Communications Corner: Strategic Planning Shaped by Member Voice
By Kara Kienzler
Public education is evolving at a pace few could have imagined even a few years ago. School boards are navigating emerging technologies, shifting political expectations, economic uncertainty, and new pressures that shape how districts operate. In this environment, IASB must continually adapt to meet the needs of its 849 member boards.
Recognizing this, the IASB Board of Directors set a clear goal last summer: Develop the next strategic plan with members. Member experiences and expectations — your experiences and expectations — will guide the Association’s direction, ensuring IASB remains aligned with what matters most to school boards today — and well into the future.
And so, the work began last summer to develop a membership-driven five-year strategic plan that focuses efforts statewide on improving district governance and ultimately student outcomes.
IASB partnered with consultants at LBL Strategies to launch a structured strategic planning process centered on inclusive member engagement. This process is designed not only to produce a strategic plan but to drive measurable results through association-wide alignment, shared ownership, and long-term strategic capacity.
Gathering data and feedback started with a series of interviews to understand the individual aspirations and expectations of key public education leaders, industry experts, and other IASB collaborators. This included the Governor’s Office and the State Board of Education, as well as education management partners: the Illinois Association of School Administrators, the Illinois Association of School Business Officials, and the Illinois Principals Association. The interviews allowed participants to share meaningful insights into evolving district needs, policy priorities, and areas for future advocacy.
It also included an environmental scan of IASB leadership — the Board of Directors and the internal Administrative Team. Questions were designed to understand external factors influencing the future. For example, “What changes do you see in the needs and expectations our members have of IASB?” and “What trends or changes in education governance should we be preparing for?”
Interviews help us to understand IASB collaborators’ perspectives in depth, while the environmental scan captures external forces shaping public education.
Still, the key component of any member-driven strategy is listening to its membership base. Therefore, we sought broad member input from our 5,890 local school board members. A short online survey asked questions about their needs, ideas, and challenges. Members were asked, “Which IASB offerings are most important and valuable to you?” and “What is the one thing you wish the Illinois Association of School Boards would improve?”
IASB mailed letters directly to members and sent emails to encourage participation. Over 11% responded, providing the consultants with a satisfactory sample size. Responses came from all 21 IASB divisions. Representations by district type (elementary, high school, or unit) and district size (enrollment) were comparable to statewide data.
To further expand member input, member focus groups were held in February. All board members were invited to participate to provide deeper insights beyond the broad online member survey. There were focus group sessions: For large school districts with 3,500+ enrollment, medium school districts (801-3,500 enrollment), small school districts with enrollment below 800, and districts with a high percentage of free and reduced lunch. Additionally, IASB Directors of Outreach & Training facilitated listening sessions with Division Leadership.
With the listening phase complete, it is time to review the findings, and answer the questions:
- What are the most strategic opportunities?
- What are the threats we need to be thinking about?
- How does IASB leverage its internal strengths, and what weaknesses should we be aware of that could be a hindrance moving forward?
I am part of a Core Planning Team which consists of four members of the IASB administrative team, six members of the IASB Board of Directors, five at-large school board members, and six members of the Association’s Resolutions Committee, who are also local school board members. The Core Planning team provides a cross-section of district types, sizes, and regions.
The Core Planning team will synthesize feedback to help begin shaping strategic initiatives. Through multiple work sessions this spring, we will ensure members remain central to every decision.
Your experiences, challenges, and aspirations are shaping the direction of this Association. A draft strategic focus plan will be presented to the IASB Board of Directors this summer for adoption, reflecting your voice and advancing IASB’s vision and mission.
As you continue your governance role, leading districts through the changing landscape of public education, know that IASB is alongside you.