New Jersey Department of Education

Annual School Planning

Annual School Plan Development

Teams must create the Annual School Plan that includes three or four SMART goals that will be the focus for the entire school year.  A SMART goal must be specific, measurable, achievable, results-oriented and timely. Setting goals is the most intensive part of this step in the process, and it is also the most important.  An achievable goal must be realistic, while remaining rigorous enough to move student achievement forward.

Once goals have been established, teams must determine the action steps necessary to achieve the goals.  This includes assigning responsibilities, identifying sources of evidence, determining funding, establishing a timeline for implementation and planning professional development.  There is no set number of action steps required, but teams should think about the span of the school year and the stages of development.

When goals, action steps and funding have been determined, annual school planning teams must share this information with all stakeholders. This plan belongs to the entire school community and is the main driver in student achievement.  Once a plan is in place, annual school planning teams will begin the process of implementing the plan and monitoring progress toward the goals.

Annual School Plan Training Module