An essential step in establishing priorities for resource use is to review data with community partners. Reviewing and analyzing student data on a scheduled basis is necessary to identify patterns such as disproportionate outcomes. Key questions to ask are:

What gaps do we see?
What investments will we make to effect positive change?

Reviewing a range of disaggregated student data helps us paint a more complete picture of how we are meeting student needs so that we may determine our next steps. Disaggregated student data is organized into smaller groups. These groupings may be according to:

gender
socio-economic status
race
ethnicity
disability
primary language

When we review the outcomes of specific student groups and see disproportionate patterns compared to other groups, we are one step closer to identifying root causes of persistent inequities and proposing investments that will stimulate change. Examples of student outcome data include, but are not limited to:

graduation rates
disciplinary actions (suspensions, expulsions)
standardized assessment results
language proficiency
chronic absenteeism

Disaggregated student data offer essential information as we work to strategically advance equity for our most vulnerable students. This data is even more valuable when they are reviewed in context. Important questions to ask as we review student outcome data. Which students have access to:

experienced teachers ?
safe facilities that are appropriate for learning?
supportive, individualized services (academic, behavioral)?

State and local education leaders should ensure that students, families, and communities who are currently not well served by the system are engaged in the full range of decisions about resources, including how their needs can inform the most impactful solutions. As you can see from this visual that you were introduced to earlier in this module, establishing priorities through engaging community partners and other interested parties is one of four principles of effective resource allocation. We are defining education partners, community partners, and other interested parties as anyone who is invested in the decisions and activities of your school or district. These valued partners include students, parents, community members, educational leaders, union and community based organization representatives. Please note that not all community members identify themselves as interested parties. Members of Indigenous communities recognize that they hold inherent rights. Federally recognized tribes in the United States have constitutional rights as sovereign nations and relate on a government-to-government basis. An alternative to the term stakeholder is education partner or community partner. By jointly reviewing student outcome data, centering students and their needs, and listening to stories of challenges and opportunities, we are more prepared to problem-solve and allocate resources to effect change. When impacted community partners are a part of designing solutions, the solutions are more likely to be effective. To engage partners in reviewing data, identifying gaps between student groups, and identifying resource allocation priorities, offering multiple communication methods will ensure various pathways to engagement. Keep in mind that surveys, focus groups, and workshops are most effective when they are offered at times, in locations, and in formats that are accessible to a diverse range of partners. Key questions to ask when you are reviewing the data are:

What patterns do we see in the data?
What do students need?
What services and supports are we providing?

Finally, equitable resource allocation includes assessing the Return on Investment, or ROI. ROI analyses are tools for formative evaluation, continuous improvement, and decision-making about resource allocation. ROI analysis supports partners as they consider costs in relationship to actual outcomes. These basic prompts can help guide an analysis of how specific investments resulted in change:

Goal: What are your desired results?
Strategy: What’s your action plan and what are the steps you will take?
Resource Investments: What resources were allocated to meet the goal? (such as funds, personnel, time, facilities, materials, technology, equipment, etc.)
Outputs: What specific activities or actions happened?
Outcomes: What change occurred? And, what level of change occurred?