The purpose of Lutheran School Consulting Services (LSCS) is to strengthen and revitalize Lutheran schools so God’s children are well served and His kingdom expanded. LSCS focuses on the school and its ministry. As schools are strengthened, so are congregations and their ministries.

LSCS uses a specific process to assess, evaluate, and make relevant recommendations based around the various needs of the ministry requesting assistance. Trained assessors and consultants work hand in hand with ministries throughout the entire process to ensure that their needs are met and their overall ministries are strengthened.

Schools interested in LSCS should contact their LCMS District Education Executive, who will contact the LSCS director. Applications will be sent to the school and should be returned to the LCMS School Ministry office. Applications must include the appropriate signatures.

All applications will be screened by the LCMS District and then selected by the LSCS director. Once approved, the LSCS director will assign an assessor, who will visit the school and determine if a positive outcome is possible through LSCS process.

After the assessor’s visit and consulting services are deemed necessary, the school may be asked to submit:

• Its final budget and expenditures for the past three years
• Enrollment by grade for the last five years
• A two-page description of why LSCS is requested
• How the school hopes to benefit
• A description of the primary difficulties, problems or frustrations at the school

Consultants who are best equipped to serve the school will then be assigned.

Schools Will Be Served That:

• Desire Consulting Assistance
• Can Be Helped Through Consulting Services
• Will Accept the Consultant’s Recommendations
• Agree to Work Toward Improving Based on the Recommendations Received
• Have Sufficient Resources to Accomplish Needed Change

Schools That May Benefit Include:

• Those Facing Challenges
• Those Seeking to Enhance Their Overall Quality of Ministry
• Those Needing Assistance to Assess Future Ministry Opportunities
• Those Desiring to Improve the Overall Quality of their Educational Product and Programs

A trained assessment consultant will visit the school and its supporting congregation(s) for one or two days. The primary purposes of this assessment visit are to identify school opportunities and challenges and to assess the probability of a positive intervention that will strengthen the school’s ministry.

The assessment process uses:

• The School’s Application,
• The District Education Executive’s Knowledge
• A Targeted Leadership Study
• Additional Information Provided by the School
• General Constituent Surveys
• The Assessment Consultant’s Observations During the Visit

These are used to determine relevant recommendations and assist the school in developing and implementing a plan to address those recommendations. These are two types of recommendations:

There are a variety of potential interventions. The LSCS director will seek counsel from the District education executive and the consultant who did the assessment in selecting the appropriate process and potential individuals or LSCS consultants best equipped to serve in that specific school.

LSCS ministry ‘expert’ consultants have specific expertise to assist a school in developing and implementing strategic plans specifically designed for accomplishing the recommendations. this is usually a one- or two-day visit followed by continuing remote assistance and accountability. There is the possibility that several different consultants with expertise related to specific recommendations could be working with the school simultaneously.