The Planning Cycle: Program Planning Step-by-Step
The Head Start Program Planning Cycle illustrates the key parts of a predictable planning process. Through this process, programs develop goals, objectives, and expected outcomes and monitor and evaluate progress towards their program and school readiness goals.
In this activity, you will be introduced to the Program Planning Cycle, an ongoing, step-by-step process, so you can learn about the cycle and how you can use it to help your program improve.
Program Planning in Head Start
Existing programs begin the planning process with Self-Assessment, while new programs begin at community assessment. For this activity, you will begin with Self-Assessment. You may wish to download a copy of the planning cycle [PDF, 378KB] for future use.
1. Evaluate Progress through Self-Assessment
Self-Assessment is a process that gives each program an opportunity to take a broad view of its successes and challenges.
Annually, every Head Start program conducts a comprehensive Self-Assessment of its effectiveness. Programs look at data from multiple years and across data sets to uncover patterns or trends that might have implications for the program's future. Policy Council and governing body members join with community partners and stakeholders to take a fresh look at updated community assessment data, data gathered through ongoing monitoring, and other relevant data. They assess the program's progress in achieving its goals, objectives, and expected outcomes, and they identify current program strengths and areas that need strengthening. They also evaluate the program's compliance with federal requirements. Members ask, "Are we doing the right things?" And they make recommendations to management staff.
2. Conduct or Update Community Assessment
Head Start programs conduct a community assessment as part of their grant application process and then provide annual updates to make sure program services are responsive to
they serve. Those involved with community assessment ask, "What is changing in the community and world around us, and what do the changes mean for our program?" Community assessments include information about new and emerging populations, early childhood services, and family needs, plus information from local school systems that can help inform school readiness goals and transition practices. Comprehensive community assessments may also include a scan of national, state, and local early childhood policies so programs prepare themselves for the future.
3. Every Five Years: Decide on Broad Goals and Initial Short-Term Objectives
Annually: Review Goals and Revise if Necessary; Generate Objectives and Expected Outcomes For their five-year grant applications, Head Start programs identify the BROAD (Beyond Current Expectations, Responsive, Organization-wide, Aspirational, and Dynamic) long-term goals they will accomplish during the five-year project period. They also identify initial SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely) short-term objectives linked to expected outcomes. During their annual planning process, they review their long-term goals and revise them as necessary. They continue to break down their goals into short-term objectives linked to expected outcomes.
The planning team typically consists of representatives from the governing body, Policy Council, management staff, and community who come together to analyze the information in the Self- Assessment, community assessment, and other important data sources to determine the program's goals and objectives. Learn about the difference between goals and objectives[PDF, 215KB].
The team also reflects on the differences they expect to make for children and families once their goals have been achieved. These are called expected outcomes. When identifying expected outcomes, planning team members consider the data they will need to collect to measure their progress.
4. Develop an Action Plan and Budget that Reflect Goals
Once a Head Start program has determined its five-year program goals, school readiness goals, short-term objectives, and expected outcomes, the planning team develops a detailed action plan. This plan is a defined set of steps that outline what a program will do to accomplish its goals and objectives.
At the same time, the management team, in consultation with the governing body, develops a program budget that is aligned with the goals and objectives. Governing body members who serve on a planning team will want to ask, "Do we have the money we need to achieve these goals? Have we allocated funds to support our priorities?" Without sufficient financial resources, it will be very difficult to achieve the program's goals.
5. Implement an Action Plan
This is the step in the planning cycle where everyone does his or her part to turn the long-term goals and short-term objectives into reality. By committing to the action plan, program leaders make sure program staff do not return to business as usual. The governing body, Policy Council, and management team revisit the plan regularly, chart progress, and celebrate achievements. 6. Evaluate Progress through Ongoing Monitoring
Head Start managers regularly evaluate program progress. This is called "ongoing monitoring." Every manager of a service area or program system puts in place a comprehensive monitoring system that collects, tracks, and analyzes data. These monitoring systems help Head Start managers identify areas of concern before they become large problems. They ask, "What does the data say about how we are doing? Are we making sufficient progress toward reaching our goals and objectives?"
7. Continually Respond with Course Corrections
Head Start programs use the information they receive through ongoing monitoring to make course corrections. Governing body and Policy Council members review the results of ongoing monitoring during monthly meetings, when they review program information reports. They use the information in these reports to determine if the program is making sufficient progress toward achieving its goals and objectives. They also ensure the program is taking proper action to correct emerging issues.
In addition, the planning team convenes on a regular basis to mark the program's progress in achieving goals and to help determine when course corrections are necessary. This step in the planning process can occur multiple times as managers, staff, and governance leaders ask, "What can we do differently to improve our progress and achieve our goals and objectives?"