Doing More With Less: How Data is Reshaping School Operations Amid Budget Declines
The Council of the Great City Schools (CGCS) is the leading national organization for knowledge sharing and collaboration among urban school districts. At this year’s CGCS COO conference, our very own CrowdComfort CEO Eric Graham had the opportunity to co-present with Charles Mayfield, COO of Chicago Public Schools, and Rob Christlieb, Executive Director of Operations. Their session focus on “Using Technology To Create A Culture Of Transparency in Facilities & Custodial Operations at Chicago Public Schools”
While the full session was reserved for CGCS members, we’re sharing highlights from the anonymous polling and discussion—insights that point to one of the most pressing challenges in school operations today: how to deliver high-quality custodial and maintenance services despite tighter financial constraints and increasing demands.
Below are four key takeaways that reflect where school operations stand—and where they must go to meet the demands of this new reality.
Teaching Roots Shape Operations Insight
To open the polling session, the first question asked COOs to reflect on their early education career: “What was your first job in a school district?” While simple at surface level, the responses revealed a powerful underlying insight about leadership in school operations- many got their start in the classroom or in direct service roles. This key background continues to mold their view today on the significance of facilities and custodial work within the school system.
In fact, many COOs shared that they began as teachers, giving them firsthand insight into how clean, well-maintained environments directly impact student learning and well-being. Yet, despite this understanding, there’s often a disconnect between what happens in the classroom and what occurs behind the scenes in operations. This contrast underscores just how critical day-to-day facilities work is to a district’s broader educational mission–and how important it is to align both sides in pursuit of student success.
Accountability Tools Need an Upgrade
Another key question asked attendees: “How do you measure your daily custodial performance today?” This speaks to the root of a growing challenge for school operations leaders- how best to ensure quality and consistency in custodial services across various sites. As districts manage many buildings, it is critical that they do not overburden already stretched staff. Moreover, with cleaning standards under more scrutiny than ever, tracking and validation of daily performance has a direct impact on building conditions, stakeholder trust, and overall operational efficiency.
Most schools still rely on either principal or site leader supervision (37.5%) or paper checklists (31.25%) to track custodial functioning each day. But with principals responsible for a wide range of competing priorities, these methods often leave too much room for human error, delay, and inconsistent follow-through. What’s missing is real-time visibility and a more reliable, scalable method for maintaining quality across all sites.
Budget Cuts Are Hurting School District Operations
No matter the custodial model—whether managed in-house, outsourced, or through a hybrid approach—school districts everywhere are operating with fewer financial resources In fact, when asked about expectations for next school year, 75% of respondents anticipated a decrease in their operations budgets. With less funding, custodial teams are being placed under increasing pressure to maintain high service delivery while working more efficiently. As a result, adopting data-driven facility management practices isn’t just a nice- to-have—it’s a necessity.
Now is the Time for Digital Solutions
Right now, only 25% of schools report using mobile apps to manage and track custodial cleanings. While this adoption rate is still relatively low, it signals an encouraging shift toward more modern, data-driven practices. These tools offer instant access to performance tracking, faster communication, and the ability to track trends over time- key capabilities for districts looking to improve consistency and accountability across their facilities.
However, paper checklists–still used by 31.25% of schools–remain the default, despite their limitations. While they can confirm that a task was completed, they offer little insight into how well it was done. Additionally, they don’t scale easily across multiple buildings or teams, making it difficult to identify patterns or make informed long-term decisions. In many cases, paper-based systems also introduce delays, communication breakdowns, and missed opportunities to respond quickly to issues as they arise.
Conclusion
This session was quite insightful for us in how data is reshaping school operations amid budget declines. Special thank you to the Council Of Great City Schools and the leadership team at Chicago Public Schools for presenting alongside us. Be sure to check out our 2025 K-12 Operations and Cleaning Benchmarking Report if you are interested in more data on this topic.
Doing More With Less: How Data is Reshaping School Operations Amid Budget Declines
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The Council of the Great City Schools (CGCS) is the leading national organization for knowledge sharing and collaboration among urban school districts. At this year’s CGCS COO conference, our very own CrowdComfort CEO Eric Graham had the opportunity to co-present with Charles Mayfield, COO of Chicago Public Schools, and Rob Christlieb, Executive Director of Operations. Their session focus on “Using Technology To Create A Culture Of Transparency in Facilities & Custodial Operations at Chicago Public Schools”
While the full session was reserved for CGCS members, we’re sharing highlights from the anonymous polling and discussion—insights that point to one of the most pressing challenges in school operations today: how to deliver high-quality custodial and maintenance services despite tighter financial constraints and increasing demands.
