The use of the strategic abandonment technique in educational strategic planning was investigated through a qualitative research design that explores the use of a researcher-developed rubric prototype in current educational strategic planning processes. School districts could benefit from a purposeful method for abandoning what is and what is not working to benefit the organization and remove doubts and ambiguity. School districts engage in continuous strategic planning processes, including program evaluations, like other organizations; however, school district strategic planning differs from business planning in that the desired outcomes depend on the growth of children. The purpose of this study is to develop a strategic abandonment rubric tool to aid educators in the process of strategic planning, so that school district leaders can consider when to abandon a program/strategy to move forward in educational planning and thinking. Strategic abandonment is the process of eliminating what is no longer needed in an organization. This study was designed to interview respondents pre- and post-use of the strategic Abandonment rubric prototype, focusing on the lived experiences of a purposeful sampling of central office respondents in school districts in Alabama. The study findings demonstrate a strong need for a strategic abandonment tool at the school district level for the collaborative use for strategic planning and conversations with guidance on how to use the rubric in the educational setting. Recommendations are for research in the use of the abandonment technique in the educational setting, even at the school-level to connect to the district use of the tool for vertical planning conversations, as research literature was limited in the educational scope. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]