District Sales Process Guide

Set Your Expectations First

District Sales Is a Long Game. Here Is What That Means.

Before you work a district pipeline, understand the environment you are selling into. These are not individual purchases. They are institutional decisions with layers of approval, procurement rules, and competing priorities.

3–12

Months to Close

Most district deals take three months at minimum. Large districts with formal RFP processes can take up to a full academic year. Build your pipeline accordingly.

4–7

Stakeholders Involved

A typical district deal touches a curriculum director, principal or instructional coach, IT, finance or procurement, and often a superintendent or board. You will rarely close with just one contact.

3

Budget Windows Per Year

Districts budget in cycles — typically July (new fiscal year), November (mid-year adjustments), and February (spring planning). Know where your prospect is in their cycle before you push for a close.

Know Your Audience

Who You Will Meet and What They Care About.

Every stakeholder in a district deal has a different lens. Your job is to speak to each one in their language. The same product — framed the wrong way to the wrong person — will stall a deal that should have closed.

S

Superintendent

Final authority — outcomes, optics, and budget

What they care about

Student outcomes and test score movement

Board accountability and community trust

ROI and cost consolidation

Supplier diversity and equity alignment

What to lead with

K-12 ecosystem that replaces multiple vendors

Black and woman-owned designation

SOR alignment for state compliance

Founder-led — direct accountability

CD

Curriculum Director

Your most important contact — the internal champion

What they care about

Instructional quality and SOR fidelity

Standards alignment documentation

Teacher adoption and ease of use

Differentiation and RTI/MTSS support

What to lead with

Six proprietary frameworks — SOR from the ground up

Tri-level texts inside every lesson

SAVOR the Text teaches HOW to read

Spiral K-12 coherence across all grades

P

Principal / Instructional Coach

Evaluator — teacher experience and implementation

What they care about

Teacher workload and prep time

Classroom implementation clarity

PD quality and sustainability

Data access for instructional leadership

What to lead with

Ready-to-use lesson structure

Instructional Kitchen PD built into the platform

Chef's Chat mid-lesson AI support for teachers

Head Chef dashboard — school-level data visibility

IT

IT / Technology Director

Gatekeeper — security, compliance, infrastructure

What they care about

FERPA compliance and data privacy

AWS hosting and security infrastructure

Browser-based — no software installation

SSO compatibility and device requirements

What to lead with

FERPA-compliant, no data sold or shared

AWS-hosted, enterprise-grade security

Web-based — works on any device with a browser

Offer direct IT-to-IT technical review call

PR

Procurement / Finance

Process owner — contracts, vendor requirements, approvals

What they care about

Vendor credentials and certifications

Contract terms and compliance

Funding source compatibility (ESSER, Title I)

Supplier diversity documentation

What to lead with

Black-owned and woman-owned documentation

Title I and ESSER fund eligibility

Credentials and certifications page from hub

Offer a vendor packet immediately when asked

TC

Teacher / Curriculum Committee

Influencer — adoption depends on teacher buy-in

What they care about

Practical classroom use and daily workflow

Whether the curriculum actually works

How different it is from what they know

Support when they get stuck

What to lead with

Sample lesson — let them hold it

Culinary theme — culturally inclusive, memorable

Chef's Chat for mid-lesson questions

Spiral frameworks — they learn once, use forever

The Process

Seven Stages. Every District Deal.

Every district opportunity you work will move through these stages. Some move fast. Some stall. Your job is to know exactly which stage you are in and what the right next move is. Never leave a meeting without a defined next step.

1

Stage 1

Prospecting & Lead Qualification

Find the right districts. Qualify before you invest.

Not every district is a good prospect right now. Before you spend time pursuing a lead, qualify it. A good prospect has at least one of these: an active curriculum search, a SOR compliance mandate, a literacy program they are under pressure to replace, or budget available in the current or upcoming cycle.

What to Do

Research current curriculum (what are they using — check state approval lists)

Check for SOR legislation pressure in their state

Look for RFP postings in EdTech and district portals

Identify curriculum director and get contact info

Log lead in CRM with research notes before first contact

Qualifying Questions

"Are you currently satisfied with your literacy curriculum?"