Below are four key takeaways that reflect where school operations stand—and where they must go to meet the demands of this new reality.
Teaching Roots Shape Operations Insight
To open the polling session, the first question asked COOs to reflect on their early education career: “What was your first job in a school district?” While simple at surface level, the responses revealed a powerful underlying insight about leadership in school operations- many got their start in the classroom or in direct service roles. This key background continues to mold their view today on the significance of facilities and custodial work within the school system.
In fact, many COOs shared that they began as teachers, giving them firsthand insight into how clean, well-maintained environments directly impact student learning and well-being. Yet, despite this understanding, there’s often a disconnect between what happens in the classroom and what occurs behind the scenes in operations. This contrast underscores just how critical day-to-day facilities work is to a district’s broader educational mission–and how important it is to align both sides in pursuit of student success.
Accountability Tools Need an Upgrade
Another key question asked attendees: “How do you measure your daily custodial performance today?” This speaks to the root of a growing challenge for school operations leaders- how best to ensure quality and consistency in custodial services across various sites. As districts manage many buildings, it is critical that they do not overburden already stretched staff. Moreover, with cleaning standards under more scrutiny than ever, tracking and validation of daily performance has a direct impact on building conditions, stakeholder trust, and overall operational efficiency.
Most schools still rely on either principal or site leader supervision (37.5%) or paper checklists (31.25%) to track custodial functioning each day. But with principals responsible for a wide range of competing priorities, these methods often leave too much room for human error, delay, and inconsistent follow-through. What’s missing is real-time visibility and a more reliable, scalable method for maintaining quality across all sites.
Budget Cuts Are Hurting School District Operations
No matter the custodial model—whether managed in-house, outsourced, or through a hybrid approach—school districts everywhere are operating with fewer financial resources In fact, when asked about expectations for next school year, 75% of respondents anticipated a decrease in their operations budgets. With less funding, custodial teams are being placed under increasing pressure to maintain high service delivery while working more efficiently. As a result, adopting data-driven facility management practices isn’t just a nice- to-have—it’s a necessity.
Now is the Time for Digital Solutions
Right now, only 25% of schools report using mobile apps to manage and track custodial cleanings. While this adoption rate is still relatively low, it signals an encouraging shift toward more modern, data-driven practices. These tools offer instant access to performance tracking, faster communication, and the ability to track trends over time- key capabilities for districts looking to improve consistency and accountability across their facilities.
However, paper checklists–still used by 31.25% of schools–remain the default, despite their limitations. While they can confirm that a task was completed, they offer little insight into how well it was done. Additionally, they don’t scale easily across multiple buildings or teams, making it difficult to identify patterns or make informed long-term decisions. In many cases, paper-based systems also introduce delays, communication breakdowns, and missed opportunities to respond quickly to issues as they arise.
Conclusion
This session was quite insightful for us in how data is reshaping school operations amid budget declines. Special thank you to the Council Of Great City Schools and the leadership team at Chicago Public Schools for presenting alongside us. Be sure to check out our 2025 K-12 Operations and Cleaning Benchmarking Report if you are interested in more data on this topic.
Doing More With Less: How Data is Reshaping School Operations Amid Budget Declines
The Council of the Great City Schools (CGCS) is the leading national organization for knowledge sharing and collaboration among urban school districts. At this year’s CGCS COO conference, our very own CrowdComfort CEO Eric Graham had the opportunity to co-present with Charles Mayfield, COO of Chicago Public Schools, and Rob Christlieb, Executive Director of Operations. Their session focus on “Using Technology To Create A Culture Of Transparency in Facilities & Custodial Operations at Chicago Public Schools”
While the full session was reserved for CGCS members, we’re sharing highlights from the anonymous polling and discussion—insights that point to one of the most pressing challenges in school operations today: how to deliver high-quality custodial and maintenance services despite tighter financial constraints and increasing demands.
Below are four key takeaways that reflect where school operations stand—and where they must go to meet the demands of this new reality.
Teaching Roots Shape Operations Insight
To open the polling session, the first question asked COOs to reflect on their early education career: “What was your first job in a school district?” While simple at surface level, the responses revealed a powerful underlying insight about leadership in school operations- many got their start in the classroom or in direct service roles. This key background continues to mold their view today on the significance of facilities and custodial work within the school system.
