The Kentucky School Boards Association also provides services in this area. The Kentucky Department of Education advocates use of the Kentucky Consolidated Planning Process for planning of state and federal categorical programs. The process allows the district to combine state and federal categorical programs into one grant application. The department of education also encourages that all programs within a school and district, even though not categorical, be included in the plan and not be considered in isolation from the consolidated plan. Any school failing to meet the standards of success as measured by CATS is required to complete a consolidated plan as its mandated improvement plan.
Consolidated planning is basically program planning in a comprehensive planning context.
It is of short term, deals with specific parts of the organization and is budget driven. It is how the organization operates. Operational planning can be made in a strategic context. The reform act emphasizes the school as the fundamental unit of change. This emphasis is based on the premise that reform will be most meaningful when those affected by the decisions, teachers and parents, make the decisions.