School & District Management

3 Ways School Districts Can Ease the Pain of Supply Chain Chaos

By Arianna Prothero — January 20, 2022 3 min read
Cargo Ship - Supply Chain with products such as classroom chairs, milk, paper products, and electronics
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Supply chain disruptions continue to create unprecedented challenges for school systems—as well as nearly every other industry—with little sign of letting up.

Experts warn that the omicron variant has thrown yet another wrench into the works as China orders new lockdowns to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Meanwhile, schools are struggling to purchase staples such as paper and milk. Food services have been hit especially hard.

In an acknowledgement of the ongoing disruptions and rising costs school districts are facing from supply chain troubles, the U.S. Department of Agriculture recently announced it will offer a midyear increase to the reimbursements it gives for school meals—a rare move for the agency. Schools will get an extra 25 cents per lunch, which will add up to an increase of about $750 million nationally.

The global supply chain—which is more of an intricate web than most people appreciate—had major structural issues even before the pandemic. Crucial parts of the supply chain infrastructure, such as seaports, have not built up capacity to address a long rising demand for products. So, for experts like Ayman Omar, an associate professor of supply chain management at American University, it was no surprise when the pandemic pushed this already stretched system over the brink.

With such a global problem that involves international economic and political factors, multinational companies, airports, seaports, and national governments, what, if anything, can district-level administrators really do to tackle the issue?

There are three strategies within school districts’ control, say experts.

1. Have a risk management plan.

School district administrators need to know exactly how much of a shortage of a particular product they can manage and have a plan B, or C, or even D in place to deal with those different scenarios, Omar recently told Education Week.

“If it’s a 10 percent shortage, can they deal with it?” he said. “What about 20 percent? What about 30 percent? That doesn’t prevent the disruption issues, but it at least makes [schools] more agile and more responsive and be able to react quicker.”

2. Pay attention to what’s happening further up the supply chain.

Schools should be aware of what is happening further up the supply chain, which will help them make contingency plans. One way to gain some visibility in the fog is by constantly talking to vendors, peers, and counterparts in other districts about how long it is taking them to get orders, recommends Dianna Casper, the director of purchasing for the Denton Independent School District in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area.

See also

Shipping containers are stacked at the Port of Philadelphia, Thursday, Oct. 28, 2021.
Supplies for many school needs are stuck in shipping containers in places like the Port of Philadelphia.
Matt Rourke/AP

3. Be adaptable.

This might mean putting in orders for school supplies 12 months ahead of time instead of 6 months, or purchasing food or cafeteria supplies from local farmers and restaurants rather than the regular suppliers.

The key to success, according to the Association of School Business Officials International, is fostering good relationships with vendors and remaining in constant communication with them. That way, districts can get better intelligence on the lead-time for deliveries.

Fixing the structural issues in the supply chain, however, are far outside the control of local school districts, said Omar. That rests with corporations, manufacturers, and national governments, he said. But if there is one benefit to the pandemic and the current supply chain mess, it’s that the problem is now out in the open and that the pandemic may finally pressure corporate and government leaders into taking action that can address these challenges for the long term, not just for the current crisis.

Events

Jobs Virtual Career Fair for Teachers and K-12 Staff
Find teaching jobs and K-12 education jubs at the EdWeek Top School Jobs virtual career fair.
Mathematics K-12 Essentials Forum Helping Students Succeed in Math
Student Well-Being Live Online Discussion A Seat at the Table: The Power of Emotion Regulation to Drive K-12 Academic Performance and Wellbeing
Wish you could handle emotions better? Learn practical strategies with researcher Marc Brackett and host Peter DeWitt.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

School & District Management Opinion The Stunning Resignation of UVA President Jim Ryan—and Why It Matters
The university president’s departure is more than just a headline. It’s a lesson in leadership.
2 min read
Opinion Licensed Not for Reuse Wait What FCG
Canva
School & District Management In Their Own Words This Custodian Got Students to Stop Vandalizing and Take Pride in Their School
Andy Markus, the 2025 Education Support Professional of the Year, helped boost behavior and engagement in his Utah district.
5 min read
Andy Markus, the head custodian at Draper Park Middle School, in Draper, Utah, sits for a portrait during the National Education Association's 2025 Representative Assembly in Portland, Ore., on July 3, 2025. Markus was named the 2025 NEA Education Support Professional (ESP) of the Year.
Andy Markus, the head custodian at Draper Park Middle School, in Draper, Utah, sits for a portrait during the National Education Association's 2025 representative assembly in Portland, Ore., on July 3, 2025. Markus was named the 2025 NEA Education Support Professional of the Year for his mentorship of students.
Kaylee Domzalski/Education Week
School & District Management What the Research Says About School Boards: How Much Conflict Really Is There?
Plus, how competitive are board elections? How much do teachers' union endorsements matter?
7 min read
Houston ISD's appointed school board votes on the "District of Innovation" status during their monthly work session meeting at HISD Central Office on Sept. 7, 2023 in Houston.
Houston's appointed school board takes a vote during a meeting on Sept. 7, 2023 in the district's central office. A number of studies from recent years have answered questions about school boards' makeup, how competitive board elections are, whether conflict is on the rise, and more.
Karen Warren/Houston Chronicle via AP
School & District Management Opinion How a Weekly Email to My Staff Made Me a Better District Leader
Writing helps make sense out of what feels messy and focus us on what's most important.
George Philhower
5 min read
Blue hand holding red pen.
DigitalVision Vectors/Getty + Education Week