Quality in Education

A core process of quality and continuous improvement is goal setting.  Goals provide direction and focus.  Goals are something that you want to achieve in the future- or as Webster defines: "The purpose toward which an endeavor is directed; an objective."  One way to set goals is to utilize the "SMART" goal format which stands for: 

S pecific: Who? What? Where?
M easurable: How will the goal be measured?
A ttainable: Is the goal realistic, yet challenging?
R esults-oriented: Is the goal consistent with other goals established and fits with your immediate and long-range plans?
T ime-bound: Is it trackable and allows for monitoring of progress?

SMART goals provide focus and define exactly what the “future state” looks like and how it will be measured.  Often, SMART goals are the “big, hairy audacious, critical-few” goals that need to be worked on (The Most Important Ones!).   Goals should be derived from data and should focus on the greatest areas in need of improvement.  In other words...  If all you did was spend time on the identified SMART goals, the time would be well-spent. 

View a Power Point presentation to learn how to write SMART goals, see examples of SMART goals and download a SMART goal template used in the Cedar Rapids Community School District.  Learn More- SMART Goals Websites:

• http://www.goal-setting-guide.com/smart-goals.html
• http://www.uwec.edu/career/Students/Explore/Smart_Goals.htm
• http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/smart_goals.html
• http://www.uncommon-knowledge.co.uk/goal_setting/smart_4.htm

How do you write goals in your school or district?  Have you used the SMART goal format and what have been your experiences?  What role does goal setting have in your school or classroom?

Jay