Case Study
Southeast Delco School District (PA) Comprehensive Planning Surveys
The Opportunity
Every three years, Pennsylvania school districts are required to submit a Comprehensive (Professional Education) Plan to the Pennsylvania Department of Education that outlines how the district will support student success and high levels of achievement for all learners.
For Southeast Delco School District, this requirement also presented an opportunity: to meaningfully engage staff, families, and the broader community in shaping the district’s priorities, and to communicate those priorities clearly once the plan was complete.
In early 2025, the district partnered with the Donovan Group to support both sides of this work: gathering authentic stakeholder input to inform the plan and developing clear, accessible communications to share the final plan and track progress over time.
Our Solution
Our team designed and executed a comprehensive planning and communication approach that centered stakeholder voice, transparency, and long-term usability. The approach ensured the Comprehensive Plan was not a static document, but an ongoing framework supported by continuous communication.
Key Elements of the proposed scope included:
- Stakeholder engagement and data collection through two surveys:
- A staff survey focused on instructional priorities, professional learning, and district systems
- A family and community survey designed to capture perceptions and priorities for the district
- Comprehensive Plan communication strategy to clearly explain goals, strategies, and progress
- Public-facing collateral and plan integration into existing district communication channels to ensure consistent visibility and understanding.
- Ongoing communication on the Plan’s progress
- Support for regular updates through quarterly superintendent video messages
- Aligned messaging across newsletter, social media, and the district website.
- Developed tools that show stakeholders the progress over time
Expertise Applied
Communication Planning >
Survey Research >
Graphic Design >
Storytelling Campaigns (Social Media & Video Production) >
The Results
The project delivered a cohesive, highly visible Comprehensive Plan that met state requirements and strengthened trust and engagement across the Southeast Delco community.
Key deliverables and outcomes included:
- Staff and family/community survey tools that generated actionable feedback to inform district priorities
- A completed 2025–2028 Comprehensive Plan aligned to PDE expectations and district goals
- Public-facing communication materials, including:
- A clear, accessible flyer and fact sheet summarizing the plan
- Regular references in the superintendent video updates
- Consistent messaging in community and staff newsletters
- Social media content reinforcing plan priorities and progress
- A dedicated district webpage housing plan materials and updates
- A dashboard to track and communicate progress toward goals
Together, these tools brought the Comprehensive Plan to life, helping stakeholders understand not only what the district is working toward but how progress is being made over time.
