Educator. Author. Strategic-management facilitator.
Perry Soldwedel, Ed.S., is the founder and principal of Soldwedel Consulting, LLC. He brings extensive experience as a teacher, principal, curriculum director, assistant superintendent, and superintendent in Illinois.
With over two decades of experience in strategic management, Perry works with school systems to align vision, strategy, and execution. He is a certified strategic planning and management facilitator through the Strategy Management Group and the Balanced Scorecard Institute.
Perry is a coauthor of Aligning School Districts as PLCs and The School Board Fieldbook: Leading With Vision. His most recent book, The 8 Dimensions of Strategic School Management: Leading the RIGHT Way, will be published by Solution Tree in May 2026.
He holds degrees from the University of Illinois, Bradley University, and Western Illinois University, and has served as an adjunct professor in educational administration.
Every district engagement begins around a table, not a podium. Perry works alongside school boards, administrators, principals, and community members to translate the eight dimensions into concrete strategy for this district.
Strategic planning is a conversation before it is a document.
Soldwedel Consulting, LLC partners with school districts to strengthen performance through disciplined strategic management. Our work centers on six core outcomes — each one defined in measurable terms so every engagement has a clear finish line.
Every student demonstrates measurable growth and is prepared for the next stage of learning, college, career, or life. Instruction is data-informed, responsive, and aligned to high expectations.
Time, funding, and personnel are strategically aligned to the highest-impact priorities. Decisions are transparent, data-driven, and focused on maximizing student outcomes.
Goals are clearly defined, measurable, and connected to a shared vision. Action plans include specific steps, ownership, and timelines, with regular monitoring and adjustment.
Collaborative leadership teams operate across the system with shared priorities, clear communication, and a focus on accountability and continuous improvement.
Success is driven by clear performance indicators aligned to strategic goals. Progress is monitored consistently and communicated transparently.
A culture of reflection, learning, and adaptation is embedded across the organization, ensuring sustained progress over time.
The superintendents who have partnered with Perry Soldwedel describe the experience in their own words — a disciplined, research-based process that turns into lasting district-wide impact.
Perry Soldwedel helped guide our District through the strategic planning process by using a collaborative, stakeholder engaged, and research-based process focused on ensuring our goals were representative of our community’s objectives. He has continued to ensure we are living our plan with an emphasis on long term sustainability.
View Strategic Plan →Perry’s keen ability to listen deeply and communicate thoughtfully made a meaningful impact as he helped us identify our district’s core strengths and key areas for growth. His insights were especially vital during an important leadership transition, setting us on a path for continued improvement.
Visit District →Our partnership began with the development of our 5-Year Strategic Plan and continues as we develop a strategic management framework. Through his support in building improvement systems and shared accountability, we are seeing results and building momentum across our district.
Visit District →The attention to detail, focus on continuous improvement, and systemic approach makes the planning fun for all stakeholders and is a true catalyst for growth. The true work occurs after the plan with the coaching of how to “live the plan” to ensure fidelity in implementation.
View Strategic Plan →Collaborative workshops with school boards, administrators, teachers, students, and community stakeholders.
From school-board governance to district-wide PLCs to the forthcoming 8 Dimensions framework — Perry’s writing spans the full arc of strategic school leadership.
This book provides a comprehensive framework for implementing strategic management in school systems. It outlines eight essential dimensions, including leadership, culture, planning, alignment, performance management, and sustainability.
The central focus is clear: align strategy, systems, and leadership to achieve measurable results.
Coauthored with Mark Van Clay and Thomas W. Many, this book explains how districts can function as Professional Learning Communities by aligning leadership, schools, and instructional practices around student learning.
This practical guide helps school boards lead strategically by focusing on vision, governance, and performance rather than day-to-day operations. It emphasizes alignment, communication, and data-informed decision-making.
Strategy Management Group provides consulting, training, and certification services across sectors, including education. Their work focuses on building comprehensive strategic management systems and improving organizational performance.
Visit strategymanage.com →
The Balanced Scorecard Institute supports organizations in implementing structured performance management systems. Its Nine Steps to Success™ methodology promotes alignment, accountability, and measurable results.
Visit balancedscorecard.org →
Solution Tree is a leading provider of professional development, publications, and conferences for educators. It is widely recognized for advancing the Professional Learning Community (PLC) model.
Visit solutiontree.com →A future in which every school district is a catalyst for meaningful change.