"Is your state requiring SOR compliance changes?"

"Are you in an active curriculum review cycle?"

"Is there flexibility in your current vendor contracts?"

Send / Share

Nothing yet — listen first

If they ask who you are: brief company intro email only (no attachments)

Goal is to book a discovery call — not to sell

2

Stage 2

Discovery Call

Listen more than you talk. Build the picture.

The discovery call is not a demo. Do not show the platform and do not walk through the frameworks unprompted. Your job is to understand their specific situation — what they have, what is not working, what they are trying to achieve, and who is involved in the decision. Everything you learn here shapes every conversation that follows.

What to Do

Open with a broad question — let them talk for the first 10 minutes

Map the decision-making structure (who else is involved)

Identify their timeline and budget window

Find the pain point they are not directly saying

End with a confirmed next step — do not leave it open

Log full notes in CRM within 2 hours of the call

Discovery Questions

"Tell me about your current literacy program — what is working and what is not?"

"How are teachers handling differentiation right now?"

"How is writing instruction being handled alongside reading?"

"What does professional development look like for your teachers right now?"

"Who else would be involved in evaluating a new curriculum?"

"What would a successful transition look like for you?"

Send Within 2 Hours

Thank-you email with three to five bullets of what you heard

One-page company overview

Link to sample curriculum access

Confirmed next meeting on the calendar

3

Stage 3

Demo / Curriculum Presentation

Show them the thing. Make it specific to them.

The demo is where you connect what you learned in discovery to what you are showing. Before you open anything, name their pain point back to them and tell them what you are going to show them that addresses it. Every demo should feel like it was built for that specific district — because it should be.

What to Do

Open by repeating what you heard in discovery

Show a sample lesson in the target grade band first

Show the tri-level texts — let them hold the material

Walk through 2-3 frameworks relevant to their gap

Show the Digital Kitchen role-specific dashboards

Invite questions throughout — do not monologue

Close by asking "What resonated?" before proposing a next step

Key Phrases

"Based on what you told me, I want to show you how we handle [their specific pain point] specifically."

"This is the same lesson — three different text levels, same objective, same framework."

"The frameworks are proprietary — this language is consistent from kindergarten through 12th grade."

"What questions do you have so far — what are you seeing that matters most?"

Send Within 24 Hours

Follow-up email with what you showed and what resonated

Full Ecosystem Overview document

Grade-specific sample pack for their target levels

Next step: pilot proposal or proposal conversation

4

Stage 4

Pilot Conversation or Committee Review

Reduce the risk. Let them experience it before they commit.

Many districts — especially large ones — will not move from demo to full adoption. A pilot is how you bridge that gap. A pilot is not a free trial. It is a structured, time-bound implementation with a clear evaluation process and a conversion path built in from the start. If a committee is involved, your curriculum director contact is your internal champion — make it easy for them to present your case.

What to Do

Propose a structured 6-8 week pilot at 1-2 schools or grade levels

Define success metrics up front with the curriculum director

Give the curriculum director everything they need to present to the committee

Stay engaged during the pilot — do not disappear

Schedule a mid-pilot check-in to address any concerns before evaluation

Champion Talking Points

Give your curriculum director these lines to use internally: "SOR-aligned from the ground up — not retrofitted." "Writing is already built in — we eliminate a separate program." "AI support is built into the teacher experience — this is where K-12 literacy is going."

Pilot Package Includes

Pilot proposal document with scope, timeline, success criteria

Grade-band curriculum samples (print and digital)

Implementation support plan for the pilot period

Competitive comparison sheet (do not send unprompted — offer it)

5

Stage 5

Proposal & Pricing

Make it easy to say yes. Make it hard to misunderstand.

A proposal is not a quote. It is a document that re-states their problem, presents the solution, shows the value, and makes the decision easy. Never send a proposal cold — always have a conversation first to confirm scope, budget range, and stakeholders. A proposal sent without that conversation almost never closes. This stage also requires Chalk & Eraser leadership involvement before any pricing goes out. Do not discuss specific numbers without escalating first.

