Following the business world

Public education has a vital role in maintaining a democracy. Its value to its citizens should be obvious and valued. At the same time, the institution has an obligation to provide educational opportunities for its community that enable citizens to work and live in a free society. Part of that education is also an awareness of the responsibilities the individual has for him/herself, the community in which she/he lives and the environment surrounding and protecting the community. In order to work, there must be an awareness of one's own skills and interests as well as the competitiveness of our global economy. These also represent huge challenges for the education system. A foundational concept within the U.S. education system is that ALL citizens must and should be afforded an appropriate education. That has to be a hallmark concept that distinguishes the U.S. educational philosophy from those around the world.

Another link regarding the development of a mission statement is listed below. It comes from the business world. However, education is an important business in our community.

"The mission statement should be a clear and succinct representation of the enterprise's purpose for existence. It should incorporate socially meaningful and measurable criteria addressing concepts such as the moral/ethical position of the enterprise, public image, the target market, products/services, the geographic domain and expectations of growth and profitability.The intent of the Mission Statement should be the first consideration for any employee who is evaluating a strategic decision. The statement can range from a very simple to a very complex set of ideas."

according to: http://www.businessplans.org/mission.html