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Vinson Institute Coordinates Strategic Planning for State Education Leaders

The Alliance for Education Agency Heads (AEAH), whose membership includes the leaders of education-related state agencies in Georgia, has chosen the Vinson Institute to coordinate its strategic planning process during the first part of 2012. The AEAH plays a key role in unifying state efforts in P-20—that is, preschool through graduate school—education around a common vision and goals.

Vinson Institute faculty experienced in meeting facilitation will lead a series of retreats for the Alliance's members and staff that will include needs assessments, visioning, and planning. The final strategic plan, based upon ideas elicited during the meetings, will develop ideas for strengthening interagency collaboration. It will also help align agency activities with Governor Deal's education and competitiveness initiatives.

Education remains a critical issue in Georgia and makes up approximately 55 percent of the state's budget. When the Vinson Institute served in a similar facilitation role during the Georgia Competitiveness Initiative in 2011, it found that a large majority of business and community leaders throughout the state considered education improvement the most critical need in Georgia's workforce development.

At the request of the chairs of the House and Senate Education Committees, the Vinson Institute has also recently led several meetings for the education funding committee, which is composed of key legislators along with the state school superintendent, the university system chancellor, and others. The committee is attempting to develop innovative ideas for funding K-12 and higher education in the state.