In fact, many COOs shared that they began as teachers, giving them firsthand insight into how clean, well-maintained environments directly impact student learning and well-being. Yet, despite this understanding, there’s often a disconnect between what happens in the classroom and what occurs behind the scenes in operations. This contrast underscores just how critical day-to-day facilities work is to a district’s broader educational mission–and how important it is to align both sides in pursuit of student success.
Accountability Tools Need an Upgrade
Another key question asked attendees: “How do you measure your daily custodial performance today?” This speaks to the root of a growing challenge for school operations leaders- how best to ensure quality and consistency in custodial services across various sites. As districts manage many buildings, it is critical that they do not overburden already stretched staff. Moreover, with cleaning standards under more scrutiny than ever, tracking and validation of daily performance has a direct impact on building conditions, stakeholder trust, and overall operational efficiency.
Most schools still rely on either principal or site leader supervision (37.5%) or paper checklists (31.25%) to track custodial functioning each day. But with principals responsible for a wide range of competing priorities, these methods often leave too much room for human error, delay, and inconsistent follow-through. What’s missing is real-time visibility and a more reliable, scalable method for maintaining quality across all sites.
Budget Cuts Are Hurting School District Operations
No matter the custodial model—whether managed in-house, outsourced, or through a hybrid approach—school districts everywhere are operating with fewer financial resources In fact, when asked about expectations for next school year, 75% of respondents anticipated a decrease in their operations budgets. With less funding, custodial teams are being placed under increasing pressure to maintain high service delivery while working more efficiently. As a result, adopting data-driven facility management practices isn’t just a nice- to-have—it’s a necessity.
Now is the Time for Digital Solutions
Right now, only 25% of schools report using mobile apps to manage and track custodial cleanings. While this adoption rate is still relatively low, it signals an encouraging shift toward more modern, data-driven practices. These tools offer instant access to performance tracking, faster communication, and the ability to track trends over time- key capabilities for districts looking to improve consistency and accountability across their facilities.
However, paper checklists–still used by 31.25% of schools–remain the default, despite their limitations. While they can confirm that a task was completed, they offer little insight into how well it was done. Additionally, they don’t scale easily across multiple buildings or teams, making it difficult to identify patterns or make informed long-term decisions. In many cases, paper-based systems also introduce delays, communication breakdowns, and missed opportunities to respond quickly to issues as they arise.
Conclusion
This session was quite insightful for us in how data is reshaping school operations amid budget declines. Special thank you to the Council Of Great City Schools and the leadership team at Chicago Public Schools for presenting alongside us. Be sure to check out our 2025 K-12 Operations and Cleaning Benchmarking Report if you are interested in more data on this topic.
Doing More With Less: How Data is Reshaping School Operations Amid Budget Declines
Doing More With Less: How Data is Reshaping School Operations Amid Budget Declines
The Council of the Great City Schools (CGCS) is the leading national organization for knowledge sharing and collaboration among urban school districts. At this year’s CGCS COO conference, our very own CrowdComfort CEO Eric Graham had the opportunity to co-present with Charles Mayfield, COO of Chicago Public Schools, and Rob Christlieb, Executive Director of Operations. Their session focus on “Using Technology To Create A Culture Of Transparency in Facilities & Custodial Operations at Chicago Public Schools”
While the full session was reserved for CGCS members, we’re sharing highlights from the anonymous polling and discussion—insights that point to one of the most pressing challenges in school operations today: how to deliver high-quality custodial and maintenance services despite tighter financial constraints and increasing demands.
Below are four key takeaways that reflect where school operations stand—and where they must go to meet the demands of this new reality.
Teaching Roots Shape Operations Insight
To open the polling session, the first question asked COOs to reflect on their early education career: “What was your first job in a school district?” While simple at surface level, the responses revealed a powerful underlying insight about leadership in school operations- many got their start in the classroom or in direct service roles. This key background continues to mold their view today on the significance of facilities and custodial work within the school system.
In fact, many COOs shared that they began as teachers, giving them firsthand insight into how clean, well-maintained environments directly impact student learning and well-being. Yet, despite this understanding, there’s often a disconnect between what happens in the classroom and what occurs behind the scenes in operations. This contrast underscores just how critical day-to-day facilities work is to a district’s broader educational mission–and how important it is to align both sides in pursuit of student success.
