Emma Kate Fittes

It’s up to school superintendents to set the vision for what their school districts want to accomplish not only academically, but also in supporting student and teacher well-being and building strong ties between their schools and the community. In this session, we’ll get a window into how school district leaders create an agenda, and how they attempt to execute on that vision. We’ll talk with them about how they make decisions, when they delegate, and how they know when to make important pivots in order to accomplish the district’s goals. In addition, we’ll ask them about their expectation for vendors, and how the education companies that work or want to work in their districts can establish themselves as trusted partners – not just those who are merely fulfilling contractual obligations.

Turning in smart, effective responses to requests for proposals often determines whether education companies get to bring their products to districts or get left on the sidelines. In this interactive session, attendees will gain insights from Rick Gay, the executive director of business services for the Fort Bend (Texas) ISD -- and one of the country’s most experienced K-12 leaders on school district procurement -- on the biggest myths and misconceptions about school district solicitations for products and services. We’ll also talk about the biggest mistakes companies make that scuttle their responses to RFPs, and how companies can read these documents with an understanding of what districts are really after, and what they don’t want? This is everything vendors want to know about RFPs but were afraid to ask. ||| Attendees will walk away with: • Insights on how to closely read an RFP: What can a company tell about a school district’s absolute red lines, and what are the opportunities for companies to be creative in their responses? • Killer mistakes to avoid in responding to district solicitations: What are the self-inflicted errors that stop school districts in their tracks? • What does the future of RFPs look like? In particular, do companies have to be prepared for a remote, Zoom-based RFP process, or will in-person presentations be the norm?

In this interactive polling session, we’ll ask you about your company’s hits and misses in the constant struggle to get on the radar of new school district clients, and establish relationships. What were the outreach strategies that opened the door – email, conference activity, social media, or other? And once you got a foot in the door, what were the next steps that laid the foundation for a contract? Some companies may have started with pilots. Others with a campaign aimed at winning over teachers or principals. Or did they go straight to an RFP? We’ll put the questions to attendees, and share the results in real time.