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Episode #24 - 5 Best Practices to Turn Procurement into a Pillar of Financial Stability
SHOW NOTES
3 min read
SHOW NOTES
Tom Tafoya, Chief Operations Officer at Visions In Education Charter School
Websites:
EPISODE SUMMARY
In this episode of The Charter School Insider Podcast, host Daniel Casselli dives into the intricate world of charter school operations with Tom Tafoya, Chief Operating Officer at Visions in Education. Spanning 9,200 square miles without a single physical classroom, Visions has redefined procurement processes to serve over 7,500 students annually. From adopting innovative technologies to partnering with vendors like Amazon Business, Tom shares how Visions scaled operations, optimized efficiencies, and eliminated barriers for families and teachers across Northern California. This conversation is a masterclass in overcoming logistical challenges with entrepreneurial spirit and forward-thinking strategies.
EPISODE TAKEAWAYS
- Breaking the Mold:
Learn how Visions in Education transitioned from manual purchase orders to advanced online procurement systems. - Operational Scalability:
Discover how their streamlined processes allowed them to manage 800+ vendors and expand services without increasing staff overhead. - Vendor Partnerships:
Insights into their collaboration with Amazon Business and other vendors to leverage technology for seamless integration and order tracking. - Lessons in Leadership:
Tom’s advice for tackling operational inefficiencies and embracing a mindset of continuous improvement in education. - Efficiency Pays Off:
How investments in automation and technology reduced costs while enhancing the educational experience for students and families.
RESOURCES
Amazon Business / BuyQ contract: https://buyq.org/vendors/amazon
CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction and Overview of Visions in Education
06:01 Operational Challenges in Multi-Modal Education
11:50 Impact of Manual Processes on Growth
17:56 Game Changers in Educational Operations
27:23 Iterative Process of Improvement
35:52 Leveraging Amazon Business for Efficiency
44:04 Recommendations for Systems Change
ABOUT OUR GUEST
Tom Tafoya is a veteran school administrator with more than two decades of experience at one of California’s oldest and largest charter schools. Visions In Education is a K-12 public charter school located in the Sacramento Valley region in California. Established in 1999, Visions In Education is a tuition-free public school which provides a high-quality standards-based education supporting Home School families, Online Middle School, students in the Independent Study High School program and students engaged in the University Prep High School program. Within these programs, Visions expects to serve over 7,500 students across a nine county service area this year. Founded as a non-classroom based school, the effective use of technology has been at the core of how Visions effectively serves the thousands of students they have served over the past 25 years. As Chief Operating Officer, Tom has overseen the development, implementation and growth of much of that technology strategy. He is a leader in recognizing the essential need for integration of instructional program goals with operational and technology systems to enable positive student outcomes. Tom believes that excellence in public education is developed through a "common sense" approach of ensuring all students are provided with the greatest level of instructional resources and administrative support services. He believes it is essential that, as technology is in a state of constant evolution, schools continuously question the status-quo mentality and beliefs that too often stifle innovation.
ABOUT OUR HOST
Daniel Casselli is a life-long learner whose passion for education has driven his professional endeavors. He is a former classroom teacher and youth ministry director whose entrepreneurial spirit landed him in the world of education technology. At EVERFI Inc., Daniel helped run the business development efforts for EVERFI’s Financial Education Program and the company was eventually sold to Blackbaud for $750M in 2021. Shortly before EVERFI’s acquisition, Daniel joined Class Technologies as one of the earliest sales hires and went on to lead K12 Enterprise Sales and helped the company land its first 100+ K12 customers across public, charter, and private schools. Daniel brings his unique experiences to BuyQ where he is focused on growth, operational excellence, business strategy, and client satisfaction. He is a graduate of Grove City College where he studied Religion and History.
You can listen to Charter School Insider: Lessons from the Nation's Top Charter School Operators on your favorite podcasting platform...
