What did they ask for?
As part of its ongoing effort to strengthen collaboration and elevate the experience of its partners, Omaha Public Schools (OPS) invited We-Collab to help explore how community-based organizations interact with the district. With a new superintendent eager to build on OPS’s foundation of partnership, this effort sought to understand service providers’ perspectives better, celebrate what was working, and identify opportunities to make the partnership process even more responsive, efficient, and aligned. Together, we focused on enhancing partnership systems that ensure all collaborations are set up for success, ultimately supporting improved outcomes for students and families across the district.
How did we help them?
We-Collab employed a comprehensive discovery process designed to capture open and honest dialogue. This approach allowed us to thoroughly assess the current landscape, synthesize critical variables, and generate meaningful insights that informed actionable recommendations.
- Document Review - We analyzed the OPS partner application and onboarding documents to identify barriers, misalignment, and opportunities for streamlining.
- Stakeholder Interviews - We interviewed Community-Based Organizations and business partners to understand partnership dynamics and their impact on student outcomes.
- Surveys for Partners and Staff - We distributed surveys to 200 external partners and 100 internal staff to gather comprehensive data on partnership experiences and engagement.
- Synthesis - We consolidated findings from the document review, interviews, and surveys to identify key themes and patterns in partnership engagement.
- Recommendations - We developed actionable recommendations to improve partnership processes and strengthen collaboration with OPS.
Results
We-Collab’s final report provided Omaha Public Schools with a clear, data-informed roadmap to strengthen and scale its partnership ecosystem. Grounded in insights from staff, partners, and district leadership, the findings surfaced areas for refinement and existing practices that could be deepened and built upon. Highlights include:
- Building on Existing Collaboration to Clarify Roles and Strengthen Alignment - Both internal staff and external partners further desired to clarify roles, responsibilities, and communication pathways to maximize alignment. Strengthening expectations, particularly at the school and district levels, is expected to enhance cohesion and allow partnerships to drive greater student impact.
- Enhancing Training to Empower Partners and Streamline Engagement - OPS has cultivated strong partner relationships, and many expressed commitment to the district’s mission. The findings elevated opportunities to streamline protocols—such as onboarding, facility use, and data sharing—to support their success through consistent training and designated contact points. With more precise guidance, partners can better navigate district systems and focus on delivering high-quality programming.
- Leveraging Data as a Bridge to Equity and Impact - Partners saw data not just as a reporting tool, but as a means to drive equitable outcomes. While some faced barriers in accessing and interpreting district data, there was broad consensus on its potential to inform programming and deepen impact. We recommended enhancements to OPS’s data-sharing approach centered on trust, clarity, and accessibility to help partners better align efforts with district priorities and student needs.
These findings affirmed OPS’s commitment to student-centered collaboration and positioned the district to shift from transactional coordination toward a more strategic, equitable, and outcomes-driven partnership model.