What to Do

Confirm scope with curriculum director before building the proposal

Escalate to Chalk & Eraser leadership for pricing approval

Personalize the proposal — use their district name throughout

Include funding source suggestions (Title I, ESSER, etc.)

Walk them through the proposal on a call — never just email it

Proposal Walkthrough Script

"Let me walk you through what we put together based on our conversations. I want to make sure this reflects what you told me you need."

"The investment is structured so you can also access it through Title I and ESSER — I have included the funding codes on the last page."

"What questions do you have before we talk about timeline?"

Proposal Includes

District-specific cover page

Scope of services (grade levels, platforms, PD, support)

Pricing and multi-year options

Funding source references

Implementation timeline

Next steps and signature process

6

Stage 6

Procurement & Contract

Stay engaged. Don't let it die in a drawer.

Once a proposal is accepted, the deal moves into procurement — and this is where deals go quiet and sometimes die. Procurement timelines can stretch 4-8 weeks in a large district. Your job during this stage is to stay visible, stay helpful, and stay out of the way of the process while making sure nothing stalls. Escalate immediately if a procurement contact asks for something you cannot provide yourself.

What to Do

Introduce yourself to the procurement contact if you have not already

Provide vendor documentation immediately and completely

Check in with your curriculum director contact weekly — not daily

Set a soft deadline with the district and hold it respectfully

Escalate any contract questions to Chalk & Eraser leadership immediately

Procurement Packet

W-9 and vendor registration forms

Black-owned and woman-owned certification documentation

FERPA compliance documentation

Certificate of insurance (request from leadership)

Signed NDA if required by the district

Watch For

Silence longer than 10 business days — follow up with your champion

New stakeholders appearing — loop them in immediately

RFP requirement emerging — escalate to leadership at once

Budget cycle timing shifting — adjust your close date

7

Stage 7

Close & Handoff

Signed. Now make the handoff count.

Closing is not the finish line — it is the beginning of a relationship that should lead to renewals, expansions, and referrals. The handoff from sales to implementation is one of the highest-risk moments in the client relationship. A poor handoff can undo everything the sales process built. Your job is to make the district feel like they made the right call on day one.

What to Do

Send a personal congratulatory note to your curriculum director champion

Introduce the implementation contact within 48 hours of signing

Brief the implementation team on everything you learned in discovery

Log all deal details, stakeholders, and notes in CRM completely

Ask for a referral or introduction to a peer district at the 90-day mark

Closing Handoff Language

"I'm going to introduce you to our implementation team this week — they have been briefed on everything we discussed and they will be your primary contact from here. I will stay connected throughout."

"We are glad to be partnering with you. This is the beginning, not the end."

Close Package

Signed contract copy to all stakeholders

Welcome email from Chalk & Eraser leadership

Implementation timeline document

Implementation team introduction email

Pipeline Planning

Realistic Timeline by District Type.

Use this to set expectations with yourself and to plan your pipeline. If you only have small districts in play, you can move faster. If you are working a large urban district, plan your income accordingly.

Small District
Under 3,000 students

Typical close: 6–10 weeks. Fewer decision-makers, faster procurement. Superintendent is often in the room. Discovery and demo can happen in one meeting. Champion is usually the curriculum director or a principal. Pilot is possible but often not required.

Mid-Size District
3,000–15,000 students

Typical close: 3–5 months. Multiple stakeholders including a curriculum committee. IT review is standard. Pilot is common. Budget cycle timing matters significantly. Most Katy ISD-type deals live here.

Large District
15,000–50,000 students

Typical close: 6–12 months. Formal RFP process likely. Board approval may be required. Multiple rounds of committee review. Pilot at one or two schools before district-wide adoption. Procurement process is formal and document-heavy.

Large Urban District
50,000+ students

Typical close: 9–18 months. Formal RFP required. Board vote likely. Multiple stakeholder groups including union reps and community stakeholders in some cases. Escalate immediately — these deals require Chalk & Eraser leadership involvement from Stage 2 forward. The win is significant but the process is a long-term investment.

Avoid These

Pipeline Killers. What Goes Wrong and How to Prevent It.

These are the most common reasons district deals stall or die. Know them before you are in them.

