Midland Public Schools advances 5-year strategic plan

In fall 2025, Midland Public Schools began a comprehensive strategic planning process to help guide the district’s future for the next five years and beyond.

With support from Midland-based planning consultant Omni Tech International, the process will develop a strategic framework centered around student success. The final plan will include clear direction on classroom learning, student experiences, learning environments, family and community engagement, operational efficiency, and the skills students carry beyond graduation.

However, a strategic planning process is futile if its final product doesn’t accurately reflect the voices of the people and community it serves.

At Monday’s Board of Education meeting, the board got its first look at the data collected to date through the strategic planning process and a sneak peek at how this information will be used to move the district forward in the years ahead.

Collecting community input
From November through December, more than 3,200 touchpoints were captured through the public input phase of the planning process. Students, staff, parents and guardians, and community members had multiple ways to weigh in, providing rich qualitative insights. Students participated through surveys, classroom visioning sessions, focus groups, and on-the-spot video interviews with middle and high school students.

Families and community members shared feedback through surveys, focus groups, interviews, and business and community leader sessions. Employees engaged through surveys, school-based listening sessions, union focus groups, and leadership discussions. Engagement opportunities were intentionally varied to meet people where they were—across schools, grade levels, roles, and levels of community involvement—ensuring the data reflected a wide range of viewpoints.

While each group brought unique perspectives, several themes emerged consistently across students, families, staff, and the broader community:

Students, families, and staff repeatedly identified teachers and school staff as the heart of Midland Public Schools. Strong relationships, caring adults, and a sense of belonging were central to positive school experiences and were cited as foundational to student success and engagement.

Students described their ideal school not only by what they learn, but by how school feels day to day. Common themes included a desire for engaging, real-world learning; reasonable workload and stress levels; consistent expectations; and time during the school day for connection, support, and activities. Safety, kindness, and fairness were consistently emphasized across grade levels.

Across the board, all groups that took part in the public input process value both academic quality and choice. There is broad appreciation for the range of academic pathways available to students, including advanced coursework, career and technical education, arts, athletics, and extracurricular activities. However, many noted that access and experiences can vary by school or program. There is a strong call for greater consistency in academic expectations, student supports, and opportunities so that all students benefit regardless of where they attend school.

Aging buildings, inconsistent building conditions, and learning environments and amenities incompatible with today’s student experience emerged as major concerns for students, staff, and families. Stakeholders clearly connected the quality of facilities to student wellbeing, safety, and learning, and emphasized the importance of transparent, long-term planning that aligns physical spaces with modern educational needs.

Students want practical life skills, career exploration, and guidance on multiple postsecondary pathways, not just college. Community members and staff echoed this priority, emphasizing career-connected learning, partnerships with local organizations and employers, and exposure to experiences that help students transition confidently into adulthood.

“Our students and staff are achieving at high levels and accomplishing great things across our district, and we should never lose sight of that,” said Board of Education President Phil Rausch. “At the same time, aspiring to become the best district in the state requires a commitment to continuous improvement. The input gathered through this strategic planning process provides a clear path forward: one that builds on our strengths and provides opportunities to grow as we strive to make MPS a destination district.”

Although the data collection part of the process is over, the bulk of the strategic planning work is just getting started. Using the collected input, the MPS planning committee, with the support of Omni Tech, will draft a strategic plan, identify goals and metrics, and develop district mission, vision, and value statements that will guide its work in the years ahead.

Superintendent Penny Miller-Nelson sees this moment as both affirming and energizing. “This process not only highlights what makes Midland Public Schools special today, but also challenges us to think boldly about what comes next,” Miller-Nelson said. “It’s exciting to see so many voices shaping a shared vision for the future. This feedback gives us momentum and a strong sense of responsibility to move forward thoughtfully and transparently.”

In the coming weeks, the MPS planning committee and Omni Tech consultants will dive deep into the data to begin drafting the strategic plan, graduate profile, and mission, vision, and value statements. This work will return to the Board of Education for a workshop in March, with the final plan available for board vote at a subsequent meeting.

By focusing on continuous improvement and grounded in community priorities, Midland Public Schools is positioned to move forward with confidence, purpose, and optimism in the strategic planning process.

To stay updated on the MPS strategic planning process, please visit www.midlandps.org/strategicplan.