Accountability Tools Need an Upgrade
Another key question asked attendees: “How do you measure your daily custodial performance today?” This speaks to the root of a growing challenge for school operations leaders- how best to ensure quality and consistency in custodial services across various sites. As districts manage many buildings, it is critical that they do not overburden already stretched staff. Moreover, with cleaning standards under more scrutiny than ever, tracking and validation of daily performance has a direct impact on building conditions, stakeholder trust, and overall operational efficiency.
Most schools still rely on either principal or site leader supervision (37.5%) or paper checklists (31.25%) to track custodial functioning each day. But with principals responsible for a wide range of competing priorities, these methods often leave too much room for human error, delay, and inconsistent follow-through. What’s missing is real-time visibility and a more reliable, scalable method for maintaining quality across all sites.
Budget Cuts Are Hurting School District Operations
No matter the custodial model—whether managed in-house, outsourced, or through a hybrid approach—school districts everywhere are operating with fewer financial resources In fact, when asked about expectations for next school year, 75% of respondents anticipated a decrease in their operations budgets. With less funding, custodial teams are being placed under increasing pressure to maintain high service delivery while working more efficiently. As a result, adopting data-driven facility management practices isn’t just a nice- to-have—it’s a necessity.
Now is the Time for Digital Solutions
Right now, only 25% of schools report using mobile apps to manage and track custodial cleanings. While this adoption rate is still relatively low, it signals an encouraging shift toward more modern, data-driven practices. These tools offer instant access to performance tracking, faster communication, and the ability to track trends over time- key capabilities for districts looking to improve consistency and accountability across their facilities.
However, paper checklists–still used by 31.25% of schools–remain the default, despite their limitations. While they can confirm that a task was completed, they offer little insight into how well it was done. Additionally, they don’t scale easily across multiple buildings or teams, making it difficult to identify patterns or make informed long-term decisions. In many cases, paper-based systems also introduce delays, communication breakdowns, and missed opportunities to respond quickly to issues as they arise.
Conclusion
This session was quite insightful for us in how data is reshaping school operations amid budget declines. Special thank you to the Council Of Great City Schools and the leadership team at Chicago Public Schools for presenting alongside us. Be sure to check out our 2025 K-12 Operations and Cleaning Benchmarking Report if you are interested in more data on this topic.
Doing More With Less: How Data is Reshaping School Operations Amid Budget Declines
The Council of the Great City Schools (CGCS) is the leading national organization for knowledge sharing and collaboration among urban school districts. At this year’s CGCS COO conference, our very own CrowdComfort CEO Eric Graham had the opportunity to co-present with Charles Mayfield, COO of Chicago Public Schools, and Rob Christlieb, Executive Director of Operations. Their session focus on “Using Technology To Create A Culture Of Transparency in Facilities & Custodial Operations at Chicago Public Schools”
While the full session was reserved for CGCS members, we’re sharing highlights from the anonymous polling and discussion—insights that point to one of the most pressing challenges in school operations today: how to deliver high-quality custodial and maintenance services despite tighter financial constraints and increasing demands.
Below are four key takeaways that reflect where school operations stand—and where they must go to meet the demands of this new reality.
Teaching Roots Shape Operations Insight
To open the polling session, the first question asked COOs to reflect on their early education career: “What was your first job in a school district?” While simple at surface level, the responses revealed a powerful underlying insight about leadership in school operations- many got their start in the classroom or in direct service roles. This key background continues to mold their view today on the significance of facilities and custodial work within the school system.
In fact, many COOs shared that they began as teachers, giving them firsthand insight into how clean, well-maintained environments directly impact student learning and well-being. Yet, despite this understanding, there’s often a disconnect between what happens in the classroom and what occurs behind the scenes in operations. This contrast underscores just how critical day-to-day facilities work is to a district’s broader educational mission–and how important it is to align both sides in pursuit of student success.
Accountability Tools Need an Upgrade
Another key question asked attendees: “How do you measure your daily custodial performance today?” This speaks to the root of a growing challenge for school operations leaders- how best to ensure quality and consistency in custodial services across various sites. As districts manage many buildings, it is critical that they do not overburden already stretched staff. Moreover, with cleaning standards under more scrutiny than ever, tracking and validation of daily performance has a direct impact on building conditions, stakeholder trust, and overall operational efficiency.
