Why the Blueprint

Why the Blueprint?

A blueprint is an actionable plan that communicates and guides the work of all involved in a project. It is nimble and can be updated as the project develops and needs change. This is also true of our Blueprint, which serves as the foundation for all planning within DoDEA and directs our collective energies and resources as we strive to realize our Vision.

The Case for Continuous Improvement

Learning is an active process of discovery where individuals cultivate curiosity, perseverance, and the desire to develop. DoDEA strives to foster a passion for lifelong learning in students and employees every day.

The Blueprint for Continuous Improvement represents DoDEA’s commitment to being a learning organization. Continuous improvement is a research-based, ongoing process intended to increase overall effectiveness and make a positive and measurable impact on all stakeholders, primarily students, by focusing on and implementing three essential elements: learning and sharing, examining and planning, and acting and evaluating. For DoDEA, this means setting and working towards ambitious goals, learning from our successes and challenges, and making improvements every day to benefit military-connected students.

Accurate and timely analysis of critical data is essential to the Blueprint’s success as a continuous improvement tool. DoDEA uses data to document progress towards each Goal and to update the strategic plan annually. As a result, the Blueprint is flexible enough to adjust to the changing education and Department of Defense environments, and enduring enough to drive DoDEA to fulfill its Vision. The systemic use of data to inform decision-making leads to greater transparency and organizational accountability. DoDEA’s progress towards each Goal and Strategic Initiative will be closely monitored and published annually. As DoDEA learns from the data,
we will act and share what we find.

DoDEA has experienced a great deal of change over the last several years by shifting to a standards-based instruction system with the College and Career Ready Standards (CCRS) and with significant organizational changes through Restructuring for Student Achievement (RSA). As a result of those changes, DoDEA is now positioned with the structure and capacity to capitalize on a number of exciting opportunities for students. However, thoughtful and productive change takes time and can only be accomplished through deliberate steps towards excellence. DoDEA must continuously seek to improve as we develop and educate students to succeed in a dynamic world.

Achieving the Vision

DoDEA’s Vision defines our long term destination as a school system. The Blueprint includes a number of supporting elements that will guide DoDEA’s efforts towards achieving the Vision. Several of these elements draw from the Community Strategic Plan (CSP) and should be familiar to the DoDEA community including the mission, values, and goals statements. However, in order to galvanize DoDEA’s efforts as we move into the future, the Blueprint also includes several new elements: key results indicators, strategic initiatives, and critical success factors.

Strategic Initiatives

Each Goal is made up of two to four Strategic Initiatives. Strategic Initiatives (SIs) are cross-functional projects that impact the entire organization. Each initiative will last multiple years but can be revised or updated as we advance or as DoDEA's needs change. DoDEA limits the number of Initiatives to balance and need for progress with DoDEA's capacity to change.

Critical Success Factors

Critical Success Factors are the specific projects and actions we must accomplish to complete a Strategic Initiative. These are short-term or long-term projects that require significant cross-functional effort to complete. If the Critical Success Factors are not completed, the Strategic Initiative will likely not reach completion. Multiple Critical Success Factors may support each Strategic Initiative.

DoDEA’s Vision statement

Vision: Excellence in Education for Every Student, Every Day, Everywhere

Mission: Educate, Engage, and Empower military-connected students to succeed in a dynamic world

Core Values:

Student-Centered: Students are at the heart of all we do.
Excellence: We strive to exceed expectations in all we do.
Continuous Improvement: Our organization, its systems, and processes will be continually re-examined and improved.
Lifelong Learning: Learning is an active process of discovery where we cultivate curiosity, perseverance, and the desire to learn.
Individual Potential: Individuals develop within an environment that nurtures intellectual, social, emotional, physical, and creative growth.
Shared Responsibility: Partnerships among families, students, staff, and community members are characterized by mutual commitment and collaborative effort that enrich the lives of our students.
Trust: We value relationships based on integrity, mutual respect, and open two-way communication. We cultivate a safe and risk-free culture that encourages and inspires innovation.

DoDEA Family Portal

Why the Blueprint