purpose of a mission statement in education

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Finding Your School’s Mission and Vision

A former principal explains how mission and vision statements differ and why creating them is crucial to a school’s success.

Most first-year or veteran principals who are newly assigned to their school eventually must affirm the school’s existing mission and vision statements or engage stakeholders in a process of revising them. Sometimes, those statements incorporate and reflect district-wide beliefs, values, ideals, and goals.

When I was a new principal, I struggled with mission and vision statements. I didn’t understand the difference or how to utilize them. Regardless of what I might have learned about them in my preparatory classes, I was overwhelmed by day-to-day challenges. So as a result, any of the existing statements developed by the previous administration and posted throughout the school meant little to me.

That changed, however, when the parent of one of our school’s students with a disability, Billy (not his real name), stumped me one day with this question: “Why does this school exist?” Her son had intense needs. I had spoken with her numerous times but now wondered what had prompted the question. As we talked about why our school existed and what we hoped to achieve—for her son and everyone else—our discussion suddenly helped both of us form a much more meaningful concept of mission and vision. 

Our school’s mission (why we existed) was to teach.

Our vision, reflecting shared beliefs, values, and specific, purposeful goals, was the summation of desired outcomes we wanted, along with strategic plans to achieve them.

Billy’s mother eloquently stated, “I just want three things from this school. First, I want my son to learn the basic skills that he will need to get a job someday.” (As I listened, I was thinking to myself that I certainly wanted the same for my daughters.) “Two, I want him to develop good, appropriate social skills so that when he grows up and buys the house next to yours, you won’t want to move.” (I was really listening now.) “And third, I want him to learn to appreciate the finer things in life so that he doesn’t grow up to be a couch potato.” (Wow, she had clarified a vision for her son that any parent should want for their child.)

Missions and visions

The more I thought about it—then and since—the universal mission of every school is to teach. Academics, social skills, creative thinking, healthy living, good choices, and much more. We can embellish the concept of teaching with fancy words that signify academic achievement, physical growth, personal development, wisdom, virtues, transformations, etc., but it all boils down to this: The reason that schools exist is for teaching. Everyone is free to choose their own descriptive words of purpose, but I preferred succinct, easy-to-remember, and personalized wording. And Billy’s mom had helped me shape our mission and vision. 

As I discussed the mission with my staff, we rallied around the ideal that our primary focus was to teach—academics, behaviors, social skills, and aspirations in ways that were most timely, appropriate, individualized, and effective for every child. I helped my staff reflect on their practice and question themselves—if what they were doing didn’t teach, why were they doing it?

My advice for principals—regardless of the wording of your mission statement—is to understand these two basic concepts:

• Your mission is why you exist.
• Your vision is how you accomplish goals. 

Many vision and mission statements are closely related and often used interchangeably. When both are well conceived and meaningful, they can drive your school community’s focus. However, many are often not as effective as they could be. 

At my school, once we agreed that our purpose was to teach (mission), we turned our attention to fulfilling the beliefs, values, and goals embedded in what Billy’s mom had asked for her son (vision). The three visionary targets remained the same, regardless of where each child started.

Academics became more individualized with rigor while teaching the concept of grit. The development of a schoolwide code of conduct (focused on quality work, respect, safety, and kindness) resulted in more effective, personalized ways of teaching social skills and positive behaviors. And so that no student would become a couch potato, we infused the arts and extracurricular activities into every aspect of school that we could think of, teaching and coaching their meaning and value. 

I’m forever indebted to Billy’s mom. She helped me and my staff conceptualize, personalize, and solidify our thinking, define our “why” (mission), and teach to meet the needs of every student. Parents rallied together with me and my teachers around those three stated expectations (vision) from our school—so concise and clear that we have never forgotten them, and never will.

I hope every principal encounters someone like Billy’s mom. When you do, listen, collaborate closely, and learn. Together, you’ll develop the most meaningful awareness of why you do what you do.

How to Write School Mission and Vision Statements

Cultivating a sense of shared educational values, goals, and ideals for a school is one of the primary ways that leaders can inspire positive outcomes in their institutions. In fact, research shows that a positive school culture—defined as the collective values and beliefs of a school’s staff—can:

• Increase attendance rates and academic achievement
• Elevate school morale significantly
• Improve staff wellbeing
• Reduce aggressive behavior in students
• Lessen teacher turnover

One way that educational leaders can establish and encourage a positive culture that benefits everyone on campus is by creating well-written school mission and vision statements. Such statements set the tone for staff and students alike, making the purpose of the school clear and inspiring everyone to join together in realizing it. Learning how to write school mission and vision statements is an important step for educators who want to lead their institutions to succeed.

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Why School Mission and Vision Statements Matter

Mission and vision statements help to set the course for a school. These statements communicate core educational values, speak to the culture of the institution, and provide faculty, staff, students, and community members with ideals to reach for in participation with the school. 

In addition to communicating what is important to a school, mission and vision statements can also be useful for creating unity on campus. A clear mission and vision statement communicate to everyone involved at the school what they are collectively aspiring to attain. When individuals share a purpose, they may be more likely to trust one another, engage in collaboration, and have a positive experience in the school setting. 

When it comes to teachers, in particular, mission and vision statements can be effective in a few ways. First, being aligned on a mission and vision can help prospective candidates and hirers determine if a teacher is a good fit for the school. Additionally, teachers—who are often overwhelmed and overworked—can look to their school’s mission or vision statement for guidance in prioritizing their tasks and setting their focus when many things call for their attention at once. Finally, teachers can benefit from strong school mission and vision statements when it comes to their relationships with fellow teachers as well as with students, as the common language and purpose of the statements provide common ground for those relationships. 

Students may experience several key benefits of school mission and vision statements, too. The Values Education Good Practice Schools Project found that well-written vision statements can improve student-teacher relationships. The project also discovered that students in schools with good vision statements that truly impacted the day-to-day culture of the school enjoyed more calm and focused class activities. Lastly, students were more empowered to develop self-regulation and self-management skills in schools with strong vision statements. 

What Are the Differences between Mission and Vision?

While school mission and vision statements have some overlap, there are a few key distinctions between the two. 

The primary difference between a mission statement and a vision statement is that a mission statement describes the school’s current and/or founding identity and the key values that characterize the school as it is in the present. A vision statement, on the other hand, looks forward to the future. Oftentimes, a mission statement will begin with a phrase like “[School name] is…” while a vision statement might begin with “[School name] will be known for…”

In other words, a mission statement is largely a definition of the school, answering questions like:

• What is important to this school? 
• How does this school seek to reach its objectives?
• What are the fundamental traits, cultural influences, or beliefs of this school?

A vision statement, on the other hand, answers questions such ask:

• What does this school aspire to accomplish in the years to come? 
• What does the school want to become known for doing?
• How would this school define future success?

While school mission and vision statements will likely arise from the same core values, they serve two different purposes. The mission statement speaks to the school’s operations in the present. The vision statement speaks to the school’s hopes and intentions for the future. 

Who Should Be Involved in Writing and Approving School Mission and Vision Statements? What Is the Process Like?

Experts agree that gathering insight from a diverse population can help create the best school mission and vision statements. By including various groups of people connected to the school—including teachers, students, administration, parents, and community members—education leaders can ensure that they are gathering as comprehensive of a perspective as possible. While it’s important to hear from a variety of people, education leaders should take care not to grow the group too large, as it could become difficult to find consensus or be productive.

Once a group has been established, discussion can begin. Educational values are a good place to start. Through data, anecdotes, and personal perspectives, group members can share their perceptions of the school’s current values or the values that should be prioritized. Identifying strengths and opportunities for growth can be insightful as well. 

From there, the group members can discuss what their hopes are for the future of the school. What outcomes might the school’s educational values help produce? What does the school want to be known for in 5, 10, or 20 years? What are the school’s current priorities, and how might they be reordered for greater success? 

Once a group has gathered, identified the school’s values, and discussed hopes for the future, then it is time to write the first draft. 

How to Write a Mission Statement

At this point in the process, it is likely that there could be several pages of notes filled with ideas, values, and hopes for the future that the group has produced. This is exactly what is needed in order to write a mission statement, but condensing the content into a succinct sentence or paragraph may feel daunting.

Reading the mission statements of other schools and organizations may be helpful at this stage. Consider, for example, the Marymount University mission statement:

Marymount is a comprehensive Catholic university, guided by the traditions of the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary, that emphasizes intellectual curiosity, service to others, and a global perspective. A Marymount education is grounded in the liberal arts, promotes career preparation, and provides opportunities for personal and professional growth. A student‐centered learning community that values diversity and focuses on the education of the whole person, Marymount guides the intellectual, ethical, and spiritual development of each individual.

Notice that this mission statement fulfills several key objectives:

• Communicates a value system (Catholic)
• Sets priorities (intellectual curiosity, service, global perspective)
• Establishes an educational framework (liberal arts)
• Describes the community (student-centered, diverse, holistic)

At the elementary school level, a mission statement may read something like:

Our school fosters a love of lifelong learning by guiding each student to build foundational academic skills that will contribute to their ongoing success and by encouraging creative collaboration in an inclusive environment.

This statement makes clear that the school values the love of learning, basic skill development, and cultivating a positive community. 

How to Write a Vision Statement 

School vision statements should align with the values communicated in school mission statements, but they need to communicate forward thinking as well. The Marymount University vision statement reads:

Marymount, a leading Catholic university, will be nationally recognized for innovation and commitment to student success, alumni achievement, and faculty and staff excellence.

This statement:

• Succinctly describes the school (a leading Catholic university)
• Sets the scope for success (national) 
• Establishes goals to attain (recognition in student success, alumni achievement, faculty and staff excellence) 

A high school vision statement may read something like:

Our school will develop critical thinkers who model an inclusive spirit and graduate prepared for success in a profession or higher education.

This statement communicates that critical thinking and inclusivity are prioritized educational values at the school and that employability and admission to college are the standards for success.

Lead in Education with Vision and Values

Do you want to develop a school mission statement that clearly communicates the educational values of the institution you lead? Are you interested in setting academic standards, establishing a campus culture, and doing the work to produce positive future outcomes as an education leader? If so, the Marymount University Online Doctorate in Education program can help you reach your professional goals.

Created for working professionals, Marymount’s flexible online Ed.D. allows students to personalize their coursework according to their vocational goals. Students in the program cite many personal benefits , including building relationships with fellow students and faculty members, honing their project completion skills, and improving their research abilities. 

Student Alexander Gagnet says, “What I love best about the program is the care and attention the faculty put into the success of all the students. You really feel wanted and appreciated for your hard work and effort.” 

Students also appreciate the way that the program allows them to meet their personal and professional obligations while in school. 

“Not to be ignored is the fact that the online program allows you to be who you are AND be a student,” explains Marie Gemelli-Carroll . “It is a key benefit to be able to do classwork on your own time as long as you meet the assigned deadlines.”

Are you ready to further your career by earning a doctorate in education? Marymount University’s online Ed.D. features a practical curriculum and is a top program choice that will prepare you to lead positive change in education. Click here to connect with an enrollment advisor . 

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Do You Know Your School’s Vision? Tips on Making a Meaningful Mission Statement

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Here’s a challenge for you: Without looking, write down the vision of your school or district. You may not be able to write it down verbatim, but can you at least identify and articulate the main points in your own words?

My principal and I gave this challenge to a group of educators at a conference last summer in a session we taught on how to make meaningful change in your own school. Of the approximately 200 educators from across the country who attended our session, less than 10 percent could confidently meet this challenge.

But what we found to be even more alarming was the general agreement that many of the official vision statements were relatively meaningless. They were full of broad and ambiguous statements that were great for hanging on the wall, but pretty ineffective in terms of motivating people to strive for a common goal of excellence. Here’s one such example: “To create 21st-century learners through the development and delivery of a diverse set of strategic teaching and learning strategies in a way that is targeted to enhance the individual growth pathway for each learner so that learning outcomes are maximized for the long-term benefit of the communities we serve.” While this type of vision statement might win an eduspeak award, it certainly doesn’t elicit inspiration and a common purpose.

If you spend time researching the fundamental ingredients of any successful organization, whether it’s a business, a nonprofit, or a school, one thing that immediately becomes apparent is a deeply ingrained shared vision. A few examples:

• Habitat for Humanity: “A world where everyone has a decent place to live.” • Disney: “To make people happy.” • Google: “To organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.” • Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District (Ohio): “Preparing All Students for Success in A Global Economy (P.A.S.S.A.G.E.)”

Not only do each of these examples contain details about the future state the organization can have on the world, but each is also clear and concise enough that everyone in these organizations can use the statement to help focus their work on achieving that envisioned future state. Simply put, words have power. And a powerful vision statement is one that gives everyone in the organization a vivid sense of purpose in the work they do. This is why, in my view, any school or district that is really serious about changing the status quo for its students has to start with a thorough evaluation of its core beliefs and how those may be articulated in a clear mission and vision statement.

