Strategic Planning or the 'Titanic Solution'?

By Chris Shy

In a recent essay by Richard Sagor entitled "The False Premises of Strategic Planning'' (Commentary, April 1, 1992), the author essentially contends that if we just make "reform in the current system,'' all will be well in America's educational future. Only the proverbial Rip Van Winkle emerging from two decades of blissful somnolence would make such a claim, given the failure of reform during the 70's and 80's inherent in merely rearranging the deck chairs on the educational ship of state.

While strategic planning's direct effect on student learning may incorporate too many extraneous variables to quantify, what we do know from experience is that lack of comprehensive organizational planning, in a strategic context, will not only impede efficiency of instructional delivery but also will waste precious resources that could be devoted to learning improvement, if...