This research paper from the SCALE Initiative at Stanford Graduate School of Education examines how outcomes based contracting transforms K–12 school district procurement — shifting from pay-for-service models to evidence-based, accountable partnerships that tie provider payment to measurable student outcomes.
What’s in a Contract? How Outcomes Based Contracting Reshapes School District–Vendor Relationships
Related Resources
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Evaluation of Outcomes Based Contracting (OBC): Final Report
What if a contract could drive and deliver the results that providers promise? A new evaluation from WestEd — the most rigorous study of outcomes based contracting (OBC) to date — found that OBC improved student outcomes, strengthened district-provider partnerships, and built lasting district capacity across early-adopter districts. …
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Impact in Action Vol. 2
Impact in Action, Vol. 2 features Santa Ana Unified School District’s outcomes based contracting journey, showing how a district started small with a 42-student pilot and scaled to 1,152 students across 27 schools. With 72% of students meeting at least one contracted outcome, SAUSD is proof that when implementation…
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Digital Promise Research: OBC’s Impact on EdTech Procurement
What if edtech payments were tied to student outcomes — not just licenses?This report examines the first cohort to use outcomes based contracting (OBC) for edtech, driving implementation rates 10x higher than the national average. By replacing buyer-seller dynamics with data-driven partnerships, OBCempowers district leaders to invest in…