Novi presents midyear update on strategic plan with 57 measures, spring data to set scorecard

The Novi Community School District presented a midyear update on its strategic plan Tuesday, saying the district has a five-focus framework, a 57-measure scorecard and will use spring assessments and Panorama surveys to populate the first-year evaluation.

Superintendent- and staff-level presentations: Mr. Manka, the staff member who led the update, told the board the district adopted a refreshed vision, mission and values last summer and rolled out a plan in July. He described five focus areas — innovative academics, staff support, wellness, student passions and interests, and financial and infrastructure management — and said the plan includes a total of 12 top-level goals. "We then took those focus area goals and developed strategies and activities and measures of success," Manka said.

Why it matters: Board members were briefed on how the district intends to use the measures-of-success scorecard to guide decisions about facilities, curriculum and instructional practice. Manka said the district will look at facilities through the lens of its graduate profile — the durable skills it wants students to leave with after 13 years — and will assess whether spaces and learning materials support collaboration, critical thinking and problem solving.

Key details and timeline: The district set three implementation ranges — effective, developing and area of concern — to create a green/yellow/red visual scorecard. Manka said the scorecard contains 57 measures and that a significant portion of the data will come from spring Panorama surveys of staff, students and the community, as well as audits for financial measures. He told the board those data are expected in spring and said the district will present a first-year analysis in June or July. "Once we collect our data, should be this spring, we're gonna wrap up all those measures of success and we'll have our first kind of evaluation of the district in terms of the district scorecard," he said.

Board questions and next steps: Trustees asked about midyear reporting and whether a midyear scorecard update would be useful. Manka said some measures are not available until spring, but that interim updates could be built around data points that are available sooner (for example, attendance at meetings). Board members also asked that the full slide deck and the latest scorecard be posted with meeting video; Manka agreed to provide an updated presentation and follow-up materials.

Outside expertise: Manka noted the district has begun conversations with Joseph South, an educator who works on durable skills and artificial intelligence in education, and said South is interested in working with Novi to align instruction with the graduate profile.

What comes next: The district will collect spring survey and assessment data, finalize the scorecard, and bring a comprehensive first-year report to the board in June or July. Manka said the district also plans more internal communications so staff and families understand the strategic plan's goals and measures.

Ending: Board members asked the administration to post the full slide deck and to return in the spring with scorecard data and suggested interim metrics for midyear progress checks.