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

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Artificial Intelligence Webinar
AI in Education: Empowering Educators to Tap into the Promise and Steer Clear of Peril
Explore the transformative potential of AI in education and learn how to harness its power to improve student outcomes.
Content provided by Panorama Education
English Learners Webinar Family and Community Engagement: Best Practices for English Learners
Strengthening the bond between schools and families is key to the success of English learners. Learn how to enhance family engagement and support student achievement.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Mathematics Webinar
How an Inquiry-Based Approach Transforms Math Learning
Transform math learning with an approach that empowers students to become active, engaged learners.
Content provided by MIND Education

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 What the Research Says Four Ways to Stop Teacher Turnover From Hamstringing School Improvement
Staffing instability can unravel the social fabric of schools, experts say, unless leaders work to keep connections strong.
6 min read
Woman of color exiting out of a door.
iStock/Getty Images Plus
School & District Management Spooked by Halloween, Some Schools Ban Costumes—But Not Without Pushback
Schools are tweaking Halloween traditions to make them more inclusive to all students.
4 min read
A group of elementary school kids sitting on a curb dressed in their Halloween costumes.
iStock/Getty
School & District Management Schools Take a $3 Billion Hit From the Culture Wars. Here’s How It Breaks Down
Culturally divisive conflicts in schools have led to increased legal and security costs, as well as staff time spent on the fallout.
4 min read
Illustration of a businessman with his hands on his head while he watches dollars being sucked down into a dark hole.
DigitalVision Vectors
School & District Management Opinion The Blind Spot More Educators Need to Recognize
A simple activity in a training session caused a chain reaction that strengthened an educator's leadership for decades to come.
5 min read
Screen Shot 2024 10 29 at 9.19.10 AM
Canva