Most schools still rely on either principal or site leader supervision (37.5%) or paper checklists (31.25%) to track custodial functioning each day. But with principals responsible for a wide range of competing priorities, these methods often leave too much room for human error, delay, and inconsistent follow-through. What’s missing is real-time visibility and a more reliable, scalable method for maintaining quality across all sites.
Budget Cuts Are Hurting School District Operations
No matter the custodial model—whether managed in-house, outsourced, or through a hybrid approach—school districts everywhere are operating with fewer financial resources In fact, when asked about expectations for next school year, 75% of respondents anticipated a decrease in their operations budgets. With less funding, custodial teams are being placed under increasing pressure to maintain high service delivery while working more efficiently. As a result, adopting data-driven facility management practices isn’t just a nice- to-have—it’s a necessity.
Now is the Time for Digital Solutions
Right now, only 25% of schools report using mobile apps to manage and track custodial cleanings. While this adoption rate is still relatively low, it signals an encouraging shift toward more modern, data-driven practices. These tools offer instant access to performance tracking, faster communication, and the ability to track trends over time- key capabilities for districts looking to improve consistency and accountability across their facilities.
However, paper checklists–still used by 31.25% of schools–remain the default, despite their limitations. While they can confirm that a task was completed, they offer little insight into how well it was done. Additionally, they don’t scale easily across multiple buildings or teams, making it difficult to identify patterns or make informed long-term decisions. In many cases, paper-based systems also introduce delays, communication breakdowns, and missed opportunities to respond quickly to issues as they arise.
Conclusion
This session was quite insightful for us in how data is reshaping school operations amid budget declines. Special thank you to the Council Of Great City Schools and the leadership team at Chicago Public Schools for presenting alongside us. Be sure to check out our 2025 K-12 Operations and Cleaning Benchmarking Report if you are interested in more data on this topic.
Doing More With Less: How Data is Reshaping School Operations Amid Budget Declines
The Council of the Great City Schools (CGCS) is the leading national organization for knowledge sharing and collaboration among urban school districts. At this year’s CGCS COO conference, our very own CrowdComfort CEO Eric Graham had the opportunity to co-present with Charles Mayfield, COO of Chicago Public Schools, and Rob Christlieb, Executive Director of Operations. Their session focus on “Using Technology To Create A Culture Of Transparency in Facilities & Custodial Operations at Chicago Public Schools”
While the full session was reserved for CGCS members, we’re sharing highlights from the anonymous polling and discussion—insights that point to one of the most pressing challenges in school operations today: how to deliver high-quality custodial and maintenance services despite tighter financial constraints and increasing demands.
Below are four key takeaways that reflect where school operations stand—and where they must go to meet the demands of this new reality.
Teaching Roots Shape Operations Insight
To open the polling session, the first question asked COOs to reflect on their early education career: “What was your first job in a school district?” While simple at surface level, the responses revealed a powerful underlying insight about leadership in school operations- many got their start in the classroom or in direct service roles. This key background continues to mold their view today on the significance of facilities and custodial work within the school system.
In fact, many COOs shared that they began as teachers, giving them firsthand insight into how clean, well-maintained environments directly impact student learning and well-being. Yet, despite this understanding, there’s often a disconnect between what happens in the classroom and what occurs behind the scenes in operations. This contrast underscores just how critical day-to-day facilities work is to a district’s broader educational mission–and how important it is to align both sides in pursuit of student success.
Accountability Tools Need an Upgrade
Another key question asked attendees: “How do you measure your daily custodial performance today?” This speaks to the root of a growing challenge for school operations leaders- how best to ensure quality and consistency in custodial services across various sites. As districts manage many buildings, it is critical that they do not overburden already stretched staff. Moreover, with cleaning standards under more scrutiny than ever, tracking and validation of daily performance has a direct impact on building conditions, stakeholder trust, and overall operational efficiency.
Most schools still rely on either principal or site leader supervision (37.5%) or paper checklists (31.25%) to track custodial functioning each day. But with principals responsible for a wide range of competing priorities, these methods often leave too much room for human error, delay, and inconsistent follow-through. What’s missing is real-time visibility and a more reliable, scalable method for maintaining quality across all sites.
Budget Cuts Are Hurting School District Operations
No matter the custodial model—whether managed in-house, outsourced, or through a hybrid approach—school districts everywhere are operating with fewer financial resources In fact, when asked about expectations for next school year, 75% of respondents anticipated a decrease in their operations budgets. With less funding, custodial teams are being placed under increasing pressure to maintain high service delivery while working more efficiently. As a result, adopting data-driven facility management practices isn’t just a nice- to-have—it’s a necessity.