Sending a proposal before you know the budget.

If you send pricing to a contact who cannot say yes and has not cleared budget, you lose your leverage. They will share the number internally without your framing and it will die in a comparison you were not part of.

The Fix

Always have a budget conversation before a proposal goes out. Ask directly: "Do you have a sense of what budget range you are working with for this?" If they will not tell you, escalate before sending anything.

Having only one contact in the district.

If your champion leaves, gets sick, or loses influence, your deal goes with them. Deals that depend on a single contact are one personnel change away from starting over.

The Fix

By Stage 3, you should have at least two contacts in the district at different levels. Ask your champion to introduce you to the superintendent, principal, or IT director at the demo.

Going silent after the demo.

The most common deal-killer is time. Districts get busy, priorities shift, and if you are not staying visible, your deal gets pushed out a cycle or dropped entirely. Out of sight is out of contract.

The Fix

Set a CRM follow-up task immediately after every meeting. Never leave a conversation without a confirmed next step on the calendar. If two weeks pass with no contact, reach out with something of value — not just a check-in.

Discussing pricing without escalating first.

If you quote a number that has not been approved and it gets back to leadership at the wrong level, it creates credibility problems and can unravel an otherwise strong deal.

The Fix

If a contact asks for pricing before you have received approval, say: "I want to make sure I give you accurate numbers for your district's specific scope — let me confirm the details with our team and get back to you within 24 hours." Then escalate immediately.

Letting the pilot end without a conversion conversation.

A pilot that ends without a defined next step simply ends. Districts will tell you it went well and then go quiet. The conversion has to be built into the pilot from day one.

The Fix

When you set up the pilot, define the evaluation criteria and schedule the post-pilot review meeting before the pilot begins. The close conversation happens at that meeting — not sometime afterward.

Not knowing when to escalate.

Some conversations and decisions are above a sales rep's authority. Trying to handle them alone creates confusion, delays, and sometimes kills deals that were almost closed.

The Fix

See the escalation guide below. When in doubt, escalate. Leadership would rather be brought in early than handed a problem after the fact.

Escalation Guide

When to Bring In Chalk & Eraser Leadership.

You do not need to handle everything yourself. These are the situations that require leadership involvement. Do not wait — escalate as soon as you recognize one of these.

Escalate for Pricing

Any pricing conversation before proposal stage

Multi-year contract requests

Discount or custom pricing requests

Bundled or partial program pricing

Grant-funded or non-standard payment structures

Escalate for Contract

Any contract review or modification request

District wants to use their own vendor contract

NDA or data processing agreement requested

Liability, indemnification, or insurance questions

Any legal language you did not put in front of them

Escalate for Opportunity Size

Any district with 15,000+ students

Formal RFP process initiated

Board or superintendent level meeting requested

State-level or multi-district conversations

Any deal with a total value above your commission threshold

Sales Tips

Things That Close District Deals. Actually.

Always leave with a next step on the calendar.

Every meeting, every call, every email thread ends with a defined next action and a date. "I'll follow up soon" is not a next step. "Let's schedule 30 minutes on Thursday to walk through the sample lesson with your instructional coach" is a next step. If they will not commit to a date, the deal is stalling and you need to find out why before you leave.

Your curriculum director contact is your most important relationship in the building.

The curriculum director is your champion, your translator, and your internal sales rep. Give them everything they need to make your case for you in every room you are not in. Brief them before committee meetings. Send them the language to use. Make them look good and they will open doors you did not know existed.

Sample materials close more deals than any pitch.

When a district can hold a tri-level lesson set and see how the three texts connect to the same framework and objective, the conversation shifts. They stop evaluating and start imagining implementation. Get physical materials in front of decision-makers as early in the process as possible. A PDF is fine for the first pass. Printed materials are worth the investment for serious prospects.

Know the budget cycle before you know anything else.

A district that loves the curriculum but cannot access budget until July is not a Q1 close. Understanding where they are in the cycle tells you whether to push for a close now or nurture through the next window. Ask early and plan accordingly. A deal that closes at the right time for the district will feel better to both sides — and renew more reliably.