Community benchmarking beneficial for Jewish schools, yeshivas to create culture of trust - opinion

At a time when transparency and collaboration are critical to addressing societal challenges, a few communities of Jewish day schools across North America, encouraged and supported by their local Jewish federations, are leading their field in how collaborating on shared initiatives can foster trust and cooperation and ultimately strengthen the entire community.

In the nonprofit sector, strategies from the for-profit world can significantly improve efficiency, effectiveness, and impact. This is especially true in education, where understanding financial and operational data is key for informed decision-making and long-term sustainability. At Prizmah: Center for Jewish Day Schools, we have developed a communal, data-driven approach to achieving financial and operational excellence through benchmarking.

Benchmarking, a practice widely used in the corporate sector, involves comparing an organization’s performance metrics with those of peers or industry standards. This process helps identify areas of strength and opportunities for improvement. For Jewish day schools and yeshivas, benchmarking provides schools with a clearer picture of their financial health and operational efficiency, fostering a culture of continuous improvement, strategic growth, and educational excellence.

Fostering collaboration through community benchmarking

At Prizmah, the network of Jewish day schools and yeshivas in North America, we are committed to fostering collaboration and continuous improvement among Jewish day school leaders through our community benchmarking initiatives. These projects provide school and communal leaders with valuable insights into their school’s financial and operational health, allowing them to make data-driven decisions that enhance their practices.

We facilitate an annual benchmarking project for Jewish day schools, with 122 schools participating last year, with an enrollment of 49,000 students. Through our partnership with the National Association of Independent Schools and using their Data and Analysis for School Leadership (DASL) tool, participating schools can generate custom reports to compare their performance with peer schools.

In partnership with community federations, we have launched benchmarking cohorts in Toronto, Montreal, and Boston, offering schools a comprehensive view of financial and operational benchmarks with national comparisons. Federations often engage in this work out of a deep commitment to the long-term financial well-being of their community and to understand the financial health of their grantee schools.

We have partnered with the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston, and Federation CJA in Montreal to help Jewish day schools collect and analyze key metrics like tuition revenue, staffing levels, and cost per student. These efforts provide school and community leaders with financial and operational benchmarks at local, regional, and national levels, offering a broader perspective on operations and enabling informed decision-making and increased transparency within their communities.

National data from this project is also used to tell the story of the changing landscape of Jewish day schools and yeshivas nationally, documenting foundational trends in Jewish education over time.

Building community and trust

These initiatives help foster a sense of community among participating schools and provide the Jewish communal leadership with a clearer understanding of the day school landscape. By collaborating and sharing data, schools gain valuable insights into their challenges and opportunities, fostering transparency and building trust.

Benchmarking cohorts develop collective knowledge within their communities. When federation leaders have a comprehensive view of the financial and operational health of their schools, they are better equipped to address common challenges and celebrate successes. Overall, these initiatives highlight the importance of community and organizational collaboration in achieving shared goals and driving systemic change.

Part of benchmarking is the sharing of individual school data. For some schools, there may be concerns about sharing sensitive data. When a community of schools comes together in a spirit of openness, it fosters a sense of trust and mutual support and strengthens the whole community of schools. When all schools agree to share their data, every school contributes to the collective pool of knowledge, which benefits everyone involved. This collaborative spirit allows schools to focus on shared goals – improving the quality of Jewish education and ensuring financial sustainability for their school.

Impact of data-driven decisions

Two recent examples of how schools in these communities are using data to inform their strategic decisions come to mind. By leveraging comparative data, a school leader effectively communicated their financial needs to potential funders. They highlighted specific areas where they could grow, which helped them secure additional funding to support their programs and initiatives.

This data-driven narrative demonstrated the school’s commitment to improvement and clearly identified the financial gaps that needed to be addressed. Funders appreciated this evidence-based approach, valuing the data-driven strategy behind the funding requests.

A board chair at another school was surprised to learn about a significant year-over-year increase in their school’s operational costs. This newfound awareness prompted a closer examination of the school’s financial practices. By analyzing the trends and identifying the primary cost drivers, the school’s leadership implemented targeted measures to control expenses. As a result, the school improved its financial health and enhanced its operational efficiency, setting a strong foundation for sustainable growth.

Building a stronger Jewish day school ecosystem

Benchmarking is a powerful opportunity for communal collaboration. By participating in these initiatives, Jewish day school and yeshiva leaders create a culture of openness, trust, and mutual support, weaving a stronger community and network of schools. Together, we ensure that Jewish day schools thrive, providing exceptional education and maintaining financial health. Together, schools, federations, and Prizmah are building a stronger, sustainable, and informed future for Jewish education.

The writer is the director of knowledge, research, and data for Prizmah: Center for Jewish Day Schools, and directs the Prizmah Knowledge Center, which includes all of Prizmah’s research, data, and evaluation.