Standing Committee Action Plans 2005-06

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At the Summer 2005 Forum Meeting, Forum Vice-chair Bill Smith (Sioux Falls School District, SD) facilitated a one-hour strategic planning session in which Forum members responded to three questions as they relate to a revision of the Forum Strategic Plan:

	What things are going well in the Forum?
	What are current challenges or ongoing concerns related to the Forum's mission to develop and recommend strategies for building quality education data systems?
	What are possible actions that need to be considered to meet the Forum's mission?

Forum members gathered in groups of 8-10 to discuss responses to these questions. Opinions were recorded and organized to help guide additional conversation during standing committee meetings. Based on these ideas, each standing committee developed an "Action Plan" of tasks that can be achieved during the next 6-12 months.

Actions	Target Date	Status	Person(s) Responsible	Comments
National Education Statistics Agenda Committee (NESAC)
Increase awareness of the Federal Registry and the Office of Management of Budget (OMB) approval process for proposed data collections, and develop a resource for Forum members about how to access the Federal Registry and provide feedback on issues.	February 2006	Completed	Sonya Edwards, Sherrill Martinez, Steve King, Deborah Newby	Available on Federal Register page.
Improve Forum outreach and visibility by asking Forum members about other professional organizations with whom they are associated (e.g., the names and contact information of the organizations). Responses will be compiled and stored in a Microsoft Excel database.	November 2005	Completed	David Uhlig	Responses compiled in an MS Excel File.
Promote the Forum by producing and distributing to Forum members an electronic signature, approved by the Forum Steering Committee, that may be attached to electronic correspondence.	September 2005	Completed	Brad James	Use is recommended but not required.
Ensure a current Microsoft Powerpoint presentation is always available on the Forum website in a format that may be downloaded and modified by Forum membership for use in promoting Forum activities.	September 2005	Completed	Brad James, Tom Szuba, Ghedam Bairu	Available on Outreach Toolkit page.
Policies, Programs and Implementation (PPI)
Develop a FERPA Toolkit that is applicable at the District, State and Federal levels.	July 2006	Completed	Judy Fillion, Mary Kay DeGarmo, Lavette Williams, Eva Chunn, Mary Gervase, Steve Solis, Bruce Dacey, Polly Sorcan	Available at http://nces.ed.gov/forum/ pub_2006805.asp
Data Cycle: Enhance the coordination and efficient utilization of data with Federal, State and other entities.	July 2006	Completed	Bruce Dacey, Beth Juillerat, Anne Brinson, Brian Wilmot, Meg Ropp, Ron Danforth	Prototype submitted at Summer 2006 Meeting.
Technology (TECH)
Enhance the current Outreach Toolkit and develop a repository of ideas and methods for sharing news about Forum activities and products with other education organizations and the public (80% goal for Forum member participation). Model how SEAs and LEAs can more effectively disseminate information that they gather at Forum meetings within their own states. Formalize a dissemination/communication process for SEA and LEA representatives.	July 2006 product but efforts will be ongoing	In Progress	Sub-group of TECH to review the Member Toolkit and develop the idea repository. Bertha Doar and/or Jeff Stowe will initiate discussions with resources to set up a sub-group to further efforts.	Available Fall 2006.
Data Cycle: The Forum should work to better define EDEN vis-à-vis other Federal agencies; Greater involvement of the Forum in other offices/program areas in the ED. Request volunteers from TECH to work with PPI members to facilitate these discussions. Plan a joint meeting with PPI and other constituents at the 2006 MIS Conference to begin these discussions, with one goal being to encourage greater participation of ED program offices at Forum meetings (e.g., suggest that ED program offices designate a representative to join the Forum).	Feb/March 2006 MIS Conference and ongoing	Completed	PPI and TECH committee chairs and vice chairs will begin discussions with resources to establish a sub-committee to further efforts and schedule joint meetings at future MIS and Data Conferences.	Prototype submitted at Summer 2006 Meeting.
Provide member training on the List Serve system its usage. Contact resources responsible for current documentation and training on the List Serve. Test existing training materials and suggest revisions. Review and approve a final updated version for Forum member use.	Jan 2006	Completed	Bertha Doar and Jeff Stowe	Training conducted at the Winter 2006 Forum Meeting.
Promote greater communication, interaction, and collaboration between the US Dept of ED, SEA, LEA, Federal Register, outside agencies, publications agencies (press), and general audiences (until the Communication Sub-committee can be established, TECH should help). To do this we should: promote the forum as a resource within the US DOE encourage a greater voice in creating a national data system and common definitions define our relationships with outside agencies (e.g., SETDA, CCSSO, and coordinate those efforts) establish ambassador type programs with Forum members and NCES staff personnel to state legislators as well as between other states/locals, etc. invite ED representatives to Forum meetings To do this TECH will need an outline or plan of action on first steps, and feedback from the Steering committee about the establishment of the Communication Sub-committee. TECH will assist were needed in establishing sub-committee and sharing progress.	Spring 2006 for plan of action	In Progress (Comm Sub-Comm)	Bertha Doar and Jeff Stowe	CommunicationsSubcommitteee has undertaken this task. Visit the Communications Subcommittee page for more information.