Making the most of limited school resources through education ROI
In public schools across the country, districts face increasing resource constraints while student needs continue to intensify. From declining enrollment to the sunsetting of federal relief funds, these pressing conditions make it more critical than ever for leaders to prioritize the most effective strategies for improving student outcomes.
To help district leaders navigate these challenges, and develop an immediately-applicable action plan, Education Resource Strategies (ERS) collaborated with Arizona State University’s Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation to create a professional learning course: Education ROI — A Practical Approach to Making the Most of Limited Resources.
The online course is available through the ASU Professional Educator Learning Hub. ERS Partner Emily Parfit explains how district leaders have used this new EdROI approach to ensure that their investments have the greatest impact for students:
Q. What is Education ROI, and why is it needed right now in K–12 districts?
A. We’re at a unique moment in education history. Districts are facing "the perfect storm" of high student needs and shrinking budgets. We need EdROI because the old way of doing more with less just isn't sustainable. Leaders need a way to look at their resources — not just money, but also people, time, and expertise — and to make sure they’re aligned with the district's most urgent goals for students. So, we’re laser-focused on helping districts figure that out. We’ve worked with districts across the country to make sure limited resources have the greatest impact. In this course, we’ve distilled what we and the district leaders we’ve partnered with have learned about ROI over the last 20 years: a practical approach to student-centered decision-making that uses timely data to improve outcomes.
Q. How is EdROI different from traditional approaches to evaluating ROI in education?
A. Traditional ROI is often a one-time, back-of-the-envelope financial calculation used to evaluate a single, isolated program. I love EdROI because it’s a process and a mindset shift. It can be applied in all kinds of scenarios and to a variety of investments that result in actionable data and insights. And it’s a different starting point: Traditional budgeting often starts with financial limits and works in departmental silos, while EdROI starts with core academic needs. It integrates strategic planning and budgeting into a one collaborative process where finance and academic teams align on the “why” and the “how” of a strategy from day one.
Q. What are some ways schools and districts are using EdROI?
A. For example, district leaders in Texas identified one priority as increasing access to high-quality teachers and leaders at high-need campuses. EdROI helped them to think beyond their starting point of hiring incentives to a more integrated approach that included shifting the job structures in ways that reward teaching in those campuses, more support for new teachers and alternative certification pipelines.
In another example, one district was struggling with teacher turnover. Instead of offering a one-time bonus, the EdROI process prompted leadership to explore a more integrated strategy to rethink staffing and differentiate pay for hard-to-staff schools and subjects. That’s what makes EdROI so powerful. If you define the cost per teacher, for example, and set clear metrics for success, you can move from a reactive "stop-gap" measure to a sustainable, long-term solution that better meets student needs.
Q. What kind of data and evidence does EdROI help districts generate?
A. EdROI is about impact data — answering the question of “is what we are doing starting to work for kids?” That moves districts beyond just spending data. It generates three types of metrics:
- Implementation Measures: Are we doing what we said we would do? Is the program actually happening the way we planned? (e.g., Are the tutoring groups small enough to get the research-backed effects?)
- Leading Indicators: How do students, teachers, and families feel about the change? Is attendance improving? Are more students completing homework assignments?
- Outcome Indicators: Did we achieve the specific — and relevant — growth or proficiency goals we set at the start?
Q. What makes this EdROI course different from other professional learning or budgeting tools?
A. At the end of the day, this is a course that’s highly practical. You don't just learn about the theory of EdROI; you apply it to your own district. EdROI’s five-step process guides participants through the process of developing an action plan that includes:
- Identifying your school or district’s core needs
- Exploring a broad range of strategies to apply to your specific situation
- Articulating a theory of action (and outcomes)
- Defining metrics for monitoring progress
- Determining costs and investigating sustainability
By the end of the course, participants complete an EdROI Workbook and an Engagement Action Plan — both tailored to a real challenge they’re currently facing in their district.
Sign up for Education ROI — A Practical Approach to Making the Most of Limited Resources.
Designed for school leaders and staff involved in developing school budgets or managing finances, the online course can be taken by individuals or facilitated by an instructor for teams of at least 15 people. Participants can earn a certificate of completion and a digital micro-credential upon finishing the course requirements.