Sample Case Study On Strategic Management

Introduction

KIPP Houston Public Schools is an educational enterprise founded by Michael Feinberg and David Levin in 1994. The abbreviation KIPP in full is Knowledge Is Power Program. The group of schools has all along been on a growth trajectory. This group of schools is headed by a superintendent, the current one being Sehba Ali.

Internal Analysis

The possibility of its low-income students enrolling for college education has increased by four times compared to that of students from traditional public schools. The education model it pioneered has spread across the country and beyond borders. Its students display a great character not witnessed in other schools of similar category. The school has constantly grappled with the challenges of beefing up its human resource, securing funding for programs and facilities expansion, and finding a middle ground between top-down management and campus autonomy. The mission of KIPP Houston Public Schools is centered on the aspect of college attendance. Each school is headed by a principal and he determines the continuous professional development the teachers receive. The principle he uses is referred to as The Power to Lead principle. Principals have a freehand in determining how resources are located.

External environment analysis

The KIPP Houston Public Schools have realized that to beat off competition, they have to initiate a growth plan that is ambitious. The plan of KIPP Houston is to increase its schools to 50 by 2033 so that they capture a lion's share of student enrolment. The catchment areas of its students are dense low-income, high–minority communities. The primary competitors for KIPP Houston Public Schools are district schools especially the Houston Independent School District and YES Prep.Key Problem Areas
KIPP Houston is hampered by the manner public finances are disbursed to public schools. Being charter schools based in Houston Texas, they lack a taxing authority and instead of getting Maintenance and Operations taxes, they receive reallocations of state tax revenues only. Moreover, charter schools have no entitlement to revenues from Interest and Sinking taxes thus they are locked out of receiving funds from their states. This reality has necessitated KIPP Houston Public Schools to be frugal and conduct fundraisings.
KIPP Houston Public Schools spend more on instruction-related costs. For example, in the period running from 2008-2010, the costs accounted for 42% of total pupil expenditures. This is one area the schools can work on to lower costs and hence upscale their performance in comparison to its competitors.
The Power to Lead Principle is an opportunity the schools should maintain so as to stay ahead of the pack. This principle, according to the Superintendent of the schools, inculcates the spirit of creativity and entrepreneurship among KIPP schools society. The freedom to be creative and entrepreneurial leads to innovation hence success of the schools. The creativity may be in the form of using technology as a tool of instruction.
The critical problem I would address about KIPP Houston Public Schools is the human resource problem. For the group to grow and remain ahead and big, it must attract the best people to propel and remain committed to pursuing its vision. Attracting the best talents in terms of teachers and administrators, and then developing their leadership potential is a sure way of staying on a growth path. Obtaining the best talent is harder than seeking for funds to cover funding deficits.

Recommendations

In order of these schools to continue prospering, and to even improve in terms of their performance and impact, there are several recommended activities and actions that the school could engage in. First, the schools should continue hiring teachers from Teach for America corps. In addition, it is recommended that the school lay structures that the teachers can use to develop themselves through the Power to lead principle. Additionally, the schools should increase the number of teacher so as to reduce the workload on individual teachers. The school should also continuously write and administer its own Common Assessments three times a year in each core subject so that they align themselves with curricula. Another key thing that the KIPP Houston Public Schools should do is to should inculcate technology even more in the school curriculum and the learning activities of students. Finally, this group of schools should find more sustainable models of financing that will protect it economic shocks.