
Professional development for all educators is aligned with the school’s common focus, objectives and high expectations. It is ongoing and based on high need areas.
8.Supportive Learning Environment
The school has a safe, civil, healthy and intellectually stimulating learning environment. Students feel respected and connected with the staff and are engaged in learning. Instruction is personalized and small learning environments increase student contact with teachers.
9.High Levels of Community and Parent Involvement
There is a sense that all educational stakeholders have a responsibility to educate students, not just the teachers and staff in schools. Parents, as well as businesses, social service agencies and community colleges/universities all play a vital role in this effort.
Incorporating 21st Century Skills into the CTC Plan
The Partnership for 21st Century Skills ( has developed a unified, collective vision of 21st century learning that is advocated as a way to strengthen American education. This vision is expressed as a framework, which describes the knowledge, skills, expertise and literacies that the Partnership for 21st Century Skills believes students must master in order to succeed in work and life in the 21st Century. The framework presents the student outcomes and the support systems that are needed to produce these outcomes. Mastery of core academic subjects is the base upon which all 21st century learning occurs and an innovative support system is advocated to help students learn the multi-dimensional abilities required of them in the 21st century. The 21st century support system describes Standards, Assessments, Curriculum, Instruction, Professional Development, and Learning Environments.
Early in the process of Comprehensive Planning, it is highly encouraged that a CTC takes the Milestones for Improving Learning and Education (The MILE Guide) self-assessment. The MILE Guide toolset is designed to help CTC determine where they are on the spectrum of ensuring 21st century readiness for every student. It helps educational systems measure where they are in terms of student knowledge and skills; education support systems; leading and teaching; policy-making; partnering and continuous improvement/strategic planning. Depending on the results in each area, appropriate strategies are recommended.
To view the Partnership for 21st Century Learning’s Framework visit:
To view the MILES Guide and complete the self-assessment online visit:
CTCPlanning Components
- Profile
A.Demographics
B.Planning Process
C.Mission Statement
D.Vision Statement
E.Shared Values
F.Educational Community
G.CTC Planning Team
- Core Foundations
A.Standards
B.Curriculum
C.Instruction
D.Assessments
E.Safe and Supportive Schools
F.Materials and Resources
G.Professional Education
- Assurances
A.Safe and Supportive Schools
- Needs Assessment
A.Analyze Data - Overview
1.Optional Data Walkthroughs
2.CTC Accomplishments
3.CTC Concerns
B.Analyze Systems - Overview
1.CTCSystems Analysis - Guiding Questions
2.Align concerns with Systemic Challenges
3.Prioritize Systemic Challenges
- CTC Plan – Action Planning
(The CTC Plan is the collection of Action Plans that implement Strategies for accomplishing Goals. The following process is repeated for each Action Plan)
A.Identify a Goal
B.Identify Indicators of Effectiveness
C.Identify Strategies
D.Identify Implementation Steps
E.If applicable, complete Professional Development Action Step Worksheet(s)
- Plan Submission
A.CTC Level Affirmations
B.Assurance of Quality and Accountability
C.Status and History
CTCProfile
CTCName:Street Address:
Post Office (City/Town):
Zip Code: / Phone Number:
Executive Director/Assistant Director:
Executive Director/Assistant Director’s Email Address:
Planning Process
Determining your planning process is an integral step to, but separate from, developing and implementing your CTC plan. Things to consider when determining your process are:
- When, where and with whom will you meet?
- What is your timeline to sustain momentum?
- Who will be responsible for which aspects of the planning process?
- How, when, what and with whom will you communicate?
Description of the process you are using to develop your plan
Mission Statement
A Mission statement describes what an organization is and what it does; however, more fundamentally, it defines the purpose of the organization as a whole. Unlike a Vision statement (which answers the question “What does the organization want for its future?”), a Mission statement addresses the question “Why does this organization exist?” When creating a Mission statement, it is helpful to begin responses to that question with “to” followed by an action verb, such as “provide” or “foster.”
Criteria for an Effective Mission Statement include:
- Short and sharply focused
- Clear and easily understood
- Defines why the school does what it does
- Defines why the school exists
- Sufficiently broad and general
- Provides direction for doing the rights things
- Inspires the commitment of the members of the school
- Says what the school wants to be remembered
Describe the mission of the CTCand what defines the purpose of the organization.
Vision Statement
A Vision statement describes the school’s vision for the future if it is successful in its mission. Meant to inspire, the Vision statement provides a vivid portrayal of a bright future; however, its aspirations should be realistic and clear. When creating a Vision statement, it is helpful to begin responses to the question “What does the organization desire for its future?” with the preposition “for” as in “for all students to…” As the vision is developed, consider the unified, collective vision of 21st century learning that is advocated by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills (
Describe the vision for the future if the organization is successful in its mission:
Shared Values
Shared Values are the core tenets shared by the school’s stakeholders that drive the organization’s culture and commitment. Unlike the Mission statement (which answers the question “Why does this organization exist?” by describing what the organization does), a Shared Values statement addresses the same question by examining what the organization collectively believes. When creating the Shared Values statement, it is helpful to begin responses to the question “What does the organization believe?” with the relative pronoun “that” followed by a declarative sentence as in “that all students can…”
Describe the CTC’s shared values:
Educational Community
Understanding the educational community is an important first step toward understanding the school’s strengths, challenges, trends and conditions. In addition to contextual information, such as geographic and demographic data, the educational community description may include perceptual data culled from surveys, forums and advisory groups. This process is typically referred to as an “environmental scan.” An environmental scan considers present and predicted influencers of the direction of the school and should examine both internal and external factors. Consider the following questions when describing the school’s educational community:
- Is the school community rural or urban?