But as powerful as words may be, they will remain only words unless they embody the actions of every stakeholder who belongs to the learning community, especially the students. So my second challenge is for you to ask yourself the following question: Does your vision pass the red face test? In other words, if you gave your vision to an outside observer and asked her to tour your school for a day, could she identify examples that match the words in the statement to the actions of members of your learning community? Or would she come up blank, leaving you embarrassed with a red face?

If you pass this test, then you are indeed on the way to creating a culture of shared purpose—a culture where common goals and common language can be the catalyst that closes the gap between the current reality for the school and the future state all stakeholders desire.

If you spend time researching the fundamental ingredients of any successful organization, one thing that immediately becomes apparent is a deeply ingrained shared vision."

I believe organizations that fail to recognize the essential nature of a shared vision are doomed to remain stuck in the status quo. Leaders of such organizations may try to demand excellence through policy, procedures, or mandates, but unless there is an inherent buy-in throughout all aspects of the organization, such excellence will be fleeting. Think of an example of a top-down mandate that, while well intentioned, was ultimately ineffective. Whether originating from the government, district leadership, or a school administrator, imposing one-size-fits-all conditions on an organization often ignores the true capacity of that organization: its people.

Simply put, excellence comes not from silver bullets, but from sharing a passion for a common goal and taking advantage of the ideas and input of the people doing the work to achieve that common goal. Schools that have successfully embarked on journeys toward educational excellence are the ones that have smartly aligned all stakeholders —parents, teachers, administrators, community members, and students—to a shared purpose and then relentlessly enabled conditions for open, candid collaboration to drive innovation.

In the book Collective Genius: The Art and Practice of Leading Innovation , the authors state that purpose is often misunderstood. They write, “It’s not what a group does, but why it does what it does … the question every group should ask itself: If we disappeared today, how would the world be different tomorrow?” If we enable educators to truly find their purpose in the work they do—i.e. their True North —with structures that help them connect that purpose with a larger organization-wide goal, then we have created a potent tool for driving innovative change that our students and communities deserve.

While it may be a naive oversimplification, I honestly believe that a shared vision is the primary ingredient in the secret sauce to drive innovation in our schools. If what you do is clearly aligned with your inner purpose, then you will be passionate about the work you do. You will eagerly collaborate with others, you will find ways to share ideas and resources to help yourself and others reach your common goals, and you will have a relentless focus on continuous improvement and innovation.

What if this common purpose, articulated in a genuine shared vision, was the ethos of every school? I believe it can be. Who’s up for the challenge?

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Crafting an effective mission statement for schools: a comprehensive guide.

In today's competitive educational landscape, having a clear and effective mission statement for schools is essential. A well-crafted mission statement not only defines the purpose and objectives of a school but also serves as a guiding light for its students, staff, and community. This comprehensive guide will take you through the process of crafting effective mission statements for schools, providing you with the tools, resources, and inspiring examples you need to create a mission statement that truly resonates.

Defining the Purpose: School Mission Statement Objectives

Before diving into the process of crafting a mission statement, it's crucial to understand the key objectives that should be included in a school's mission statement. These objectives will serve as the foundation upon which you build a compelling and meaningful statement.

A school's mission statement is more than just a few words on a page. It is a powerful declaration of the school's purpose, values, and goals. It is a guiding light that shapes the institution's identity and influences every aspect of its operations.

Key Objectives to Include in Your School Mission Statement

When developing a mission statement, it's important to consider the unique qualities and goals of your school. Key objectives that should be included in a school mission statement may vary, but some common themes include:

• Providing a quality education that prepares students for the future: A school's primary objective is to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and competencies they need to succeed in their academic and professional lives. This objective emphasizes the importance of a rigorous curriculum, qualified teachers, and innovative teaching methods.
• Fostering a safe and inclusive learning environment: A school should strive to create a nurturing and supportive environment where every student feels valued, respected, and safe. This objective highlights the importance of promoting diversity, inclusivity, and equality among students and staff.
• Cultivating academic excellence and critical thinking skills: A school should aim to foster a culture of academic excellence, encouraging students to strive for their personal best. This objective emphasizes the importance of challenging students intellectually, promoting curiosity, and developing critical thinking skills.
• Promoting social and emotional development: Education is not just about academics; it is also about nurturing the holistic development of students. This objective underscores the importance of supporting students' social and emotional well-being, fostering empathy, resilience, and self-awareness.
• Emphasizing the importance of community and civic engagement: A school should instill in its students a sense of responsibility towards their community and society. This objective highlights the importance of encouraging students to actively participate in community service, volunteerism, and civic engagement.

By incorporating these key objectives into your effective mission statement, you can create a clear and focused message that reflects the values and aspirations of your school. A well-crafted mission statement will not only inspire and guide the school community but also attract like-minded individuals who share the same educational vision.

Crafting an Effective School Mission Statement

Now that you understand the purpose and objectives of an effective mission statement for schools, it's time to dive into the process of crafting one. Crafting an effective mission statement requires thoughtful consideration and a deep understanding of your school's identity and values.

When it comes to crafting a compelling mission statement, there are several steps you can follow to ensure that it captures the essence of your school. Let's take a closer look at each step:

Step 1: Define your school's unique qualities and strengths

Every school has its own unique qualities and strengths that set it apart from others. Take the time to identify what makes your school special. Is it a strong focus on STEM education ? A commitment to fostering creativity and innovation? By understanding and articulating these qualities, you can start to shape your mission statement.

Step 2: Identify your school's core values and beliefs

Core values and beliefs are the guiding principles that drive your school's actions and decisions. Reflect on what your school stands for and what it believes in. Is it a dedication to inclusivity and diversity? A commitment to academic excellence? These core values and beliefs should be at the heart of your mission statement.

Step 3: Consider the needs and aspirations of your students, staff, and community

A mission statement should not only reflect the values and qualities of your school but also address the needs and aspirations of those it serves. Consider the desires and goals of your students, staff, and community members. What do they hope to achieve through their association with your school? Incorporating these aspirations into your mission statement will make it more meaningful and relevant.

Step 4: Articulate your school's vision for the future

A mission statement should not only capture the present state of your school but also provide a glimpse into its future. Think about where you envision your school heading in the years to come. What are your aspirations and goals for growth and improvement? By articulating your school's vision, you can inspire others and create a sense of purpose.

Step 5: Draft a mission statement that incorporates your findings

With a clear understanding of your school's unique qualities, core values, community needs, and future vision, it's time to put pen to paper. Start drafting your mission statement, ensuring that it incorporates all the elements you have identified. Be concise, yet comprehensive, in your wording.

Step 6: Solicit feedback from stakeholders and make revisions as necessary

Once you have a draft of your mission statement, it's important to gather feedback from various stakeholders. This includes students, parents, teachers, and community members. Their input will provide valuable insights and perspectives that can help refine your mission statement. Be open to suggestions and willing to make revisions as necessary.

Step 7: Finalize your mission statement and communicate it effectively

After incorporating feedback and making revisions, it's time to finalize your mission statement. Ensure that it accurately reflects your school's identity, values, and aspirations. Once finalized, communicate it effectively to all stakeholders. This includes prominently displaying it on your school's website , sharing it in newsletters, and discussing it during parent and community meetings.

By following this step-by-step guide, you can ensure that your mission statement accurately reflects the unique qualities and goals of your school. Remember, a well-crafted mission statement can serve as a guiding light, inspiring and uniting all members of your school community towards a common purpose.

Unlocking Creativity: Mission Statement Generators and Templates

Crafting a mission statement from scratch can be a daunting task. Fortunately, there are resources available to help spark your creativity and streamline the process. Mission statement generators and templates can provide you with a starting point and help you structure your thoughts.

Tools and Resources to Help You Create a Unique Mission Statement

When searching for mission statement generators and templates, consider the following resources:

• Online Mission Statement Generators: These tools provide a guided approach to crafting a mission statement tailored to your school's specific needs.
• Sample Mission Statements: Studying examples of well-crafted mission statements can help inspire and inform your own statement.
• Mission Statement Templates: Templates offer a framework that can be customized to fit your school's unique characteristics.

By leveraging these tools and resources, you can unlock your creativity and create a mission statement that truly reflects the essence of your school.

Inspiring Examples: Mission Statements for Elementary Schools

Mission statements for elementary schools should reflect the unique needs and educational approach of young students. Here are 10 engaging mission statements for elementary education that can serve as inspiration:

• Example 1: "Our mission is to inspire a lifelong love of learning and nurture each child's natural curiosity."
• Example 2: "We are committed to providing a safe and inclusive environment where every student can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally."
• Example 3: "Our school community values respect, kindness, and a growth mindset, empowering students to reach their full potential."
• Example 4: "We believe in fostering creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration to prepare our students for success in an ever-changing world."
• Example 5: "Our mission is to ignite a passion for learning, cultivate a strong foundation of knowledge, and foster a sense of responsibility in our students."
• Example 6: "We are dedicated to providing a well-rounded education that embraces the whole child, fostering their intellectual, emotional, and physical growth."
• Example 7: "Our school community celebrates diversity, promotes empathy, and empowers students to make a positive impact on the world."
• Example 8: "We strive to instill a love of learning, a sense of resilience, and a commitment to excellence in each and every student."
• Example 9: "Our mission is to cultivate a nurturing and joyful learning environment where every child feels valued, supported, and inspired."
• Example 10: "We are dedicated to equipping our students with the knowledge, skills, and values they need to become compassionate global citizens."

These inspiring mission statements can serve as a starting point for crafting a compelling statement that captures the essence of your elementary school.

Guiding the Transition: Mission Statements for Middle Schools

Middle school is a critical time of transition for students, and a well-crafted mission statement can help guide their educational journey. Here are examples of mission statements that capture the middle school experience:

• Example 1: "Our mission is to provide a supportive and challenging learning environment that empowers middle school students to excel academically and personally."
• Example 2: "We are committed to fostering a sense of belonging, promoting self-discovery, and preparing students for success in high school and beyond."
• Example 3: "Our school community values curiosity, collaboration, and resilience, empowering middle school students to become lifelong learners."
• Example 4: "We believe in nurturing the unique talents and abilities of each student, promoting self-confidence and a love of learning."

These mission statements can serve as a guide when crafting your own statement for a middle school, incorporating the unique challenges and opportunities that this transitional stage presents.

Shaping the Future: Mission Statements for High Schools

High school is a formative period in a student's life, where they prepare for higher education and future careers. Here are examples of inspiring mission statements that reflect the goals of high school education:

• Example 1: "Our mission is to ignite a passion for lifelong learning, empower students to think critically, and prepare them for a successful future."
• Example 2: "We are dedicated to fostering a love of knowledge, promoting academic excellence, and cultivating leadership skills in our high school students."
• Example 3: "Our school community values integrity, diversity, and personal growth, equipping students with the skills and values they need to thrive in the 21st century."
• Example 4: "We believe in providing a well-rounded education that prepares students for the challenges and opportunities of a rapidly changing world."

These mission statements reflect the goals and aspirations of a high school education, emphasizing the importance of academic excellence, personal growth, and preparing students for future success.

Crafting a compelling mission statement is a powerful way to communicate the values and goals of your school. By defining the purpose, understanding the key objectives, and following a step-by-step guide, you can create a mission statement that inspires and guides your entire school community. Unlock your creativity by using mission statement generators and templates, and find inspiration in the examples provided for elementary, middle, and high schools. Implementing a well-crafted mission statement can have a profound impact on your school's culture and ensure a bright future for your students.

How to Make Mission Matter at Your School

• Posted September 8, 2022
• By Danny Mucinskas and Shelby Clark
• Global Education
• K-12 School Leadership
• K-12 System Leadership
• Organizational Change

School mission statements today are pervasive. Effective school missions can communicate a vision and unify people around common goals, especially when systematically implemented. However, some missions may not even be known or observed by school stakeholders and become mere slogans. Therefore, while most schools have a mission statement, only some schools may be categorized as “mission-driven” institutions that specifically endorse and intentionally organize pedagogy to focus on specific philanthropic, civic, and/or community-based values and involvement.

Over the past several years, our team at The Good Project investigated the educational practices and outcomes of a set of mission-driven, diverse, and globally located international schools. Our primary partners in this research were the United World Colleges (UWC), a network of 18 schools that foreground student diversity and social impact. UWC’s mission is “to unite people, nations, and cultures for peace and a sustainable future.” We set out to learn whether these schools and 13 others (which remain anonymous) around the world were actually achieving their aims.

We collected thousands of student and alumni surveys, conducted hundreds of in-depth interviews, and carried out observations at more than a dozen UWC schools. When we analyzed our data, summarized in a report available here , we discovered trends relevant not only to the participating schools, but also for anyone interested in creating a school or a curriculum that is mission based, including parents and teachers

Below are implications from our work regarding how to make a mission a powerful force for teaching, learning, and change.

1)  Does your school have a unified idea of your mission? When school mission statements are clearly stated, focused, and understood by school stakeholders, they have the power to unify people around a common idea. We saw in our study of UWC that the mission statement was interpreted in a variety of manners: different elements of the mission (such as sustainability or peace) were foregrounded to different degrees depending on school context and personal preferences. For mission-driven schools that seek to effect social change, it is important for people to share a unified understanding of the meaning of the mission; what it looks like in practice; and the steps that can lead to its fulfillment.  

For example, if your school’s mission is “A cleaner world for all,” some questions to ask would include: What does this mean to the different stakeholders in your institution? Does it mean simply recycling every day, or does it mean protesting for climate change (or neither)? Could “cleaner” mean cleaner morals or character to some people? A common understanding of an institutional mission and how it can be embodied can have a trickle-down effect throughout an organization by uniting people at all levels in common purpose. 

Consider as well: 

• How are conversations about the mission happening at your school? 
• What messages are students receiving about the mission explicitly and implicitly? 
• What parallel visions of the missions might exist? 
• What steps are you taking to align all the stakeholders at your school around the mission? What can you to bring about better alignment?

2)  What type of citizen do you hope your school is fostering? Once you’ve agreed on what your mission statement means for your school, ask yourself: What type of message does your school’s mission send about how students are meant to be as citizens in the world? Throughout our study, we asked participants questions like, “What does making an impact mean to you?” and “What does it mean to make a difference in the world?” Interviewees were asked to rank four different profiles regarding who was making the “most” impact keeping the UWC mission in mind.

What did we find? Overall, there was not a singular aligned vision across the UWC movement, or even within particular schools, about what it means to “make a difference.” Many participants in our study were relativistic in their thinking about impact, wanting to reserve judgment about whether any one type of action or type of career or action was right or wrong, or impactful or not impactful in positive ways for the world. For example, is an investment banker making a difference in positive or negative ways? What about compared to a nonprofit worker or parent? 

There is nothing inherently wrong with people having different ideas about how to make a difference in the world . One might argue that we need these divergent means of impact to tackle real-world problems. However, if educational institutions are dedicated to having their students make social impact, it is necessary that they have a defined understanding of their desired impact.

Alternatively, as Walden University did when confronted with the fact that they did not know how to define the idea of “positive social change” in their mission, schools might create functional models of changemaking that students should embody in order to be agents of social change, such as cognitive and practical skills as well as values and ethics.

In thinking about these questions, consider: 

• How large of an effect do you expect your students’ impact to have? Should they affect society as a whole? Or maybe just their local community? Or perhaps just their family? 
• Are there certain topics they should focus their changemaking efforts on? Take the school above with their environmental mission– perhaps the students should focus their efforts solely on sustainability. 
• What methods of change should your students use? Maybe your school focuses entirely on social entrepreneurship. Or instead, you’d rather your students learned how to advocate through protesting and political change. 
• How should your students' changemaking efforts address issues of justice ? Do you think that your students should focus on the root causes of issues, or that they should address more pressing or symptomatic issues? 

3)  How does the mission translate to pedagogical practice? Our research displayed that, once a strong mission and associated conception of how the mission is shaping students has been established, it’s crucial to embed these ideas into the pedagogy and educational practices being offered by the school. In the schools we worked with, many of which were focused on developing intercultural understanding and fostering social impact, mission-aligned activities included:

• Volunteer and community service programs in which students got to experience collaborating with community stakeholders.
• At UWC schools, project weeks, in which students designed a week-long learning experience away from the school that required problem-solving, often involving travel to a new location.
• Extra-academic activities, including student-run conferences and clubs focused on mission-aligned topics like sustainability and peace building.
• Academic environments, most often courses like global politics, history, economics, and literature, that permitted conversations about school mission.

Throughout these activities, we saw that when students were afforded opportunities to bring their perspectives to the fore, and to feel autonomy and agency in the learning process, students learned more and developed skills and dispositions such as open-mindedness and greater confidence.

At your school, consider questions like:

• Where in the day are students most likely to experience the mission in action?
• How can the mission be embedded into environments that give students the chance to exercise autonomy?
• To what degree are our educational programs aligned with the mission we want to achieve?

While many schools today have mission statements, we hope that the themes and questions we have explored here can help to bring about greater mission clarity and implementation for institutions of learning.

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Created by the Great Schools Partnership , the GLOSSARY OF EDUCATION REFORM is a comprehensive online resource that describes widely used school-improvement terms, concepts, and strategies for journalists, parents, and community members. | Learn more »

Mission Statement

A  mission statement , or simply a  mission , is a public declaration that schools or other educational organizations use to describe their founding purpose and major organizational commitments—i.e., what they doe and why they do it. A mission statement may describe a school’s day-to-day operational objectives, its instructional values, or its public commitments to its students and community.

The term mission statement  is often used interchangeably with  vision statement . While some educators and schools may loosely define the two terms, or even blur the traditional lines that have separated them, there appears to be general agreement in the education community on the major distinctions between a “mission” and a “vision.” Generally speaking, a vision statement expresses a hoped-for future reality, while a mission statement declares the practical commitments and actions that a school believes are needed to achieve its vision. While a vision statement describes the end goal—the change sought by a school—a mission statement may describe its broad academic and operational assurances, as well as its commitment to its students and community.

For a more detailed discussion, see mission and vision .

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• v.19(1); 2018 Jan

Creating a Vision for Education Leadership

Daniel r. martin.

* The Ohio State University, Department of Emergency Medicine, Columbus, Ohio

Felix Ankel

† Healthpartners Institute, Bloomington, Minnesota

Robin R. Hemphill

‡ National Center for Patient Safety, Veterans Health Administration, Washington DC

Sheryl Heron

§ Emory School of Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia

Sorabh Khandelwal

Chris merritt.

¶ Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Department of Emergency Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Providence, Rhode Island

Mary Westergaard

|| University of Wisconsin, Department of Emergency Medicine, Madison, Wisconsin

Sally A. Santen

# Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia

Academic emergency physicians are driven to become master clinicians while honing their skills in mission areas such as education, research and administration. Many faculty members try to pursue the triple threat of education, service and research; however, excellence in all three areas is difficult to achieve. The first step to excelling in the education domain is to clearly define one’s goals and articulate a strategy to achieve them. To be successful, you must define your vision, mission and core values (VMCV).

As the field of emergency medicine (EM) matures, its education leaders are increasingly recognizing the importance of defining personal and shared visions, core purpose (mission) and core values. In The Leadership Challenge , Kouzes and Posner explain “you must clarify your own vision of the future before you can expect to enlist others in a shared vision.” 1 , 2 The authors also summarize the benefits of leaders in organizations who are focused on the future, which includes achieving better performance outcomes both individually and as organizations. It comes as no surprise that most academic medical centers, medical schools and some emergency departments have developed shared visions and mission statements and have identified their core values. These statements highlight the core values of the institutions. Leadership experts such as Warren Bennis, Stephen Covey and Peter Senge emphasize the importance of developing your personal vision for life. 3 , 4 , 5

This brief innovative report will provide tools and examples to articulate a vision statement for education leadership and the steps needed for implementation. The objective of this innovation is for the readers to develop their own vision, mission and core values, and to begin to consider how they will develop their strategy and platform for implementation. While these VMCV may be aligned with your organization’s VMCV, it is important to define your own. Examples of VMCV from education leaders will be presented. This concept is based on a workshop from the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) in 2017 that was developed by key education leaders in the field of EM.

This education innovation defines each domain of vision, mission, and core values. The reader is then directed through the steps to define their individual domains. Additionally, nine education leaders worked together to clarify their personalized statements.

• Education leaders will be able to understand the definitions of VMCV and use these tools to create their personal VMCV.
• Education leaders will adjust their VMCV to align with that of their division, department or organization.
• Education leaders will use their VMCV to aid in decision-making and developing their strategic plan and future goals.

CURRICULAR DESIGN

This educational advance leads learners through the process of defining VMCV and then asking participants to determine their own vision, mission, and core values. This is then followed by participants determining their implementation strategy.

Developing Your Vision

Your personal vision should be the future state you hope to achieve. The vision statement should incorporate the future state and should be a positive, aspirational view of how the future will be better. Collins and Porras defined the vision as consisting of a core ideology and an envisioned future where the core values are the guiding principles. 6 , 7 They went on to challenge people to create BHAGs, or “Big Hairy Audacious Goals,” emphasizing that vision statements need to be something to strive for about 10 years in the future.

A stepwise approach can be helpful for developing a vision 8 , 9 starting by contemplating your purpose in the context of a positive future full of possibilities. This theme can be determined by asking yourself to describe your burning passion or what gets you up in the morning, or what do you envision every time you think about the future? Try and align the vision with that of your organization so that one builds on the other. Your vision should go forward several years and be inspirational, bold, exciting and define your burning passion. Transformational leaders are forward thinking, idealistic, possibility-thinkers and dreamers.

Nearly all recommendations for developing one’s vision incorporate consideration and reflection of one’s past, present and future. 1

Review of one’s past should especially include themes, patterns, experiences, and beliefs that have helped contribute to one’s successes. Past experiences and successes also help define your most important core values. Attending to the present permits one to take inventory of hot topics or areas where futuristic change is clearly needed. Noting the specific details as well as the patterns pointing toward the future are keys to attending to the present. 1 The future can be considered by asking yourself what you want to accomplish and why? Dreaming or imagining the limitless possibilities in the future is particularly important in times of rapid change.

The final step is using these reflections, considerations, and ideas to articulate succinctly your one-sentence vision statement and then reviewing this often for direction, motivation and inspiration.

Examples of visions include that of Oprah Winfrey, founder of the Oprah Winfrey Network, who articulated her vision this way: “To be a teacher. And to be known for inspiring my students to be more than they thought they could be.” 10 Amanda Steinberg, founder of DailyWorth.com wrote her vision: “To use my gifts of intelligence, charisma, and serial optimism to cultivate the self-worth and net-worth of women around the world.” 10

Developing Your Mission

The mission statement or purpose should be a concise statement that describes how you will get there and your reason for being. This is the path by which you will achieve your vision. The mission statement should describe what you want to be and do in your profession and how you will accomplish your vision. It should answer questions about what you will do, who it is for and how you will do it. The most classic examples of a core purpose can be seen from organizations such as the Walt Disney Company: “To make people happy;” and Merck & Co Inc, “To preserve and improve life.” 2

Developing Your Core Values

Core values help to align your vision and mission and should include the 3–5 values that serve as your guiding principles. Collins and Porras describe organizational core values as the “essential and enduring tenets of an organization.” 6 The core values of Disney are “imagination and wholesomeness.” Kouzes and Posner describe individual core values as the deeply held beliefs – the values, standards, ethics, and ideals – that drive you.” 1 You will use these core values to guide decisions and actions. They are your personal “bottom line.” 1

Developing Your Implementation Strategy

Your strategy is the method by which you will achieve your vision and mission. This is the practical part of the plan where you think about the goals to be achieved and how you will get there. It is focused on the methods that you feel will be important for accomplishing vision and mission. It is your blueprint that will incorporate specific goals for your success. Your platform is the media or milieu in which you function most effectively. For example, for many education leaders, their platform is social media, while for others it is their personal learning network. 11 , 12

IMPACT/EFFECTIVENESS

The table displays the VMCV of several education leaders. Each is unique and approaches education from a different perspective. Some of the education leaders focused more at an organizational level, while others were more narrowly focused. Recent evidence has demonstrated a positive association between well-written mission statements and non-profit healthcare sector performance and firm performance. 12 , 13 The Gallup organization’s research has demonstrated “success-promoting” and “margin-boosting” benefits of focusing on mission. 14 They believe that mission drives loyalty, fosters customer engagement, improves strategic alignment and brings clarity by guiding decision making.

In a study by Berg he described an intense commitment to “making the world a better place” that was “almost spiritual” in an organization when symbiotic visions and goals could drive employees and organizations. 15 Similar recommendations regarding the importance of aligned vision, mission and values have surfaced in healthcare as well. 16 In a publication by pediatric program directors, personal mission statements were recommended to maintain focus and aid in decision-making and strategic planning to empower academicians to make appropriate trade-offs and reach for new opportunities that were well aligned, while eliminating or declining things that were not. 9

This innovation provides a stepwise approach for readers to define their vision, mission, and core values. Several examples are described. In general, following preparation, a 60- to 90-minute session like that of the SAEM can be used to develop an initial draft of these statements. Evaluations of the SAEM session noted that all participants noted increased ability to describe vision, mission, strategy and platform afterward. A similar session was used by first-year medical students during “Mission Statement Day.” 17

First, it is important to remember that the process of creating these statements is not necessarily straightforward. Sometimes it is difficult to identify the key features that belong in the VMCV. Although most references describe the importance of vetting these statements to peers, mentors or supervisors, 9 it can be unsettling to share these intensely personal statements for fear of criticism. It is particularly hard to create a BHAG. The time spent struggling with the VMCV is time well spent. This investment of your time will help you find a direction by which you can influence and lead in your focus area of education.

Second, it is important to remember that the VMCV are not static. While you may choose to stand with an original vision, it is common to have adjustments as the context changes. Therefore, returning to your statements can be helpful especially in times of transition, as well as to reset or reframe your goals. Finally, some leaders choose to keep their VMCV private while others espouse them publicly. Regardless of how open you choose to be with your VMCV, it is most important that your behaviors demonstrate these statements. Moreover, most leaders operate within a social network; therefore, ensuring that the people you work with know your VMCV is key to teamwork and success.

Vision, mission, and core values of selected education leaders.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors would like to acknowledge the contributions by Gary W. Hornseth.

Section Editor: Ed Ullman, MD

Full text available through open access at http://escholarship.org/uc/uciem_westjem

Conflicts of Interest : By the West JEM article submission agreement, all authors are required to disclose all affiliations, funding sources and financial or management relationships that could be perceived as potential sources of bias. Sally A. Santen has received an AMA Grant; Accelerating Change in Medical Education

The truth about school mission statements

by: Leslie Crawford | Updated: January 19, 2023

Print article

Let’s say you’re considering a particular high school for your child. So you start by visiting the school’s website. You click on the About page. You’re looking for a mission statement — something that spells out the school’s purpose, expresses its core values, and states goals for the students. Maybe your search is rewarded with something like this: We foster an environment that enables our students to become courageous learners, prepares them for success in the 21st century, and promotes equity and social justice.

Sounds amazing, right? Not so fast. Plenty of schools have carefully crafted mission statements that sound terrific. At some schools, the walls are emblazoned with values like “Integrity,” “Grit,” and “Courage.” But what do these vague, aspirational words actually mean? More importantly, are a school’s core values being put into practice in a meaningful way to benefit your student?

More than a mission statement

What you’re looking for is evidence that a school intentionally and thoughtfully brings its core values into every aspect of the school’s operations — what’s known in edu-speak as “coherent design.”

“Coherent design should really be the first thing that parents look for,” says Sujata Bhatt, co-founder and senior fellow at Transcend , a nonprofit that works with districts and communities to design equitable schools. To know if a school has a coherent design, Bhatt advises parents to ask clarifying questions like, “Will my child have daily experiences that they can connect and make meaningful? Or will they be going from one disjointed experience to another, killing time?”

Then, adds Bhatt, a parent and teen can get even more specific about what the high schooler wants from a school, be it an environmental justice school, STEAM school, or a more traditional college prep school. What’s essential, says Bhatt, “is that the school experience is unified in some way.”

A mission statement doesn’t mean much unless it’s deeply integrated into how a school operates. “You wouldn’t build the building without the blueprint,” Bhatt says. “And so there needs to be a school blueprint that takes the mission, the design principles, the graduate aims, and says, ‘This is the promise we’re making you as families, that these are the five things that your child will really be competent at by the time they leave our doors.’”

The good news is that many schools do practice what they preach. “We know these schools exist,” says Aylon Samouha, co-founder of Transcend. The ones that do it right, he notes, “are magical.” Samouha recommends looking for these signs that a school’s core values are being put into practice successfully.

The school’s stated mission and values are based on what’s important to the school community.

Too often, mission statements are written by a few top administrators behind closed doors. This can lead to a disconnect between what a school says is important and what matters most to the students and their families. Look for evidence that the school community had a hand in deciding what their school should be focusing on.

Barry Sommer, who runs Lindsay Educational Foundation , a nonprofit that helps districts nationwide transform their schools, says their program invites all stakeholders to take part in creating core values, a process he says must include a vision for the school’s graduates — who they envision them to be intellectually, socially, and emotionally. “How do you organize what’s best for an 18-year-old if you have no idea what parents, educators, unions, and our learners want?” says Sommer. “Essentially we are working with a community, taking them on a design journey so together we create what we want this school to be, what principles inform the core values.”

School design experts say community-created mission statements translate into practices that give a school’s students what they need to be successful. Transcend’s Samouha points to Van Ness Elementary School in Washington D.C.’s 6th ward. A majority of the Title I public school’s students come from low-income households. The community considered the unique needs of the student body when creating their core values, which include providing “a safe supportive community to maximize learning for each student.” That means ensuring all kids get a healthy breakfast and lunch; a welcoming place for after-school studies; a school social worker, psychologist, and nurse; and an emphasis on not just academics but social and emotional learning (SEL) to teach self-regulation skills to cope with trauma experienced at home or their neighborhood.

At Valor Collegiate Academies in Nashville, TN, the middle school’s mission statement reads: “We exist to empower our diverse community to live inspired, purposeful lives.” Valor walks the talk, supporting students’ academic success (it has a GreatSchools’ “student progress” rating of 9), but putting equal weight on the students’ social and emotional health thanks to its nationally renowned SEL program.

It feels good to be there.

Pay attention to that gut feeling you get when you walk into a school, says Samouha.

“When you go to Disneyland, every single part of that experience reinforces and reflects the overall experience,” Samouha says. “All the things that come together when you step inside: The smells, the look of it, everything is aligned to the aim of happiness.” Cast members famously don’t remove their costume heads in front of the public. There’s no trash littering the grounds. The ride attendants are friendly. Those seemingly small details create a coherent experience for the visitor.

And while no teenager alive would describe their high school as the happiest place on Earth, a high school can make your student feel welcome, inspired, and yes, happy. “Look and observe what actually is happening in the school,” says Samouha, “and trust what you see.” If you walk into the school and see posters emblazoned in big letters with common core value words like, “Cooperation,” “Respect,” and “Support,” but then see students with their heads down looking unhappy or a staff member greeting you brusquely, these are clues that their core values aren’t being embraced by those running the school.

What they’re doing makes sense.

To find out if a school is practicing what they preach, look for consistency in everything from the learning materials to the instruction methods. Does a school say it values inclusivity and social justice but use a dated curriculum that teaches history or literature from a limited number of perspectives? Does the mission statement say a school promotes “curiosity” and “engaged learners,” when in reality teachers stand in front of students lecturing without engaging students in discussion?

“Incoherence can be experienced in school to school, classroom to classroom, day to day,” Samouha says. “Maybe there was magic during math class, but some administrator told you to shut up during lunch.” It’s hard work for a school to pull off, Samouha says, but successful schools are diligent about making sure every aspect of a student’s day consistently reflects the school’s values.

Everyone at the school knows — and lives — the school’s values.

Ask teachers and students what their school values most. Ask current students and families about the school’s vibe. You want to hear that everyone — from the sports coach and the librarian to the teachers and administrators — is living up to the school’s values in their daily interactions.

That doesn’t mean a teacher can’t have a bad day. But if the bus driver keeps order by yelling or the secretary is regularly dismissive, it speaks volumes about the school’s culture. “Ask as many open-ended questions as you can,” says Samouha. “Talk to the school leader and ask, ‘Can you tell me more about your core values? What is the experience of going to school like for your learners?’” It’s a great sign, adds Samouha, if they can easily answer your questions.

What to consider when looking at a school’s core values

For parents:.

• Ask who wrote a school’s mission statement: A founder? A small group of top administrators? Members of the school community, which may best reflect the unique needs of that school?
• Don’t take a school’s mission statement at face value. Look for evidence that it’s reflected in what’s really going on at a school, and trust your gut.

For educators and administrators:

• Invite your entire community — staff, faculty, parents, and students — to create or revisit your school’s mission statement. Make sure the mission statement addresses the unique needs and goals of your school.
• Look at how your school’s values are reflected in day-to-day practice. If words like “Respect,” “Integrity,” “Compassion,” Inclusion,” and “Curiosity” are part of your mission statement, are the staff and faculty consciously practicing these values with students and with each other?
• If you want to learn more about implementing coherent design at your school, check out this excellent step-by-step blueprint .

This article is part of our Transforming High School series , a collection of stories, videos, and podcasts exploring the practices that prepare students for success in college and beyond.

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Educational Philosophy & Mission Statement

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Philosophy of Education

Liberty University is a distinctively Christian academic community. As such, Liberty continues the philosophy of education which first gave rise to the university, and which is summarized in the following propositions.

God, the infinite source of all things, has shown us truth through scripture, nature, history, and above all, in Christ.

Persons are spiritual, rational, moral, social, and physical, created in the image of God. They are, therefore, able to know and to value themselves and other persons, the universe, and God.

Education as the process of teaching and learning, involves the whole person, by developing the knowledge, values, and skills which enable each individual to change freely. Thus it occurs most effectively when both instructor and student are properly related to God and each other through Christ.

Statement of Mission and Purpose

Maintaining the vision of the founder, Dr. Jerry Falwell, Liberty University develops Christ-centered men and women with the values, knowledge, and skills essential to impact the world.

Through its residential and online programs, services, facilities, and collaborations, the University educates men and women who will make important contributions to their workplaces and communities, follow their chosen vocations as callings to glorify God, and fulfill the Great Commission.

Liberty University will:

• Emphasize excellence in teaching and learning.
• Foster university-level competencies in communication, critical thinking, information literacy, and mathematics in all undergraduate programs.
• Ensure competency in scholarship, research, and professional communication in all graduate programs and undergraduate programs where appropriate.
• Promote the synthesis of academic knowledge and a Christian worldview in order that there might be a maturing of spiritual, intellectual, social and physical value-driven behavior.
• Enable students to engage in a major field of study in career-focused disciplines built on a solid foundation in the liberal arts.
• Promote an understanding of the Western tradition and the diverse elements of American cultural history, especially the importance of the individual in maintaining democratic and free market processes.
• Contribute to a knowledge and understanding of other cultures and of international events.
• Encourage a commitment to the Christian life, one of personal integrity, sensitivity to the needs of others, social responsibility and active communication of the Christian faith, and, as it is lived out, a life that leads people to Jesus Christ as the Lord of the universe and their own personal Savior.

Approved by the Board of Trustees April 16, 2021

Developing a mission statement

In early education and care, mission statements carry great meaning and are an important part of the program, no matter how small or large. Mission statements, sometimes called vision statements, typically describe the goals of a program; what unique qualities it offers and its overall vision. Mission statements are vital because they are unique to each program and they offer a voice to guide and share the definition and purpose of the program.

Not all mission statements look alike or even contain the same information. Here are two samples:

"Shady Lane is a Diverse Learning Community committed to programs of excellence for children, their families, and educators that embody best practices of early childhood education and promote collaborations that help all children realize their full potential." - Shady Lane Mission Statement; adopted 2003

"To provide an inclusive child care program which promotes optimal development for each child, supports families, upholds best practices in the field of Early Care and Education, and provides a community model for quality." - Hearts and Minds Missions Statement; adopted 2006

Why develop a mission or vision statement?

All programs are developed because of an idea that one person or groups of people had in creating something. Often these ideas carry forth valuable dreams and insights. Developing mission statements reconnects to that original idea.

Mission statements give us something in writing--clearly stating our program's views--to offer those interested in our program, such as families, staff, community, investors, funding programs, and volunteers. It is essential that everyone involved with the program know the mission statement and how it is implemented.

Mission statements can also act as a guide in working as a team. This can be quite valuable when you get lost in details that may blur your vision (regulations, paperwork, licensing, accreditation, planning, behavior issues, communication issues, etc.).

Where to start?

Involve the program's community (staff, families, children, board of directors, volunteers, etc.) in developing the mission statement. The mission becomes personal and clear to each person involved.

Considerations for developing a mission statement

• Look at the beginning; revisit ideas of how and why the program started
• Examine and define the direction in which the program is growing
• Explore and describe what is special and valued in the program
• Communicate services and opportunities offered to others (children, families, staff, board members, volunteers, support services, etc.)
• Convey a sense of the program's philosophy, beliefs, and goals for children and families
• Create timelines to review your mission statement

Carefully developing mission statements encourages a close look at the program.

What does your mission statement say?

Carefully developing mission statements encourages a close at the program.

• How do you introduce yourselves?
• Are you staying true to your focus?
• Where are you going?
• How do you continue your path?
• Are all voices represented?

It is this further thinking that continues to add quality, meaning, and reward to your programs and your work.

Share your mission statement

• Display your mission statement in your environment (consider enlarging and framing for a professional look)
• Place in the front of your program's handbook
• Place on your business cards, program stationery, brochures
• Add to your newsletters, web sites, advertisements, and announcements
• Use as an introduction when holding meetings

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Mission Statement for Education Industry

Immerse yourself in the world of education through our comprehensive guide, offering mission statement examples specific to the education industry. Here, you’ll gain insights into how successful educational institutions frame their purpose, ambition, and value proposition. This guide is a must-read for educators, administrators, and education leaders aiming to craft a compelling mission statement that effectively communicates their organization’s commitment to enriching lives through quality education. Discover how to write a mission statement that resonates with your stakeholders and aligns with your core educational values.

What is the Best Example of Education Industry Mission Statement?

One of the finest examples of an education industry mission statement comes from Harvard University: “To educate the citizens and citizen-leaders for our society. We do this through our commitment to the transformative power of a liberal arts and sciences education.”

Harvard’s mission statement succinctly communicates its commitment to the education of individuals who will make a difference in the world, embodying both their goal as an institution and the fundamental purpose of education itself. It exemplifies a commitment to empowering students, fostering leaders, and facilitating societal progress through education.

100 Mission Statements of Top Educational Brands / Institutions in the World

Dive into the educational philosophies of the globe’s leading institutions with our curated list of mission statements. These powerful declarations embody each institution’s commitment to educational excellence, societal transformation, and student empowerment, offering a unique glimpse into their values and vision for the future.

