Abstract for: Strategic Planning in Educational Institutions: The Case of Darussafaka Schools

Foundation schools with unique missions face complex strategic planning challenges balancing educational quality, institutional sustainability, and mission fulfillment. Darüşşafaka Schools, operating since 1873, provides education to talented but financially disadvantaged students who have lost at least one parent. This research addresses the need for robust forecasting tools to support long-term strategic decision-making in such specialized educational contexts. We developed a system dynamics model using Stella Architect that simulates interactions between student populations, teacher resources, educational quality metrics, and funding mechanisms over a 50-year timeframe (2000-2050). The model was created through collaborative efforts of a multidisciplinary team comprising school administrators, economics experts, and system dynamics modelers. Key feedback loops connect admission processes, teacher competencies, student achievement, and resource allocation. The conceptual model demonstrates how policy interventions affect student outcomes and institutional sustainability. Preliminary simulations reveal complex interdependencies between teacher quality, student performance, and resource constraints. The model structure successfully captures the unique characteristics of foundation schools while maintaining adaptability to different educational contexts. Validation with real data is scheduled to commence, with initial testing confirming the model's structural integrity. This research highlights system dynamics as a valuable methodology for educational strategic planning, particularly for institutions with specialized missions and historical legacies. The model provides administrators with a tool to visualize long-term impacts of strategic decisions before implementation. Future work includes data validation, sensitivity analysis, and potential adaptation to other educational institutions, contributing to both practical management tools and theoretical understanding of educational system dynamics.