- What is the economic status of the school community?
- What is the current and project fiscal status of the school?
- What types of industries are in the school community?
- What are the school’s community resources?
- What are the school’s organizational resources?
- How many and what types of students does the school serve?
- What opportunities do you offer to school students or to the community?
- What opportunities does the school’s community offer its students?
- How do the community and organizational members feel about the school?
Describe the CTC community:
CTCPlanning Team
The Executive Director should lead the CTC Planning Process to ensure that appropriate systemic change will not only be identified, but also implemented. In addition, key staff members and representatives from every stakeholder group should participate in some capacity to ensure that multiple perspectives are considered and that staff and stakeholders support the plan. The Pennsylvania Department of Education encourages all schools to maximize the contributions of outside experts.
Staff and Stakeholder groups may include:
- CTCAdministrators
- Program and Support Personnel (e.g., Curriculum, Special Education, Student Services, Instructional Technology)
- Coaches and Mentors
- Classroom Teachers
- Students
- Parents
- Representatives from the sending districts
- CTCBoard of Directors
- Local Business and Community Representatives
In accordance with legislative requirements including, but not limited to Chapter 4, 14, 16 and 49, the planning committee must contain at minimum:
- (6) Teacher representatives (chosen by the teachers)
- (2) Educational specialists (chosen by educational specialists) including dental hygienists, school guidance counselors, home-school visitors, technology instructors, school psychologists, school restoration, and nutrition service specialist.
- (2) Administrative representatives (chosen by the administrators)
- (2) Parents of children attending a program in the CTC (appointed by the board of directors)
- (2) Local business representatives (appointed by the board of directors)
- (2) Community representatives (appointed by the board of directors)
In the following chart, identify key staff members and representatives from every stakeholder group participating to ensure that multiple perspectives are considered and that staff and stakeholders support the CTC’s planning processes.
Name of Team Member / Subcommittee(s) / Role / Chosen/Appointed ByCORE FOUNDATIONS
Standards
Pennsylvania Standards describe what students should know and be able to do; they increase in complexity and sophistication as students progress through school.
Mapping and Alignment
Identify the school’s status with mapping and aligning its curricula to all state academic standards as cited in Chapter 4 (assessment anchors and eligible content).
Curriculum mapping is the consideration of when, how and what is taught, as well as the assessment measures used to demonstrate achievement of expected student learning outcomes. It is a process for recording what content and skills are actually taught in classrooms during a school year.
Curriculum alignment is the alignment between curriculum and one or more of the following elements: state standards, standardized tests and/or state tests, curriculum-embedded tests, student assignments, lesson plans, textbooks and instruction.
A=Accomplished, D=Developing, NI=Needs Improvement, NE=Non Existent, NA=Not Applicable
Chapter 4 Standards / Mapping / AlignmentA / D / NI / NE / NA / A / D / NI / NE / NA
Arts and Humanities
Career Education and Work
Civics and Government
Common Core Standards: English Language Arts
Common Core Standards: Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science and Technical Subjects
Common Core Standards: Mathematics
Economics
Environment and Ecology
Family and Consumer Sciences
Geography
Health, Safety and Physical Education
History
Science and Technology and Engineering Education
Provide explanation for any standard areas checked “Needs Improvement” or “Non Existent”:
Adaptations
Chapter § 4.12(a) allows LEAs to develop, expand or improve existing academic standards. If you have not developed, expanded or improved the academic standards in Chapter 4, then leave the following chart blank and move to the next section entitled Curriculum.
If you have developed, expanded or improved the academic standards in Chapter 4, then identify below which ones affected. (Check all that apply)
Chapter 4 StandardsArts and Humanities
Career Education and Work
Civics and Government
Common Core Standards: English Language Arts
Common Core Standards: Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science and Technical Subjects
Common Core Standards: Mathematics
Economics
Environment and Ecology
Family and Consumer Sciences
Geography
Health, Safety and Physical Education
History
Science and Technology and Engineering Education
Provide explanation for any standards checked:
Curriculum
A curriculum framework specifies what objectives are to be taught to and the planned instruction at which grade levels for each subject in the curriculum. At any given grade level, the objectives used as the basis of lesson design are those-and only those-that are needed to provide the foundation for what comes next.
Planned Instruction
Which of the following characteristics describe the CTC’s planned instruction?
A=Accomplished, D=Developing, NI=Needs Improvement, NE=Non Existent
Curriculum Characteristics / A / D / NI / NEObjectives of planned courses, instructional units or interdisciplinary studies to be achieved by all students are identified for each subject area.
Content, including materials and activities and estimated instructional time to be devoted to achieving the academic standards are identified.
The relationship between the objectives of a planned course, instructional unit or interdisciplinary studies and standards are identified.
Procedures for measurement of mastery of the objectives of a planned course, instructional unit or interdisciplinary studies are identified.
Provide explanation for processes used to ensure Accomplishment: