How Lee County Unified Departments and Used ROI Data to Guide Smarter Spending
As districts across the country face tighter budgets and the end of ESSER funding, leaders are asking the same critical question:
“Which of our programs are actually working for students?”
For the School District of Lee County in Florida, that question became a turning point.
The Challenge: Big Budgets, Big Pressure
The School District of Lee County had received more than $300 million in ESSER funding, but like many districts, they lacked a clear, data-driven way to measure which instructional programs were delivering real results. With a new superintendent focused on financial responsibility and the ESSER cliff looming, the pressure was on.
“We had to revisit our purchasing decisions knowing that budgets were going to be tighter,” said Leta Dietz Smith, the district’s Assistant Director overseeing Title I. “We couldn’t afford to invest in programs without proof of impact.”
The challenges? Departments were siloed, data lived in different systems, and conversations with the school board were often based on perception rather than proof.
The Solution: Return on Instruction by Level Data
The School District of Lee County adopted Return on Instruction (ROI) by Level Data to bring clarity to their spending decisions. The tool helped them automatically connect program usage, cost, and student outcomes, without relying on manual analysis or guesswork.
Smith pulled together a cross-functional team—from academics to HR to procurement—and together, they uncovered powerful insights. They spotted duplicate purchases, analyzed program usage by fidelity, and most importantly, revealed that even partial use of certain programs led to real student gains.
“Even those that weren’t using it to fidelity were still outperforming their peers. That was eye-opening,” Smith said. “It helped us reframe the question—not whether the program worked, but how we were implementing it.”
The Impact: Smarter Conversations, Better Decisions
One standout moment came when a report showed a 36% ROI on a digital program. At first glance, the school board questioned whether it was worth keeping. But ROI data showed that low usage, not program quality, was the issue. In schools where it was used consistently, students made significant gains.
“This allowed us to go deeper with our board,” Smith said. “It wasn’t just, ‘Does the program work?’ It was, ‘Where is it working—and how can we support better use across the board?”
The Takeaway
With ROI, the School District of Lee County moved beyond opinions and into shared, data-informed decision-making. They now have a clearer view of what’s working, what’s not, and how to stretch every dollar for maximum student impact.
For districts navigating post-ESSER planning, this story is a powerful reminder: The right data doesn’t just answer questions, —it builds trust, alignment, and smarter strategies.
Want to see how ROI can help your district make more informed, student-focused decisions? Request a demo today.
Let’s Talk
efficiency, maximize data-driven decision making, and improve educational outcomes.
