Phase I. Program Inventory and Cost Analysis A. Collaboratively Prioritize Evaluation Goals The qualified bidder(s) will collaborate with key district staff by facilitating at least one project kick-off meeting to develop a project work plan with key progress metrics, methods of data collection and analyses, and a timeline for completing project deliverables. The qualified bidder(s) will determine in collaboration with key district staff the priorities for evaluation of program cost effectiveness/utility, which will answer such questions as: How much money is spent on salaries, benefits, supplies, and services? How are budgets allocated by district departments and by schools? To what extent is resource allocation associated with sustaining or improving student outcomes as specified in the district’s strategic plan and on state accountability measures? How can district staff provide ongoing information on program quality to school leaders and the school board to enable data-informed decisions about investing restricted and discretionary funds? B. Develop a Comprehensive District Program Inventory and Analyze Cost Effectiveness The qualified bidder(s) will use existing program documents and engage in new data collection to develop a comprehensive inventory of district programs with resources (e.g., human, financial, material) associated with program implementation. This inventory should include alignment of district programs to strategic goals as outlined in the district’s strategic plan, and where there is no alignment, it should be so noted. During program inventory, the qualified bidder is expected to engage with key stakeholders to understand organizational priorities and the facilitators and barriers to implementing district programs as intended. The qualified bidder(s) will analyze cost effectiveness/utility of district programs and make recommendations on how spending might be adjusted to ensure restricted and discretionary funds are utilized in the most effective and sustainable manner possible. It is expected that cost effectiveness/cost utility analyses will allow the district to examine the academic return on investment by assessing whether spending has led to intended outcomes and determine how resources can be allocated and utilized effectively and equitably in the future. The qualified bidder(s) is expected to make recommendations about how to reallocate savings from discontinuing ineffective programs. The qualified bidder(s) will, at a minimum, produce a preliminary report at the mid-point of this phase of the project and a final written report and a PowerPoint slide presentation at the end of this phase of the project. Phase II. Develop Systems and Processes for Sustainable, Ongoing Program Evaluation Based on the program inventory and cost effectiveness/utility analyses in Phase I, the district desires to establish a sustainable system for submitting budget requests for any new or ongoing district program. The qualified bidder(s) will work with district stakeholders to develop a budget request and approval process for new and existing programs. The goal of this new process is to ensure that district/school initiatives are justified with measurable outcomes and by alignment with the district’s strategic goals, evidence of effectiveness (from local, state, or national data sources with similar demographics), and have well-developed implementation plans. It is expected that any district program manager (e.g., district supervisor, school principal) will use the new online application form to submit a budget request, which will include, at a minimum, a description of the program, measurable goals, anticipated costs for new programs or existing costs for ongoing programs to be renewed, expected outcomes, and associated costs (i.e., budget items and amounts). This new application form should be linked to the software solution outlined in Phase III. The qualified bidder is expected to pilot this new application process early in the contract, with plans for review and necessary revisions before contract completion. The district anticipates that the pilot of this online form will serve as a model to scale to all future budget decisions, regardless of financial impact or funding source. Phase III. Provide Comprehensive Data Analytics in a Software Solution The qualified bidder will link financial data, district/school operations data, and student achievement data in a customizable software tool that allows district, school, and board leadership to access data in relation to cost effectiveness/utility of proposed and existing district programs. This software tool should allow for multi-year input of program data. The qualified bidder is expected to leverage existing data systems to create data dashboards that allow district staff to monitor program implementation and associated metrics aligned to strategic priorities. The software solution should allow district and school leaders to access information on program effectiveness and communicate with stakeholders (e.g., local taxpayers, the school board) with comprehensible visualizations that link costs to goals and outcomes. The district will use this software solution to set expectations for program reporting and improve accountability to anticipated program outcomes.
