Recently the Columbus Public Schools Board of Education set four strategic goals for the 2006-2007 school year. One of these is to continue deeper implementation of the Baldrige system for school improvement. The Baldrige system is a national standard of excellence that is based on seven key criteria and 11 core values. It is a system that has been used world-wide to help organizations improve and attain a high standard of excellence.

By setting this direction, the CPS school board is breaking new ground in Nebraska. The Columbus Public Schools will be the first Nebraska school system to base their improvement initiatives on this model. Though CPS will be the first school organization in Nebraska to embrace this system, it has been effectively utilized throughout the country in high performing districts. In fact over the last four years four K-12 school systems nationally have won the prestigious Baldrige Award which is endowed by the federal government to the most effective organizations. Likewise two colleges have won the award.

The Baldrige criterion provides a vision of excellence with which to compare the effectiveness of an organization. These criteria are Leadership, Student and Stakeholder Focus, Strategic Planning, Performance Results, Process Management, Information and Analysis, and Human Resources. After looking at how a school or district is performing in each area, they can set improvement targets and plans to become better.

An added benefit of the Baldrige model is it provides quality values that help an organization develop a common way of thinking. This helps bring unity and focus to an organization.

The Baldrige system will help the Columbus Public Schools evaluate its effectiveness and service to students, community and parents. It will then help the schools set measurable plans to bring about change, growth and improvement in all areas. Finally, it will encourage innovation and change based on feedback from those the schools serve. In striving to meet and exceed student, parent and community expectations, the Baldrige system will bring incremental progress to help the schools become increasingly better at what they do.

A key understanding in this model is that improvement is a journey and not a destination. When used correctly, it will help Columbus Public Schools continually get better and help them add more value each year to services they provide our families and taxpayers. This initiative is an exciting new venture. To the district’s credit, CPS is willing to show the rest of Nebraska the way toward growth and renewal as an educational system.

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