1. Harvard University: “To educate the citizens and citizen-leaders for our society. We do this through our commitment to the transformative power of a liberal arts and sciences education.”

2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT): “To advance knowledge and educate students in science, technology, and other areas of scholarship that will best serve the nation and the world in the 21st century.”

3. University of Cambridge: “To contribute to society through the pursuit of education, learning, and research at the highest international levels of excellence.”

4. Stanford University: “To create a culture of excellence and an inclusive community that values diversity and fosters collaboration, innovation, creativity, respect, and social responsibility.”

5. University of Oxford: “To lead in areas of national and global significance through the transformative power of education and research.”

6. California Institute of Technology (Caltech): “To expand human knowledge and benefit society through research integrated with education.”

7. University of Chicago: “To produce a caliber of teaching and research that regularly leads to advances in fields such as medicine, biology, physics, economics, critical theory, and public policy.”

8. Princeton University: “To serve humanity by educating leaders for a global society and advancing the frontiers of knowledge.”

9. Columbia University: “To transform the traditional learning experience and to enhance our understanding of the world, through the power of research, innovation, and discovery.”

10. Yale University: “To create, preserve, and disseminate knowledge, to educate leaders who will serve all sectors of society, and to encourage the search for truth, even when it leads in unexpected directions.”

11. University of California, Berkeley: “To provide leadership in teaching, research, and public service and to generate and disseminate knowledge, fostering creativity, and shaping the global future.”

12. University of Pennsylvania: “To advance the well-being of the people of the world, through the power of learning, innovation, and the promotion of health.”

13. University of Michigan: “To serve the people of Michigan and the world through preeminence in creating, communicating, preserving and applying knowledge, art, and academic values, and in developing leaders and citizens who will challenge the present and enrich the future.”

14. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich): “To provide a superior technical education that emphasizes the understanding and development of fundamental principles.”

15. University of Tokyo: “To contribute to global society through the pursuit of education, research, and public service, rooted in the spirit of liberal and practical education.”

16. University of Toronto: “To serve the public interest by advancing human potential and promoting a just society through education, scholarship, and engagement with our communities.”

17. Cornell University: “To discover, preserve, and disseminate knowledge; to educate the next generation of global citizens; and to promote a culture of broad inquiry throughout and beyond the Cornell community.”

18. University College London: “To empower our students and staff to work together to influence the world through impactful research, innovation, and education.”

19. Johns Hopkins University: “To educate our students and cultivate their capacity for lifelong learning, to foster independent and original research, and to bring the benefits of discovery to the world.”

20. University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA): “To create, disseminate, preserve, and apply knowledge for the betterment of our global society.”

21. Peking University: “To strive for the advancement and dissemination of knowledge, and to foster talents with a harmonious integration of profound humanistic spirit, scientific spirit, and the spirit of seeking truth from facts.”

22. National University of Singapore: “To transform the way people think and do things through education, research and service, and create a better world for all.”

23. Tsinghua University: “To promote the development of science and technology for the benefit of mankind, and to cultivate future leaders who can change the world.”

24. Australian National University: “To be a world-leading university, recognised internationally for our distinctive contributions to society through the pursuit of knowledge, education, and research at the highest levels of excellence.”

25. Duke University: “To engage in erudition, research, teaching, and service that benefit society and contribute to the betterment of the human condition.”

26. University of British Columbia: “To inspire people, ideas, and actions for a better world.”

27. University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill: “To be the nation’s leading public university by extending the frontiers of knowledge and creativity, nurturing a culture of discovery, and preparing students to become thoughtful, responsible citizens of the world.”

28. London School of Economics: “To provide the best means of learning about the social world, its basic structures, and the principles upon which it works.”

29. University of Melbourne: “To enrich our understanding of the world, foster a global community, advance health and wellbeing, and celebrate diversity.”

30. McGill University: “To provide our students with the best education available, create knowledge through research and scholarship, address important social issues, and strive for innovation in all that we do.”

31. University of Sydney: “To be a global leader in academic inquiry and education, and to empower our community to change the world around us.”

32. King’s College London: “To educate informed and critical thinkers who can shape society, and to investigate the most pressing questions of the twenty-first century.”

33. University of Pennsylvania: “To advance knowledge, to foster learning, to cultivate talent, and to galvanize the power of new thinking.”

34. University of Michigan: “To serve the people by creating and disseminating knowledge, fostering intellectual growth, and developing leaders who can make a positive difference in the world.”

35. Yale University: “To improve the world today and for future generations through outstanding research and scholarship, education, preservation, and practice.”

36. Princeton University: “To advance learning through scholarship, research, and teaching of unsurpassed quality, with an emphasis on undergraduate and doctoral education that is distinctive among the world’s great universities.”

37. University of Cambridge: “To contribute to society through the pursuit of education, learning, and research at the highest international levels of excellence.”

38. Oxford University: “To lead the world in research and education, and engage with society to transform the world for the better.”

39. Stanford University: “To become a purposeful university, driven by a spirit of innovation, entrepreneurship and public service.”

40. Massachusetts Institute of Technology: “To advance knowledge and educate students in science, technology, and other areas of scholarship that will best serve the nation and the world in the 21st century.”

41. Harvard University: “To create knowledge, to open the minds of students to that knowledge, and to enable students to take best advantage of their educational opportunities.”

42. California Institute of Technology: “To expand human knowledge and benefit society through research integrated with education.”

43. University of Chicago: “To produce a caliber of teaching and research that regularly leads to advances in fields such as medicine, biology, physics, economics, critical theory, and the arts.”

44. Columbia University: “To engage with the world, through teaching and learning, to challenge ideas, reinvent understanding and contribute to society.”

45. University of California, Berkeley: “To distinguish itself as a leader in teaching, scholarship, and public service.”

46. London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine: “To improve health and health equity in the UK and worldwide; working in partnership to achieve excellence in public and global health research, education and translation of knowledge into policy and practice.”

47. University of São Paulo: “To generate, disseminate, and apply innovative, integrated, interdisciplinary knowledge, placing science, art, and culture at the service of society.”

48. University of Edinburgh: “To create, share and apply knowledge in free and open intellectual inquiry and ensure our research, teaching and learning is accessible, inclusive and relevant.”

49. Karolinska Institute: “To improve human health through the pursuit of excellence in research, education, contributions to society, and clinical practice.”

50. University of Oslo: “To gain and disseminate knowledge and understanding for the benefit of humankind.”

51. University of Zurich: “To offer high-quality education, generate knowledge, and provide services that benefit society, science, and business.”

52. University of Paris: “To serve society as an international and interdisciplinary hub of knowledge, promoting innovation, creativity, and the cross-pollination of ideas.”

53. University of Hong Kong: “To nurture globally-minded graduates with an in-depth understanding of Asia, and to advance knowledge through research and scholarship in areas of world importance.”

54. University of Toronto: “Boundlessly curious and rigorously intellectual, we aim to redefine the role of a leading research university.”

55. University of Tokyo: “To cultivate global leaders with a broad perspective and creative vision, inquisitive minds and cultural sophistication along with a strong sense of social responsibility.”

56. University of Singapore: “To influence the future through nurturing talents, advancing knowledge and impacting society to create a better world.”

57. University of British Columbia: “Inspiring people, ideas and actions for a better world.”

58. The University of Adelaide: “To be consistently ranked in the top 1% of universities worldwide and a destination of choice for high-performing researchers, students, government and industry partners.”

59. University of Copenhagen: “To provide research and research-based teaching at the highest international level within all the main areas of science.”

60. University of Montreal: “To generate and transfer knowledge to train competent, responsible, and innovative individuals, to promote understanding, progress, and academic excellence.”

61. University of Vienna: “To promote a broad spectrum of research areas in a wide range of fields and disciplines, and to ensure the balanced development of these areas.”

62. University of Dublin: “To provide a liberal environment where independent thinking is highly valued and where staff and students are nurtured and empowered to achieve their potential and contribute to the benefit of society.”

63. University of Wisconsin-Madison: “To offer broad and balanced academic programs that are mutually reinforcing and emphasize high-quality and creative instruction at all levels.”

64. University of Washington: “To advance intellectual discovery and enrich the quality of life as the preeminent public research university in the state, nation, and world.”

65. Peking University: “To advance knowledge, to inspire students, and to promote the well-being of society.”

66. Seoul National University: “To create a vibrant intellectual community where students and scholars join together in building the future.”

67. Tsinghua University: “To cultivate innovative leaders and advance knowledge for humanity in the spirit of “self-discipline and social commitment.”

68. University of Illinois: “To enhance the lives of citizens in Illinois, across the nation, and around the world through leadership in learning, discovery, engagement, and economic development.”

69. University of Texas: “To transform lives for the benefit of society through the core values of learning, discovery, freedom, leadership, individual opportunity, and responsibility.”

70. Boston University: “To be the leading institution for the study, research, and teaching of all aspects of human culture and development.”

71. University of Zurich: “To offer high-quality education, generate knowledge, and provide services that benefit society, science, and business.”

72. University of Paris: “To serve society as an international and interdisciplinary hub of knowledge, promoting innovation, creativity, and the cross-pollination of ideas.”

73. University of Hong Kong: “To nurture globally-minded graduates with an in-depth understanding of Asia, and to advance knowledge through research and scholarship in areas of world importance.”

74. University of Toronto: “Boundlessly curious and rigorously intellectual, we aim to redefine the role of a leading research university.”

75. University of Tokyo: “To cultivate global leaders with a broad perspective and creative vision, inquisitive minds and cultural sophistication along with a strong sense of social responsibility.”

76. University of Singapore: “To influence the future through nurturing talents, advancing knowledge and impacting society to create a better world.”

77. University of British Columbia: “Inspiring people, ideas and actions for a better world.”

78. The University of Adelaide: “To be consistently ranked in the top 1% of universities worldwide and a destination of choice for high-performing researchers, students, government and industry partners.”

79. University of Copenhagen: “To provide research and research-based teaching at the highest international level within all the main areas of science.”

80. University of Montreal: “To generate and transfer knowledge to train competent, responsible, and innovative individuals, to promote understanding, progress, and academic excellence.”

81. University of Vienna: “To promote a broad spectrum of research areas in a wide range of fields and disciplines, and to ensure the balanced development of these areas.”

82. University of Dublin: “To provide a liberal environment where independent thinking is highly valued and where staff and students are nurtured and empowered to achieve their potential and contribute to the benefit of society.”

83. University of Wisconsin-Madison: “To offer broad and balanced academic programs that are mutually reinforcing and emphasize high-quality and creative instruction at all levels.”

84. University of Washington: “To advance intellectual discovery and enrich the quality of life as the preeminent public research university in the state, nation, and world.”

85. Peking University: “To advance knowledge, to inspire students, and to promote the well-being of society.”

86. Seoul National University: “To create a vibrant intellectual community where students and scholars join together in building the future.”

87. Tsinghua University: “To cultivate innovative leaders and advance knowledge for humanity in the spirit of “self-discipline and social commitment.”

88. University of Illinois: “To enhance the lives of citizens in Illinois, across the nation, and around the world through leadership in learning, discovery, engagement, and economic development.”

89. University of Texas: “To transform lives for the benefit of society through the core values of learning, discovery, freedom, leadership, individual opportunity, and responsibility.”

90. Boston University: “To be the leading institution for the study, research, and teaching of all aspects of human culture and development.”

91. Columbia University: “To advance knowledge and learning at the highest level and convey the products of its efforts to the world.”

92. Oxford University: “To lead the world in research and education by engaging with people and society, to bring benefits to all.”

93. Cambridge University: “To contribute to society through the pursuit of education, learning, and research at the highest international levels of excellence.”

94. University of California, Berkeley: “To generate, disseminate, and preserve knowledge and to serve our state and society through broadly accessible education.”

95. Cornell University: “To discover, preserve, and disseminate knowledge, to educate the next generation of global citizens, and to promote a culture of broad inquiry.”

96. Johns Hopkins University: “To educate our students and cultivate their capacity for lifelong learning, to foster independent and original research, and to bring the benefits of discovery to the world.”

97. Pennsylvania State University: “To foster excellence in teaching, research, and service, and to cultivate and inspire a diverse community of lifelong learners.”

98. Duke University: “To engage in the discovery, dissemination, and application of knowledge to better the future and fulfill the global societal need.”

99. Brown University: “To serve the community, the nation, and the world by discovering, communicating, and preserving knowledge and understanding in a spirit of free inquiry.”

100. University of Notre Dame: “To strive for preeminence as a Catholic university, to seek truth, and to nurture a culture of service in the common pursuit of human solidarity and the common good.”

100 Mission Statement Examples for Education Industry for you to Inspire and Copy

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Inspire your educational journey with this unique compilation of 100 mission statements. Each carefully crafted example resonates with the educational industry’s vibrant ethos, serving as a valuable resource for institutions striving for a profound and impactful mission.