Now is the Time for Digital Solutions
Right now, only 25% of schools report using mobile apps to manage and track custodial cleanings. While this adoption rate is still relatively low, it signals an encouraging shift toward more modern, data-driven practices. These tools offer instant access to performance tracking, faster communication, and the ability to track trends over time- key capabilities for districts looking to improve consistency and accountability across their facilities.
However, paper checklists–still used by 31.25% of schools–remain the default, despite their limitations. While they can confirm that a task was completed, they offer little insight into how well it was done. Additionally, they don’t scale easily across multiple buildings or teams, making it difficult to identify patterns or make informed long-term decisions. In many cases, paper-based systems also introduce delays, communication breakdowns, and missed opportunities to respond quickly to issues as they arise.
Conclusion
This session was quite insightful for us in how data is reshaping school operations amid budget declines. Special thank you to the Council Of Great City Schools and the leadership team at Chicago Public Schools for presenting alongside us. Be sure to check out our 2025 K-12 Operations and Cleaning Benchmarking Report if you are interested in more data on this topic.
Doing More With Less: How Data is Reshaping School Operations Amid Budget Declines
The Council of the Great City Schools (CGCS) is the leading national organization for knowledge sharing and collaboration among urban school districts. At this year’s CGCS COO conference, our very own CrowdComfort CEO Eric Graham had the opportunity to co-present with Charles Mayfield, COO of Chicago Public Schools, and Rob Christlieb, Executive Director of Operations. Their session focus on “Using Technology To Create A Culture Of Transparency in Facilities & Custodial Operations at Chicago Public Schools”
While the full session was reserved for CGCS members, we’re sharing highlights from the anonymous polling and discussion—insights that point to one of the most pressing challenges in school operations today: how to deliver high-quality custodial and maintenance services despite tighter financial constraints and increasing demands.
Below are four key takeaways that reflect where school operations stand—and where they must go to meet the demands of this new reality.
Teaching Roots Shape Operations Insight
To open the polling session, the first question asked COOs to reflect on their early education career: “What was your first job in a school district?” While simple at surface level, the responses revealed a powerful underlying insight about leadership in school operations- many got their start in the classroom or in direct service roles. This key background continues to mold their view today on the significance of facilities and custodial work within the school system.
In fact, many COOs shared that they began as teachers, giving them firsthand insight into how clean, well-maintained environments directly impact student learning and well-being. Yet, despite this understanding, there’s often a disconnect between what happens in the classroom and what occurs behind the scenes in operations. This contrast underscores just how critical day-to-day facilities work is to a district’s broader educational mission–and how important it is to align both sides in pursuit of student success.
Accountability Tools Need an Upgrade
Another key question asked attendees: “How do you measure your daily custodial performance today?” This speaks to the root of a growing challenge for school operations leaders- how best to ensure quality and consistency in custodial services across various sites. As districts manage many buildings, it is critical that they do not overburden already stretched staff. Moreover, with cleaning standards under more scrutiny than ever, tracking and validation of daily performance has a direct impact on building conditions, stakeholder trust, and overall operational efficiency.
Most schools still rely on either principal or site leader supervision (37.5%) or paper checklists (31.25%) to track custodial functioning each day. But with principals responsible for a wide range of competing priorities, these methods often leave too much room for human error, delay, and inconsistent follow-through. What’s missing is real-time visibility and a more reliable, scalable method for maintaining quality across all sites.
Budget Cuts Are Hurting School District Operations
No matter the custodial model—whether managed in-house, outsourced, or through a hybrid approach—school districts everywhere are operating with fewer financial resources In fact, when asked about expectations for next school year, 75% of respondents anticipated a decrease in their operations budgets. With less funding, custodial teams are being placed under increasing pressure to maintain high service delivery while working more efficiently. As a result, adopting data-driven facility management practices isn’t just a nice- to-have—it’s a necessity.
Now is the Time for Digital Solutions
Right now, only 25% of schools report using mobile apps to manage and track custodial cleanings. While this adoption rate is still relatively low, it signals an encouraging shift toward more modern, data-driven practices. These tools offer instant access to performance tracking, faster communication, and the ability to track trends over time- key capabilities for districts looking to improve consistency and accountability across their facilities.
