Strategic resourcing is an important goal for K-12 policymakers hoping to better ensure that financial investments result in high-quality instruction and student achievement. But it’s a topic where research evidence and district practices are still evolving.
Given the emergence of new practices and challenges, data on districts’ purchasing processes and the degree to which they are aligned with—or separate from—instructional priorities can help the field by documenting key barriers as well as highlighting potential solutions.
To collect data from educators with firsthand experience in the field, the EdWeek Research Center surveyed school and district leaders regarding the alignment between their financial operations and instructional goals, their communication and decisionmaking practices, challenges that limit their ability to implement strategic resourcing approaches, and options for solving those problems.
The research center also fielded a survey of employees who worked for companies operating in the K-12 sector. The results shed light on how they see K-12 policies and the impact those approaches have on the extent to which purchases ultimately meet districts’ intended objectives.
This report highlights key survey findings.