Summary

  • Context: LAUSD’s Council of Black Administrators (COBA) needed to upgrade their manual event planning process, which had far outgrown Google Forms.
  • Challenges: Relying on manual processes, unconnected apps, and printed schedules to manage critical events.
  • Results:
    • Seamless transition into a new event planning process, even for non-techy users.
    • Streamlined registration with personalized schedules and pre-registration.
    • Solid sponsor management, so sponsors were easily onboarded and highlighted prominently in a custom branded event page.
    • Enhanced logistics around meal options, session choices and more.
  • Why Sched? Sched was chosen for its ease of use, powerful scheduling and registration, and existing popularity with attendees at other LAUSD events that use Sched.

Transforming Event Planning with Sched

Planning a major event for one of the nation’s largest school districts is no small feat. For the Council of Black Administrators (COBA) in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), the 49th Black Child Conference and Scholarship Awards was an opportunity to celebrate Black students while empowering educators, administrators, and parents with the tools to uplift student achievement. 

Sched helped streamline the process and enhance the experience for everyone involved.

Challenges Before Sched

Before adopting Sched, COBA relied on manual processes to manage their events.

Registration involved Google Forms, and attendees selected sessions only after arriving at the venue. Event details were distributed through printed booklets, which left little time for attendees to thoughtfully plan their experience. These manual processes were functional but lacked the flexibility and efficiency necessary for a modern, impactful event.

“We used to rely on printed programs and last-minute session selections,” says Traci Ausby, Vice President of COBA. “We realized it was time for an upgrade.”

LAUSD’s Social Emotional Learning Department introduced COBA to Sched. They saw an opportunity to modernize their event planning and create a better experience for attendees.

Seamless Event Planning with Sched

While the team was initially apprehensive about adopting new tech, their concerns were quickly alleviated thanks to Sched’s intuitive platform and dedicated customer support.

“Oscar Pineda from the Sched team made the transition smooth,” Traci recalls. “He walked us through every step—from setting up sessions and adding presenters to incorporating logos and sponsor branding.”

Sched’s powerful features transformed COBA’s event planning:

  • Streamlined Registration: Attendees could pre-register for the event, browse sessions in advance, and personalize their schedules.
  • Tailored Experiences: Sessions were organized around COBA’s core objectives—Performance, Achievement, Leadership, and Scholarship (PALS)—allowing attendees to align their schedules with their professional goals.
  • Sponsorship Management: Sched’s platform made it easy to create tiered sponsorship packages and display sponsor logos prominently, ensuring sponsors felt valued while contributing to student scholarships.
  • Enhanced Logistics: Attendees could pre-select meal options, helping the organizers coordinate with food vendors seamlessly.

The Results: A Tailored Experience for Attendees

For the first time, attendees had a fully personalized event experience. They could view all sessions in advance, select their areas of interest, and see pinned keynote presentations that were central to the event. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive.

“Our attendees loved being able to see everything organized by our objectives,” Traci shares. “For instance, those focused on leadership could easily find sessions tailored to their needs, while others could explore workshops on Black student achievement.”

Sched’s user-friendly interface and the ability to pin key sessions created clarity and engagement for all 400 to 425 attendees, from administrators to community members. Even sponsors benefited, with their contributions directly funding scholarships for high school seniors.

Dr. Travis Brandy, President of COBA, played a key role in driving the adoption of Sched. “After seeing its success at our Principal’s Learning Institute, we knew this was the right tool for us,” he noted.

Advice for Event Planners

After using Sched, COBA has advice for other K-12 organizations looking to elevate their events:

  1. Prepare in Advance: Have session details, presenter information, and sponsorship tiers ready before setting up the platform.
  2. Leverage Support: Take full advantage of Sched’s customer service and user guides. “Their resources were a lifesaver,” Traci notes.
  3. Think About Your Audience: Use Sched’s customization options to tailor the experience for different attendee groups.

Looking Ahead: Celebrating Milestones with Sched

As COBA gears up for their 50th Black Child Conference next year, they’re already planning to use Sched to make the milestone event even more memorable. “Sched has transformed the way we plan,” Traci says. “It’s a tool that every organization should consider.”

Whether you’re planning a small workshop or a large conference, Sched’s platform simplifies the process and empowers you to deliver an exceptional experience. Schedule a demo today and discover how Sched can help you achieve your goals.

Make your own success by starting Sched for free now! 

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If you’re inspired by this story, then let’s get you started today with your own year-round professional development and teacher training planning.

With special discounts for education, there really is no better choice in event management software.