• “Nurturing the creators of tomorrow through comprehensive education and innovative thinking.”
• “Igniting the light of knowledge, fostering intellectual growth, and shaping global citizens.”
• “Empowering students with transformative learning experiences to shape the future of science and technology.”
• “Molding well-rounded individuals by integrating holistic education with cultural, ethical, and global awareness.”
• “Navigating students towards their goals through premier education and lifelong learning opportunities.”
• “Sailing minds to distant shores of knowledge, creativity, and innovation.”
• “Kindling young minds to explore, learn, and grow in an inclusive and nurturing environment.”
• “Scaling the heights of academic excellence through critical thinking and creative problem-solving.”
• “Promoting dynamic conversations that inspire innovation and drive the exchange of ideas.”
• “Providing a panoramic view of education that inspires academic exploration and fosters personal growth.”
• “Empowering students to build a better future through innovative education.”
• “To provide an inclusive environment that fosters intellectual curiosity, creativity, and diversity.”
• “Promoting an immersive learning experience to shape future global leaders.”
• “Cultivating ethical and intellectual growth through a challenging curriculum.”
• “Championing lifelong learning and responsible citizenship in a global society.”
• “Committed to nurturing students’ abilities to think critically, communicate effectively, and contribute positively to society.”
• “Guiding students to be responsible learners, ready to navigate their path in life.”
• “Developing world-class scholars who will lead with integrity, innovate with determination, and impact the world.”
• “Committed to fostering an academic environment that stimulates curiosity, discovery, and personal growth.”
• “Fostering an inclusive community that champions high-quality education and promotes lifelong learning.”
• “Building a foundation for lifelong learning and the development of intellectual curiosity.”
• “To inspire learners to reach their full potential and contribute positively to society.”
• “Committed to developing innovative thinkers who are dedicated to positive global impact.”
• “Dedicated to providing a challenging and inclusive learning environment that fosters creativity and resilience.”
• “Cultivating the leaders of tomorrow by fostering personal growth, innovation, and resilience.”
• “Dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive learning environment that empowers students to achieve their goals.”
• “Promoting the pursuit of knowledge and the development of innovative thinkers for a sustainable future.”
• “Providing an environment that fosters personal and professional development, empowering students to excel.”
• “Encouraging lifelong learning, critical thinking, and innovation as the foundations for a successful future.”
• “Developing creative minds, fostering integrity, and promoting individual growth for a brighter future.”
• “To create an intellectually stimulating environment that fosters student success and academic excellence.”
• “Providing the tools and environment to develop innovative thinkers and compassionate leaders.”
• “Driving change and impacting the future through high-quality education.”
• “Committed to nurturing the whole student, preparing them for a life of passion and purpose.”
• “Cultivating an inclusive environment that champions diversity, respect, and personal growth.”
• “Inspiring students to excel acadically and socially, ready to positively contribute to the world.”
• “Fostering a culture of excellence, curiosity, and respect, shaping well-rounded, lifelong learners.”
• “Empowering students to create solutions to global challenges through quality education.”
• “Providing an environment where curiosity is nurtured, intellect is engaged, and discovery is celebrated.”
• “To challenge and inspire students to reach their fullest potential and make a difference in the world.”
• “Dedicated to transforming lives and societies through high-quality education and innovative research.”
• “Shaping future leaders through holistic education and the cultivation of critical thinking skills.”
• “Committed to fostering intellectual growth, creativity, and integrity in an inclusive learning environment.”
• “To inspire, engage and empower learners to lead with empathy and integrity.”
• “Cultivating a vibrant learning community that prepares students to thrive in a dynamic world.”
• “Providing transformative learning experiences that nurture the mind, body, and spirit.”
• “Preparing students for a life of learning, leadership, and positive societal impact.”
• “Driving academic excellence while cultivating leaders who change the world.”
• “Championing intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, and a passion for lifelong learning.”
• “Dedicated to the development of intellectual curiosity, ethical character, and social responsibility.”
• “Striving to deliver a broad-based education that fosters creativity, critical thinking, and global awareness.”
• “To educate and inspire students to be responsible, productive citizens in a diverse and competitive world.”
• “Committed to developing an educational environment that stimulates intellectual curiosity and personal growth.”
• “Dedicated to fostering academic excellence, critical thinking, and societal contribution in all our students.”
• “Creating lifelong learners equipped with the skills and knowledge to adapt and succeed in a changing world.”
• “Inspiring curiosity, encouraging critical thinking, and empowering students to take ownership of their education.”
• “Nurturing a culture of intellectual and personal growth, empowering students to lead positive change in the world.”
• “Engaging learners in an environment that encourages exploration, creativity, and academic excellence.”
• “To develop responsible global citizens through a comprehensive and well-rounded education.”
• “Creating a stimulating learning environment that fosters innovation, critical thinking, and holistic development.”
• “Dedicated to creating a vibrant and inclusive learning community committed to intellectual curiosity and personal growth.”
• “Inspiring students to pursue lifelong learning, critical thinking, and responsible global citizenship.”
• “To foster academic excellence, critical thinking, and personal growth in an inclusive and supportive learning environment.”
• “Providing an environment where learners are empowered to achieve academic and personal success.”
• “Developing engaged, empathetic learners who make a positive impact on the world.”
• “To foster a culture of academic excellence, social responsibility, and innovative thinking in all our students.”
• “Creating an educational environment that stimulates curiosity, fosters critical thinking, and encourages lifelong learning.”
• “Providing students with a transformative education that equips them for a rapidly changing world.”
• “Guiding learners to realize their full potential through a holistic and inclusive education.”
• “Creating an environment of intellectual rigor and personal development, where learners become leaders.”
• “Dedicated to fostering an environment that encourages personal growth, intellectual curiosity, and critical thinking.”
• “Promoting a culture of academic excellence, ethical leadership, and social responsibility among students.”
• “To prepare students for a lifetime of learning, leadership, and service in an ever-changing global society.”
• “Creating an inclusive and innovative learning environment that fosters personal growth and intellectual curiosity.”
• “Dedicated to fostering a passion for learning, critical thinking, and global citizenship in all students.”
• “Striving to create a vibrant and inclusive learning community that inspires students to realize their full potential.”
• “To educate and empower students to become compassionate leaders and lifelong learners.”
• “Committed to fostering a culture of academic rigor, social responsibility, and innovative thinking.”
• “Striving to create an environment that fosters intellectual growth, personal development, and global citizenship.”
• “Providing a transformative education that prepares students for success in an increasingly interconnected world.”
• “Dedicated to promoting intellectual growth, ethical leadership, and global citizenship among students.”
• “Creating an inclusive learning community that nurtures curiosity, fosters critical thinking, and encourages personal growth.”
• “To cultivate a learning environment that inspires students to become responsible global citizens and lifelong learners.”
• “Striving to foster a culture of intellectual curiosity, personal growth, and social responsibility among our students.”
• “Creating a vibrant learning community that fosters intellectual curiosity, personal growth, and societal contribution.”
• “Dedicated to fostering a culture of academic rigor, innovative thinking, and ethical leadership among students.”
• “To prepare students to lead and excel in an ever-changing world through our commitment to excellence in teaching, research, and service.”
• “Promoting intellectual growth, ethical leadership, and global citizenship among our students.”
• “Committed to creating a learning environment that fosters intellectual curiosity, personal growth, and social responsibility.”
• “Creating a diverse and inclusive learning community that fosters intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, and global citizenship.”
• “Fostering a culture of intellectual curiosity, personal growth, and societal contribution among our students.”
• “To develop future leaders who can drive change and solve the complex challenges of our world.”
• “Promoting academic excellence, ethical leadership, and global citizenship among our students.”
• “Dedicated to fostering a culture of intellectual curiosity, personal growth, and societal contribution.”
• “Creating an inclusive and vibrant learning community that fosters intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, and personal growth.”
• “Committed to creating a diverse and inclusive learning environment that fosters intellectual curiosity, personal growth, and societal contribution.”
• “Dedicated to fostering a culture of intellectual curiosity, personal growth, and societal contribution among our students.”
• “Striving to create a diverse and inclusive learning community that fosters intellectual curiosity, personal growth, and societal contribution.”
• “Dedicated to promoting intellectual growth, ethical leadership, and global citizenship among our students.”
• “Committed to fostering a culture of intellectual curiosity, personal growth, and societal contribution among our students.”

Mission Statement Examples for School

Building the foundation for tomorrow’s leaders, our school cultivates an environment that fosters intellectual curiosity, personal growth, and social responsibility. See more Mission statement examples for schools

1. “To provide a safe, inclusive, and engaging environment where all students can learn, grow, and excel.” 2. “Fostering lifelong learning, promoting intellectual curiosity, and creating responsible global citizens.” 3. “To foster an environment of respect and understanding, inspiring students to reach their highest potential.” 4. “Encouraging every child to explore, learn and grow in a nurturing and diverse environment.” 5. “To cultivate a love for learning, inspire creativity, and prepare students for the opportunities of tomorrow.” 6. “Nurturing a culture of intellectual and personal growth, empowering students to lead positive change in the world.” 7. “To instill a love for learning, encourage creative thinking, and equip students with the skills necessary for success.” 8. “Creating an inclusive community of learners where every child can succeed and make a difference.” 9. “To provide a rigorous and enriching educational experience that prepares students for future success.” 10. “Empowering students to explore their passions, develop their talents, and become leaders in their communities.”

Mission Statement Examples for College

At the crossroads of innovation and tradition, our college seeks to create an academic community that promotes intellectual curiosity, personal growth, and civic responsibility.

1. “Promoting intellectual growth, leadership skills, and ethical awareness to prepare students for the complexities of today’s world.” 2. “To foster an environment that encourages academic excellence, innovative thinking, and social responsibility.” 3. “Creating a dynamic, inclusive academic community that fosters creativity, critical thinking, and lifelong learning.” 4. “To provide an enriching and challenging educational experience that prepares students for professional success and civic leadership.” 5. “Promoting intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, and a commitment to lifelong learning and civic responsibility.” 6. “To create a transformative educational experience that prepares students for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century.” 7. “Providing a diverse and inclusive environment that fosters intellectual growth, personal development, and social responsibility.” 8. “To educate and empower students to become compassionate leaders and lifelong learners.” 9. “Promoting academic excellence, leadership skills, and social responsibility among our students.” 10. “To foster an environment that encourages academic excellence, personal growth, and civic leadership.”

Mission Statement Examples for University

Dedicated to the creation, dissemination, and application of knowledge, our university prepares students to lead, innovate, and make a significant impact on the world.

1. “Creating a culture of academic rigor and innovation that prepares students to lead in a diverse and interconnected world.” 2. “To foster an environment of intellectual curiosity, ethical leadership, and societal contribution among our students.” 3. “Developing global leaders through a comprehensive and inclusive education that prepares students to thrive in an increasingly complex world.” 4. “To promote intellectual growth, ethical leadership, and societal contribution among our students.” 5. “Creating a diverse and inclusive academic community that fosters intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, and societal contribution.” 6. “To cultivate a culture of intellectual curiosity, personal growth, and societal contribution among our students.” 7. “Creating an environment of academic excellence, personal growth, and social responsibility to prepare students for the opportunities of the future.” 8. “Promoting academic excellence, leadership skills, and social responsibility among our students.” 9. “To foster an environment that encourages academic excellence, personal growth, and societal contribution.” 10. “Providing a comprehensive and inclusive education that prepares students for the complexities of today’s world.”

Mission Statement Examples for Students

Cultivating the leaders of tomorrow, our mission is to foster an environment that inspires students to learn, grow, and make a meaningful impact on society. See mission statement examples for students

1. “To become lifelong learners who strive for excellence, contribute to their communities, and lead meaningful lives.” 2. “To learn, grow, and succeed in a supportive and inclusive environment.” 3. “Becoming global citizens who value learning, respect diversity, and contribute positively to society.” 4. “To pursue academic excellence, contribute to community, and become responsible leaders.” 5. “To become responsible learners who strive for excellence, make a positive impact on society, and lead fulfilling lives.” 6. “Learning to become responsible citizens who contribute positively to society and lead meaningful lives.” 7. “To become successful learners who respect diversity, contribute to their communities, and lead fulfilling lives.” 8. “Becoming responsible learners who value personal growth, community contribution, and lifelong learning.” 9. “To learn, grow, and succeed in a supportive and diverse environment.” 10. “Becoming lifelong learners who strive for excellence, contribute positively to society, and lead meaningful lives.”

Personal Mission Statement Examples for Students

As a student, my personal mission is to develop my knowledge, skills, and values to contribute to the betterment of society and lead a fulfilling life. These Personal mission statement examples for students will help achieving the student goals.

1. “To pursue academic excellence, contribute positively to my community, and lead a meaningful and fulfilling life.” 2. “To become a lifelong learner, make a positive impact on society, and lead

a fulfilling life.” 3. “My mission is to learn, grow, and succeed in order to contribute positively to society and lead a meaningful life.” 4. “To pursue academic excellence, contribute to my community, and become a responsible and ethical leader.” 5. “My mission is to learn and grow in order to contribute positively to my community and lead a fulfilling life.” 6. “To become a responsible learner, contribute positively to my community, and lead a meaningful life.” 7. “My mission is to pursue academic excellence, contribute to my community, and lead a meaningful and fulfilling life.” 8. “To learn, grow, and succeed in order to make a positive impact on society and lead a fulfilling life.” 9. “My mission is to become a lifelong learner, contribute positively to society, and lead a fulfilling life.” 10. “To pursue academic excellence, make a positive impact on society, and lead a fulfilling life.”

