HUNTINGTON BEACH : ‘Strategic Planning’ Reaps District Profit

Pupils and parents in the Huntington Beach Union High School District already are reaping a profit from the school system’s new “strategic planning.”

One of the goals of the district’s newly implemented planning system was to have consultants guide teachers and staff in how to apply for federal and state grants. The district implemented that planning last year by paying $30,000 for the service of two grant-writer consultants.

The result, according to Supt. David Hagen, was a total of $800,000 in new grants to the high schools in the system.

Hagen announced the grants on Tuesday night as part of the district’s review of its new strategic planning system.

The planning involves representatives of teachers, parents, district staff and board members agreeing on major goals for the high schools. The 1993-94 school year launched the program, and the $800,000 in grants the district received more than paid for the $303,000 total cost of starting the new planning system, school officials noted.

The district has budgeted $297,000 for the strategic planning program in the 1994-95 school year. That amount includes $40,000 for again hiring the consultants to help with grant writing.

“The consultants train teachers and administrators in how to write grants and what grant readers (in state and federal governments) are looking for,” Hagen said. “They also tell us about possible grant opportunities out there.”

The school board, at its regular meeting Tuesday night, praised the new strategic planning system not only for the money it is bringing in, but also for the teamwork it encourages among parents and teachers.

The board approved “strategic planning” goals for the forthcoming school year that include “long-range plans for infusion of technology into and across the curriculum.”

The school district governs all public high schools in Huntington Beach, Fountain Valley and Westminster.