OBC Resources
The Center for OBC is committed to developing and providing resources to help districts, states, and providers execute successful outcomes based contracts.
The Center for
Outcomes Based Contracting
The Center for OBC is the leading authority in advancing outcomes based contracting.
What is Outcomes Based Contracting?
OBC is a transformative model that ensures educational investments are tied to measurable student success. It is a model in which a substantial part of payment to a service provider is contingent on meeting agreed upon student outcomes.
Introducing the OBC Provider Designation™
Making provider experience and student results more visible.
Discover how the Center’s new designation offers meaningful recognition for providers while giving education leaders greater insight to make better-informed investments in student learning.
New Research: The Evidence Is In on Outcomes Based Contracting
A third-party study by WestEd — the most rigorous evaluation of OBC to date — found that outcomes based contracting drove positive student results, stronger district-provider partnerships, and lasting district capacity.
Impact In Action Vol. 3:
Is It Working? How Fresno Unified Redesigned an Existing EdTech Contract Around Student Results
When Fresno Unified School District took stock of its investments, it found 345 programs and only 14% with clear objectives and results. The district used outcomes based contracting to carve a focused contract out of its existing i-Ready agreement, serving about 1,750 first graders reading below grade level. Built into its literacy initiatives and supported by multi-tiered governance, the contract delivered nearly 2,000 student reading and growth outcomes.
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Guidance for State and Local Education Agencies
As State Educational Agencies (SEAs), Local Educational Agencies (LEAs), andeducation service providers work to accelerate student learning, many are exploringnew ways to ensure public investments translate into measurable results.The U.S. Department of Education (ED) has reinforced this focus through itsSupplemental Priority on Meaningful Learning Opportunities, including Priority (b)(v),which explicitly… Read More
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Evaluation of Outcomes Based Contracting (OBC): Final Report
What if a contract could drive and deliver the results that providers promise? A new evaluation from WestEd — the most rigorous study of outcomes based contracting (OBC) to date — found that OBC improved student outcomes, strengthened district-provider partnerships, and built lasting district capacity across early-adopter districts. … Read More
News & Press
Stay updated with our latest news and media releases! Click the links below to explore our recent announcements and developments.
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November 12, 2026 | Press Release
OBC Provider Designation™ Launches to Strengthen Informed, Outcomes-Centered Partnerships in K–12 Education
A first-of-its-kind tiered recognition program giving education leaders greater visibility into providers’ verified outcomes based contracting practices and documented student outcomes. DENVER, Colo. (November 12, 2026) — Responding to a clear market need for greater transparency and accountability, the Center for Outcomes Based Contracting (the Center) announces the…
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October 30, 2026 | Press Release
Eight Arkansas School Districts Join Statewide Cohort to Advance Outcomes Based Contracts for Instructional Interventions
The Center for Outcomes Based Contracting to help districts design, implement, and evaluate agreements that connect provider payments to measurable student outcomes DENVER, Colo. (October 30, 2026)— Nonprofit organization the Center for Outcomes Based Contracting, in partnership with Forward Arkansas, announced eight school districts across Arkansas are joining…
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October 26, 2026 | News
We Can’t Close the Literacy Gap Until We Close the Honesty Gap
October 26, 2026 Former U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan examines the “honesty gap” in American education, highlighting the disconnect between perceptions of student achievement and actual academic outcomes. He argues that this gap extends to education spending, where districts often lack clear evidence of whether their investments…
