Strategic Resource Allocation and Systems Planning

What We Do

Our team has deep expertise in funding formula and accountability system design and evaluation, strategic resource allocation, applied research, partner engagement, and continuous improvement. With WestEd’s statutory, regulatory, and funding knowledge, we engage state, local, and tribal leaders to achieve high-level impact goals that intersect policy, finance, and systems change.

Strategic Resource Allocation

We improve how resources are allocated, distributed, and used in early education programs, preK-12 and tribal schools, and higher education institutions to advance access and outcomes and support comprehensive system improvement.

Systems Planning

We support LEAs, states, higher education institutions, and tribal governments in building effective policy and organizational structures—including finance, governance, and accountability—to strengthen education and school-based health system improvement.

Our Approach

Through our rigorous and high-quality school finance, fiscal fairness, and systems planning services, we work with states nationwide to support hundreds of leaders from local, regional, and tribal education agencies.

Our approach includes supporting school finance policy analysis, ESSER strategic funding analysis, school-based health finance strategy, strategic planning and organizational reviews, and change management engagements. Our change management support includes the design, evaluation, and implementation of state funding formulas, accountability systems, and systems of support.

We are also a national leader in conducting funding system studies, including studies of adequacy, in states across the country. In several states, our studies included analyses of education finance policy fairness and efficiency for specific student populations, including examining the effectiveness of funding systems for students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and for English Learners.