Instructional Coherence and Shared Responsibilities: OBC’s Impact on EdTech Procurement

This report explores the learnings from the first cohort to leverage outcomes based contracting (OBC) for edtech, where payment terms are partially predicated on meeting specific student achievement benchmarks. The research found that the OBC model served as a powerful lever for instructional coherence, driving edtech implementation rates to levels 10 times higher than the national average. By fostering mutual accountability and breaking down silos within districts and across districts and providers, the model enables district, school, and provider teams to move beyond a simple buyer-seller relationship toward a data-driven partnership focused on student outcomes. While districts experienced challenges selecting student populations and outcomes and ensuring implementation met dosage requirements, the findings demonstrate that the OBC model empowers district leaders to make more intentional resource allocation decisions. Ultimately, this innovative approach ensures that edtech investments are no longer measured by licenses purchased, but by their measured impact on student learning outcomes.