Project Evident is partnering with the Ohio Educational Service Center Association (OESCA) and the Department of Education and Workforce through Future Forward Ohio to help school districts across the state of Ohio make budgeting decisions that are evidence-based and aligned with their values and the unique needs of Ohio schools and students. Through a series of free regional workshops and a statewide convening, the initiative will provide Ohio schools and districts with hands-on training and guidance on utilizing data to identify priorities, make informed trade-off decisions, and strategically allocate resources for maximum impact and sustainability. 

What is Strategic Resource Allocation?

Strategic resource allocation (or strategic budgeting) is the process of applying resources—money, time, people, political capital, and partnerships—in the best way possible to achieve your district’s goal of improving student outcomes.  

These workshops will provide leaders from Ohio districts and schools—including all traditional public school districts, community schools, joint vocational school districts and career technical schools, and others—with the tools to make trade-off decisions. It will also provide leaders with an evidence-informed process to help them better align their priorities, policies, and processes for budgeting and continuous improvement. 

Learn and Connect

Our regional workshops and statewide convening will support your team in identifying and using evidence to make trade-off decisions and better utilize the resources available to you. The workshops will include a mix of presentations, team working sessions (with facilitation support), breakout sessions with regional and national experts, and opportunities for peer learning and networking.  

We invite district leaders from across the state to come together at our regional workshops, as well as our two-day statewide convening, to learn and connect with and from one another. All workshops are FREE. Districts benefit the most from these workshops if they attend as teams (3-5 members).  At minimum, we recommend that your team include members that have: 

1. Systems level decision-making authority (e.g., Superintendent or Deputy Superintendent) 

2. Robust knowledge of academics and interventions (e.g., Chief Academic Officer)  

3. A strong understanding of district budget and funding streams (e.g., Chief Financial Officer, Federal Programs Director) 

Please see see our informational flyer for additional information.

Statewide Convening Details

During our two-day statewide convening, participants will: 

1. Learn about approaches to address budget gaps owing to enrollment challenges, staffing allocations, and student performance. 
2. Develop a better understanding of how to set up interventions to help facilitate successful implementation. 
3. Hear strategies leaders have used to communicate difficult budget decisions. 
4. Learn how to integrate the use of evidence throughout the year and within existing improvement structures. 
5. Identify and leverage best practices in key areas. 
6. Hear a keynote address from Ohio Department of Education and Workforce Director Stephen D. Dackin.

Date and Time:

• Monday, June 3, 2024, 9:00am – 5:00pm
• Tuesday, June 4, 2024, 9:00am – 4:30pm  

Location: Nationwide Conference Center,  100 Green Meadows Dr S, Lewis Center, OH 43035.

There are many hotels available in the area. However, if you prefer to stay at the Nationwide Hotel and Conference Center, rooms are available at a rate of $147 per night. Please note that while our room block ended on May 3, the hotel will continue to offer this rate based on room availability. To make a reservation, please call the hotel directly at (614) 880-4195 and mention Group ID 379547.

Please note that our two-day statewide convening builds upon the regional workshop content and work. While not required, we recommend sending the same core team to a workshop and the statewide convening.

Regional Workshop Details

While the core content will be the same across all regional workshops, breakout sessions will vary (see Priority Areas below). Participants may register for more than one workshop and may attend whichever workshop(s) are most convenient and of interest regardless of their district’s location.

To ensure adequate facilitation capacity, please try to register at least 5 days in advance.  

During the Regional Workshops, participants will learn how to: 

1. Use public and internal data to identify and prioritize needs. 
2. Articulate tangible guiding values to guide decisions in policy, practice, and budgeting. 
3. Use evidence to inform trade-offs decisions. 
4. Identify and leverage best practices in key focus areas. 

Contact 

Joseph Weitz, ESC of Central Ohio: joseph.weitz@escco.org  

Megan Hoffman, Project Evident: mhoffman@projectevident.org