However, paper checklists–still used by 31.25% of schools–remain the default, despite their limitations. While they can confirm that a task was completed, they offer little insight into how well it was done. Additionally, they don’t scale easily across multiple buildings or teams, making it difficult to identify patterns or make informed long-term decisions. In many cases, paper-based systems also introduce delays, communication breakdowns, and missed opportunities to respond quickly to issues as they arise.
Conclusion
This session was quite insightful for us in how data is reshaping school operations amid budget declines. Special thank you to the Council Of Great City Schools and the leadership team at Chicago Public Schools for presenting alongside us. Be sure to check out our 2025 K-12 Operations and Cleaning Benchmarking Report if you are interested in more data on this topic.
The Council of the Great City Schools (CGCS) is the leading national organization for knowledge sharing and collaboration among urban school districts. At this year’s CGCS COO conference, our very own CrowdComfort CEO Eric Graham had the opportunity to co-present with Charles Mayfield, COO of Chicago Public Schools, and Rob Christlieb, Executive Director of Operations. Their session focus on “Using Technology To Create A Culture Of Transparency in Facilities & Custodial Operations at Chicago Public Schools”
While the full session was reserved for CGCS members, we’re sharing highlights from the anonymous polling and discussion—insights that point to one of the most pressing challenges in school operations today: how to deliver high-quality custodial and maintenance services despite tighter financial constraints and increasing demands.
Below are four key takeaways that reflect where school operations stand—and where they must go to meet the demands of this new reality.
Teaching Roots Shape Operations Insight
To open the polling session, the first question asked COOs to reflect on their early education career: “What was your first job in a school district?” While simple at surface level, the responses revealed a powerful underlying insight about leadership in school operations- many got their start in the classroom or in direct service roles. This key background continues to mold their view today on the significance of facilities and custodial work within the school system.
In fact, many COOs shared that they began as teachers, giving them firsthand insight into how clean, well-maintained environments directly impact student learning and well-being. Yet, despite this understanding, there’s often a disconnect between what happens in the classroom and what occurs behind the scenes in operations. This contrast underscores just how critical day-to-day facilities work is to a district’s broader educational mission–and how important it is to align both sides in pursuit of student success.
Accountability Tools Need an Upgrade
Another key question asked attendees: “How do you measure your daily custodial performance today?” This speaks to the root of a growing challenge for school operations leaders- how best to ensure quality and consistency in custodial services across various sites. As districts manage many buildings, it is critical that they do not overburden already stretched staff. Moreover, with cleaning standards under more scrutiny than ever, tracking and validation of daily performance has a direct impact on building conditions, stakeholder trust, and overall operational efficiency.
Most schools still rely on either principal or site leader supervision (37.5%) or paper checklists (31.25%) to track custodial functioning each day. But with principals responsible for a wide range of competing priorities, these methods often leave too much room for human error, delay, and inconsistent follow-through. What’s missing is real-time visibility and a more reliable, scalable method for maintaining quality across all sites.
Budget Cuts Are Hurting School District Operations
No matter the custodial model—whether managed in-house, outsourced, or through a hybrid approach—school districts everywhere are operating with fewer financial resources In fact, when asked about expectations for next school year, 75% of respondents anticipated a decrease in their operations budgets. With less funding, custodial teams are being placed under increasing pressure to maintain high service delivery while working more efficiently. As a result, adopting data-driven facility management practices isn’t just a nice- to-have—it’s a necessity.
Now is the Time for Digital Solutions
Right now, only 25% of schools report using mobile apps to manage and track custodial cleanings. While this adoption rate is still relatively low, it signals an encouraging shift toward more modern, data-driven practices. These tools offer instant access to performance tracking, faster communication, and the ability to track trends over time- key capabilities for districts looking to improve consistency and accountability across their facilities.
However, paper checklists–still used by 31.25% of schools–remain the default, despite their limitations. While they can confirm that a task was completed, they offer little insight into how well it was done. Additionally, they don’t scale easily across multiple buildings or teams, making it difficult to identify patterns or make informed long-term decisions. In many cases, paper-based systems also introduce delays, communication breakdowns, and missed opportunities to respond quickly to issues as they arise.
Conclusion
This session was quite insightful for us in how data is reshaping school operations amid budget declines. Special thank you to the Council Of Great City Schools and the leadership team at Chicago Public Schools for presenting alongside us. Be sure to check out our 2025 K-12 Operations and Cleaning Benchmarking Report if you are interested in more data on this topic.