Mission Statement Examples for High School

Nurturing the next generation of leaders, our high school fosters an environment that promotes intellectual curiosity, personal growth, and social responsibility. See high school mission statements .

1. “To provide an enriching, challenging, and supportive learning environment that prepares students for future success.” 2. “Fostering a culture of lifelong learning, leadership skills, and social responsibility among our students.” 3. “To create a diverse and inclusive learning environment that fosters intellectual curiosity, personal growth, and social responsibility.” 4. “Promoting intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, and a commitment to social responsibility among our students.” 5. “To foster an environment that encourages academic excellence, innovative thinking, and social responsibility.” 6. “Creating a learning community that values diversity, fosters intellectual growth, and prepares students for future success.” 7. “To cultivate a culture of intellectual curiosity, personal growth, and social responsibility among our students.” 8. “Promoting academic excellence, leadership skills, and social responsibility among our students.” 9. “To provide a rigorous, comprehensive education that prepares students for the opportunities of the future.” 10. “Creating a dynamic learning community that fosters intellectual curiosity, personal growth, and social responsibility.”

Mission Statement Examples for Primary School

Setting the foundation for lifelong learning, our primary school provides a nurturing and engaging environment where every child can thrive.

1. “To provide a nurturing, inclusive environment where all students can learn, grow, and excel.” 2. “Creating a learning community that values diversity, fosters curiosity, and encourages personal growth.” 3. “To inspire a love for learning, promote academic excellence, and encourage personal growth among our students.” 4. “Fostering a culture of respect, understanding, and a love for learning among our students.” 5. “To cultivate a love for learning, encourage creativity, and prepare students for the opportunities of the future.” 6. “Creating an inclusive community of learners where every child can thrive and make a difference.” 7. “To instill a love for learning, encourage creative thinking, and equip students with the skills necessary for success.” 8. “Fostering lifelong learning, promoting intellectual curiosity, and creating responsible global citizens.” 9. “To provide a safe, inclusive, and engaging environment where all students can learn, grow, and excel.” 10. “Inspiring every child to explore, learn, and grow in a nurturing and diverse environment.”

Mission Statement Examples for Middle School

At the cusp of transformation, our middle school aims to provide a supportive, engaging, and challenging environment that promotes academic excellence, personal growth, and social responsibility.

1. “To foster an environment that encourages academic excellence, innovative thinking, and social responsibility.” 2. “Creating a dynamic learning community that fosters intellectual curiosity, personal growth, and social responsibility.” 3. “To provide an enriching, challenging, and supportive learning environment that prepares students for future success.” 4. “Promoting academic excellence, leadership skills, and social responsibility among our students.” 5. “To cultivate a culture of intellectual curiosity, personal growth, and societal contribution among our students.” 6. “Creating a learning community that values diversity, fosters intellectual growth, and prepares students for future success.” 7. “Promoting intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, and a commitment to social responsibility among our students.” 8. “To foster an environment that encourages academic excellence, personal growth, and societal contribution.” 9. “Providing a diverse and inclusive environment that fosters intellectual growth, personal development, and social responsibility.” 10. “To educate and empower students to become compassionate leaders and lifelong learners.”

Understanding the Importance of a Mission Statement in Education

A mission statement in education serves as a guiding star, delineating the core purpose, objectives, and values of an educational institution. It provides direction to the administration, faculty, students, and parents, forming the backbone of the institution’s culture and ethos. The mission statement is the institution’s pledge to its stakeholders, outlining its commitment to learning, growth, and success.

Key Elements of an Effective Educational Mission Statement

Crafting an effective mission statement for an educational institution involves a blend of aspiration and realism. It’s not merely about lofty goals but about achievable objectives that resonate with everyone connected to the institution. Key elements include:

Purpose and Goals: The mission statement should clearly articulate the institution’s primary purpose and its long-term educational goals. Values and Principles: The core values that the institution abides by and the principles it upholds must be central to the mission statement. Sense of Community: The mission statement should foster a sense of community and inclusivity, ensuring that everyone feels valued and part of the journey. Future Orientation: The mission statement should look ahead, reflecting the institution’s commitment to evolve with changing educational needs and societal trends.

Steps to Crafting an Education Industry Mission Statement

Creating an effective mission statement requires thoughtful deliberation and participation from key stakeholders. The process involves:

Assessment: Understand the current situation, strengths, weaknesses, and unique features of the institution. Identify Core Values: Identify the values and principles that lie at the heart of the institution’s philosophy and methodology. Set Goals: Define clear, concise, and achievable goals that align with the institution’s purpose and values. Stakeholder Participation: Engage faculty, staff, students, parents, and other stakeholders in the crafting process to ensure their commitment to the mission. Finalization and Communication: Finalize the mission statement and communicate it effectively to all stakeholders, making it an integral part of the institution’s identity.

Transforming an Educational Institution Through a Powerful Mission Statement

A mission statement has the power to effect a significant transformation in an educational institution. It can shift the institution’s focus, improve stakeholder involvement, and enhance performance outcomes.

Institutions that have adopted robust mission statements have seen marked improvements in their culture, with a greater emphasis on collective goals and shared values. They’ve reported increased student performance and satisfaction, more involved and committed faculty, and a stronger bond with parents and the community.

A powerful mission statement truly becomes the soul of the institution, guiding its every decision and permeating its every action. It sets the institution apart and paves the way for its growth, success, and reputation.

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100 Vision and Mission Statements for Classrooms

A mission statement defines your class’s purpose and primary objectives. It explains to the students and parents why we spend every day in the classroom together.

For mission statements, you might want to ask:

• What are the three to five core reasons why the students are being educated?
• What is unique about your classroom or teaching philosophy that informs your beliefs about education?

A vision statement describes the future aspirations you have for the class. For vision statements, you might want to ask:

• What do you want to achieve by the end of the year?
• What sort of children or students do we intend to grow?

It’s good to have one of each in your classroom. So, let’s check out some examples.

Mission Statements for Classrooms

Let’s start with mission statements – remember, this is your purpose , often written in present-tense. This will guide your day-to-day beliefs and values.

1. Kindergarten (Ages 4-5)

• Safe, Welcoming and Collaborative: “We create a safe and welcoming learning environment that encourages creativity, curiosity, and collaboration.”
• Inclusive and Engaging: “We support each child’s unique potential by offering inclusive and engaging educational experiences.”
• Social and Emotional Development: “We emphasize the promotion of social and emotional skills, fostering a sense of belonging and self-confidence.”
• Cognitive Growth: “Our classroom provides stimulating activities and resources that advance cognitive development and critical thinking.”
• Holistic Enrichment: “We commit to delivering a holistic, well-rounded education that values play, exploration, and creativity.”
• Enabling Discovery: “We fuel a love of learning through exploration and discovery, nurturing natural curiosity in our students.”
• Community Connection: “Our classroom bridges the gap between home and school, fostering a compassionate community within our classroom.”
• Cultivating Creativity: “We promote originality and innovation, inspiring each child to express their unique perspectives and ideas.”
• Growth Mindset: “We instill grit and perseverance, helping children overcome challenges and celebrate their progress.”
• Balancing Individual and Group Needs: “Our classroom strikes a balance between individual attention and teamwork, teaching children to respect and value diversity.”

2. Lower Elementary (Ages 5-8)

• Discreet Growth: “Our classroom focuses on individual growth, developing personalized strategies to cultivate each child’s unique strengths and skills.”
• Active Learning: “We foster an active learning environment that encourages intellectual curiosity and independent thinking.”
• Joyful Learning: “Our classroom strives to make learning a joyful experience, integrating play, exploration, and creativity into our curriculum.”
• Inclusive Excellence: “We embrace diversity and inclusion , promoting respect and understanding within our diverse classroom.”
• Student Confidence: “We work to instill confidence in our students, empowering them to express their thoughts, ideas, and feelings.”
• Global Awareness: “Our classroom teaches our students to value and respect all cultures, fostering global awareness and citizenship.”
• Collaborative Spirit: “We promote teamwork and cooperation, guiding students to work effectively and respectfully in groups.”
• Practical Life Skills: “We engage students in practical life skills activities to promote responsibility, independence, and discipline.”
• Literacy Emphasis: “Our classroom emphasizes the importance of literacy skills, building strong foundations for reading, writing, listening, and speaking.”
• Parent-Teacher Cooperation: “We maintain open communication with parents and caregivers to collaboratively support each child’s learning journey.”

3. Upper Elementary (Ages 9-11)

• Academic Excellence: “Our classroom provides a rigorous academic environment that challenges students and fosters a deep love of learning.”
• Critical Thinking: “We nurture critical thinking skills, teaching students to analyze, evaluate, and create in all areas of study.”
• Respectful Communication: “We foster open and respectful communication, training students to express themselves effectively and considerately.”
• Social Responsibility: “We develop socially responsible individuals, emphasizing the importance of community service and civic duty.”
• Technological Literacy: “Our classroom ensures digital competence, integrating technology in our curriculum to prepare students for the digital age.”
• Leadership Attitude: “We cultivate leadership skills, encouraging students to take initiative and make responsible decisions.”
• Emotional Intelligence: “We encourage emotional intelligence, helping students to understand and manage their emotions and empathize with others.”
• Adaptive Learning: “Our classroom offers an adaptive learning environment that meets students where they are, supporting their unique learning style and pace.”
• Growth Mindset: “We foster a growth mindset, helping students understand that effort leads to improvement and success.”
• Lifelong Learning: “Our classroom instills a love for lifelong learning, inspiring students to become curious, motivated, and self-directed learners.”

4. Middle School (Ages 11-13)

• Intellectual Curiosity: “Our classroom cultivates intellectual curiosity, challenging students to ask questions, explore ideas, and seek understanding.”
• Creative Innovation: “We foster an environment where creativity and originality are valued, encouraging students to think outside the box.”
• Civic Engagement: “We encourage civic engagement, teaching students the value of service and the importance of active participation in their community.”
• Resilience and Determination: “Our classroom nurtures resilience and determination, helping students cope with setbacks and maintain motivation.”
• Collaborative Inquiry: “We promote a collaborative and inquiry-based learning environment, emphasizing the importance of working together to solve problems.”
• Healthy Relationships: “Our classroom teaches students to form and maintain healthy relationships, fostering kindness, empathy, and respect.”
• Leadership and Accountability: “We develop leadership skills and accountability, preparing students to take responsibility for their actions and decisions.”
• Academic Success: “Our classroom provides rigorous academics, aiming to translate knowledge into real-world applications.”
• Digital Competency: “We instill digital literacy and competence, recognizing the increasing role of technology in education and career readiness.”
• Self-Directed Learning: “Our classroom empowers students to become self-directed learners, fostering independence and initiative.”

5. High School (Ages 13-18)

• Graduate Preparedness: “We ensure every student is academically and socially prepared for the responsibilities and independence of post-secondary life.”
• Career Readiness: “We equip students with necessary skills and knowledge for future careers, fostering a clear understanding of various professional fields.”
• Empowered Citizenship: “Our classroom nurtures informed, active citizenship, instilling an understanding of civic roles and responsibilities.”
• Personal Development: “We focus on holistic personal development, encouraging emotional intelligence, resilience, and character growth.”
• Independent Thought: “We stimulate independent, critical thinking, empowering students to formulate, analyze, and articulate their own ideas and viewpoints.”
• Cultural Competency: “We promote cultural competency, creating understanding and respect for diverse cultures, perspectives, and experiences.”
• Life Skills Mastery: “We teach essential life skills, from money management and organization to communication and problem-solving.”
• Social-Emotional Wellbeing: “We foster social-emotional wellbeing, helping students navigate interpersonal dynamics, stress, and emotional health.”
• Global Awareness: “Our classroom cultivates global awareness and sustainable thinking, connecting local actions to the wider world.”
• Innovation and Technology: “We drive innovation and digital literacy, preparing students for a rapidly evolving technological landscape.”

Vision Statements for Classrooms

Now, let’s move onto your vision statement. Remember, vision statements are about where you’re going – what do you want to achieve for the class and the students? They’re going to be future-oriented statements that talk about your aspirations.

• Child’s Love for Learning: “We envision a classroom where every child discovers their love of learning, nurtures their inherent curiosity and builds a foundation for lifelong education.”
• Compassionate Community: “Our hope is to cultivate a compassionate learning community highlighting the values of empathy, kindness, and mutual respect.”
• Nurturing Environment: “We strive to foster a nurturing environment where each child feels safe, valued, and capable of expressing their thoughts and feelings confidently.”
• Creativity and Imagination: “Our vision is a vibrant classroom where creativity and imagination are celebrated, instilling a lifelong passion for exploration and innovation.”
• Empowered Learners: “We aspire to develop confident and independent learners, secure in their unique abilities and engaged in their personal learning journey.”
• Empathy and Consideration: “The vision in this classroom is for our students to become empathetic beings who understand and value their roles in a larger community.”
• Cooperative Learning: “We envision creating a classroom environment that values teamwork and cooperation, guiding students to work together towards common goals.”
• Literacy Development: “We strive for our students to form a strong love for reading and writing in this classroom, laying the foundation for powerful literacy skills.”
• Holistic Skills Development: “We aim to foster a range of skills in the classroom, from cognitive and motor skills, to socio-emotional abilities, in our students.”
• Resilience and Optimism: “Our vision is to equip our students with resilience and optimism to overcome obstacles, viewing challenges in the classroom as opportunities for growth.”
• Cultivating Inquiry: “We aim to nurture a classroom environment where curiosity drives the learning process, sparking a lifelong quest for knowledge.”
• Joyful Learning Environment: “Our vision is to make learning a source of joy, incorporating different styles of learning in our diverse classroom.”
• Holistic Growth: “We aspire to support each student’s cognitive, social, physical and emotional growth in a nurturing and stimulating classroom environment.”
• Well-Rounded Learner: “Our vision is to mold well-rounded individuals excelling in academic and creative areas while also demonstrating empathy and respectful behaviour.”
• Independent Learners: “We aim to cultivate independent thinkers who confidently pursue self-directed classroom learning and meaningfully apply their knowledge in real-life situations.”
• Global Citizens: “We envision our students becoming compassionate global citizens who respect and value cultural diversity by starting out with a focus on good classroom citizenship.”
• Teamwork and Leadership: “We strive to promote a classroom environment that encourages teamwork, leadership and collaborative problem solving.”
• Values and Respect: “In our classroom, we aim to foster values of honesty , responsibility, and respect, guiding students to become responsible and ethical citizens.”
• Effective Communicators: “Our vision is to empower students to become confident communicators, expressing their thoughts and ideas skillfully in the classroom.”
• Lifelong Learners: “We aspire to create a passion for learning that extends beyond the classroom and develops into a lifelong love.”
• Academic Proficiency: “Our vision is a classroom where each student achieves academic proficiency, setting the foundation for a successful educational journey.”
• Critical Thinkers: “We aim to mold critical thinkers who analyze and reflect on their learning, fostering intellectual independence and innovative problem-solving.”
• Community Stewards: “We aspire for our students to become responsible stewards of their community, understanding and respecting the value of service and civic duty.”
• Culturally Mindful: “Our vision is to develop culturally mindful students who appreciate and respect diversity, fostering an inclusive and accepting classroom environment.”
• Confident Learners: “We aim to cultivate confident learners in the classroom who take risks in their learning process, evolving through challenges and achievements.”
• Technological Literacy: “We envision a classroom where students are technologically literate, being adequately prepared to navigate an increasingly digital world.”
• Empathy and Respect: “Our hope is to foster a classroom environment of empathy and respect where students learn to value each other’s perspectives and experiences.”
• Holistic Development: “We strive for holistic growth of our students – academically, socially, and emotionally – developing well-rounded individuals.”
• Resilient Attitude: “In our classroom, we aspire to nurture resilient learners who see failures as stepping stones on the path to success.”
• Responsible Citizenship: “We envision our classroom as a microcosm of society, where students learn the importance of responsibility, respect, and community engagement.”
• Intellectual Curiosity : “We aim to cultivate intellectual curiosity, envisioning a classroom where questions lead to exploration and understanding.”
• Creative Mindset: “Our vision is to create an environment that nourishes creativity and innovation, inspiring students to think outside the box.”
• Community Engagement: “We aspire for our students to be active participants in their communities, fostering civic awareness and responsibility.”
• Resilient Learners: “We envision a classroom nurturing resilience and determination, teaching students to persist in the face of challenges.”
• Collaborative Environment: “Our vision is a classroom that thrives on collaboration, where students learn to respect diverse opinions and work productively in teams.”
• Positive Relationships: “We aim to foster a classroom environment where students learn to develop and maintain positive, respectful relationships with peers and adults.”
• Balanced Growth: “Our goal is to promote balanced academic, emotional, and social growth for each student, fostering well-rounded individuals.”
• Global Minds: “We strive to cultivate worldly students who appreciate diverse cultures and perspectives, preparing them to thrive in a global society.”
• Technologically Proficient: “We envision students who are proficient and ethical in their use of technology, ready to adapt to the ever-evolving digital world.”
• Life-Long Learners: “In our classroom, we seek to instill the desire for lifelong learning, encouraging intellectual curiosity and growth beyond the school years.”

See Also: Mission Statements for Teams

• Prepared Graduates: “We envision graduates who are fully prepared academically, socially, and emotionally, ready to undertake their next life path with confidence.”
• Career-focused Learners: “Our vision is to equip students with essential skills and understanding of myriad career possibilities, aligning their educational journey with their career aspirations.”
• Engaged Citizens: “We aspire to develop engaged citizens who understand the importance of a democratic society and are informed, active, and responsible.”
• Independent Thinkers: “In our classroom, we aim to nurture independent and critical thinkers who are capable of logical reasoning and making well-informed decisions.”
• Culturally Sensitive: “We envision a classroom where students are culturally sensitive and appreciate diverse perspectives, encouraging global understanding and mutual respect.”
• Competent Communicators: “Our classroom vision is students who are effective communicators, confidently expressing their thoughts, feelings, and ideas in a multitude of settings.”
• Resilient Attitude: “We strive to cultivate a resilient attitude in students, preparing them to face challenges and adversity head-on with grace and determination.”
• Digital Mastery: “We envision graduates who are masters in digital literacy, prepared for a technology-driven world, and who understand and respect digital ethics.”
• Lifelong Learners: “Our vision is to foster a love for lifelong learning, encouraging students to be continually curious and self-driven beyond high school.”
• Empathy and Respect: “We aim to develop students who demonstrate empathy and respect for others, making our classroom inclusive, and promoting a harmonious society.”

Tip: Start with your Teaching Philosophy

When crafting a vision and mission statement for your classroom, consider the core values that you have, which form the core of your teaching philosophy. These will likely end up becoming embedded in your mission and vision.

Consider your pedagogy , classroom management style , and personal values .

For example, if you’re a teacher who embraces a constructivist pedagogy , you’d likely embed ideas like “ active learning ” and “ inquiry ” into your mission. If you’re a teacher who embraces progressive pedagogy , you’d likely embed ideas like “empowered citizens” into your vision.

Core values and philosophies that may resonate with you as a teacher include:

• Lifelong Learning
• Respect for All
• Inclusivity
• Empathy and Compassion
• Collaboration
• Professionalism
• Adaptability
• Encouragement
• Student-Centered Approach
• Innovation and Creativity
• Critical Thinking
• Enthusiasm and Passion
• Accountability
• Continuous Improvement
• Dedication to Excellence
• Cultural Competence
• Positive Reinforcement

Before you Go

I’ve also got some other, related, mission and vision articles that might be equally useful to you:

• Vision and Mission Statements for Schools
• Vision and Mission Statements for Libraries
• Vision and Mission Statements for Universities
• Vision and Mission Statements for Childcare
• Vision and Mission Statements for Gyms

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 5 Top Tips for Succeeding at University
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 50 Durable Goods Examples
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 100 Consumer Goods Examples
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 30 Globalization Pros and Cons

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The mission of the Department of Education is to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access. It engages in four major types of activities:

• Establishes policies related to federal education funding , administers distribution of funds and monitors their use.
• Collects data and oversees research on America's schools.
• Identifies major issues in education and focuses national attention on them.
• Enforces federal laws prohibiting discrimination in programs that receive federal funds.

See An Overview of the U.S. Department of Education for more detailed information.

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Some state lawmakers want school chaplains as part of a 'rescue mission' for public education

Hannah Fingerhut

Associated Press

Eric Johnson, director of spiritual care at UnityPoint Health's Des Moines, Iowa-area hospitals, sits for a portrait on March 11, 2024. He has served as a chaplain in hospitals for 15 years. Chaplains, traditionally a clergyperson ministering outside of a congregation, have long served in the U.S., but some conservatives are hoping to introduce the role in public schools. (AP Photo/Hannah Fingerhut)

DES MOINES, Iowa – Lawmakers in more than a dozen states have proposed legislation to allow spiritual chaplains in public schools, a move that proponents say will ease a youth mental health crisis , bolster staff retention and offer spiritual care to students who can’t afford or access religious schools.

Conservatives also argue religious foundations will act as a “rescue mission” for what they say are public schools' declining values, a topic that has galvanized Republican-controlled Legislatures to fight for issues such as parental oversight of curriculum, restrictions on books and instruction on gender identity and state-funded tuition assistance for private and religious schools.

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But many chaplains and interfaith organizations oppose the chaplaincy campaign, calling the motivation offensive and describing the dangers of introducing a position of authority to children without clear standards or boundaries.

“They are going to be engaging students, sometimes when they’re at their most vulnerable, and there’s not going to be any checks on whether they’re able to proselytize, what they’re able to say to kids grappling with really difficult issues,” said Maureen O’Leary, organizing director at Interfaith Alliance.

The organization has shared concerns with lawmakers and school boards, saying schools should be “neutral spaces where students can come as their full selves,” O'Leary said.

“This isn’t a matter of being pro- religion and anti-religion,” she said. “This is a matter of the appropriate role of religion as it applies to public schools.”

Texas kicks off a national campaign

Texas became the first state to allow school chaplains under a law passed in 2023.

The National School Chaplain Association, which identifies itself as a Christian chaplain ministry, says on its website it was “instrumental” in spearheading the Texas law. The organization is a subsidiary of Mission Generation, which was established in 1999 to bring Jesus to classrooms worldwide. In a December 2023 newsletter, NSCA celebrated Texas for starting a “national movement placing God back in public education.”

NSCA chaplains “deliver holistic care, guidance, and safety to all people, all the time regardless of their personal beliefs, or non-beliefs” and the organization’s statement of faith is typical of endorsing bodies, an association representative said in an email.

After the bill passed, dozens of Texas chaplains representing different faiths and denominations collectively wrote to school boards, warning the law doesn't require that “chaplains refrain from proselytizing while at schools or that they serve students from different religious backgrounds.”

The law ordered more than 1,200 school districts to decide by March 1 whether they would allow chaplains as employees or volunteers. Many of the largest opted out.

Houston and Austin said volunteers' roles and responsibilities were unchanged so a volunteer wouldn't be providing chaplain services. Dallas’ school board said chaplains should not be employees or volunteers at this time.

In the meantime, varying school chaplain bills have been introduced in many Southern and Midwestern states, with mixed success.

A school chaplain bill passed both chambers of the Florida Legislature and awaits Gov. Ron DeSantis's signature. School policy must describe the services of a volunteer chaplain and require parental consent.

Indiana’s proposal, which passed one chamber but failed in the other, specified chaplains would provide secular services unless student and parents consent to nonsecular services. Some lawmakers questioned where that line would be drawn and how a student would know.

In Utah, Rep. Keven Stratton told his colleagues recent Supreme Court decisions on religious freedom provide an opportunity for school chaplains and a return to the tradition of acknowledging God in public institutions.

John Johnson, his counterpart in the Utah Senate, where the proposal ultimately failed without full GOP support, said he observed an “outright disdain for religious principles within our schools” during committee meetings. He said that would have consequences such as more families choosing alternatives to public school.

“It would be helpful and much easier if my colleagues would take our efforts here not as an attack but as a rescue mission,” he said on the Senate floor.

Increasingly, proposals from then- President Donald Trump to state governing bodies have intended to crack the firewall between church and public schools, an effort that civil liberties groups say undermines equal treatment of all faiths and threatens religious minorities.

Public schools have been barred from leading students in classroom prayer since 1962, when the Supreme Court ruled it was a violation of the First Amendment clause forbidding the establishment of a government religion.

The Supreme Court case brought by a coach fired for praying on the field addressed the balance between the religious and free speech rights of teachers and staff and the rights of students not to feel coerced into religious practices. The decision to back a praying football coach aligned with a series of rulings in favor of religious plaintiffs .

Concept of chaplains is ‘very gray’

Chaplains, traditionally a clergyperson ministering outside of a congregation, have long served in the U.S. But the modern role is “very gray,” said Wendy Cadge, director of the Chaplaincy Innovation Lab at Brandeis University in Massachusetts, in that it's not uniform or universally understood.

Chaplains serve in the U.S. Congress, military, and correctional facilities, and each has rigorous requirements for hiring and service. Hospitals, police and fire departments, colleges and private companies also hire chaplains with wide-ranging standards.

Many chaplains have seminary or ministry training in and the endorsement of a particular faith. But chaplains serving in multicultural places also may be required to bring professional, supervised training called clinical pastoral education.

Major hospitals are especially likely to employ chaplains with, and offer training in, clinical pastoral education.

Patients and their families are regularly experiencing existential crises and are vulnerable, said Eric Johnson, director of spiritual care at UnityPoint Health’s Des Moines-area hospitals.

The training helps chaplains learn how to serve untethered to their faith so “transference or reactivity doesn’t get in the way of really attending to people’s needs," Johnson said.

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.

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