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The article focuses on the vendor transitioning process in schools districts which work with supply and service vendors. Topics discussed include vender review for consideration of changing vendors to improve quality of service, bid process which is required for specific contracts within a school district, and maintenance of interpersonal relations with district staff members and vendor management.

The article discusses the contracts school districts arrange with various vendors, such as food vendors or special education vendors, focusing on the need to review labor contracts in order to regulate school district finance. Topics include teacher union contract negotiations and their impact on school budgets, vendor fees that should be included in the contracts, as well as the importance of including a clause that allows districts to audit vendor expenses associated with the contract.

The article covers the search by the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for Colleges and Careers (PARCC) and the SMARTER Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) for vendors to write questions for the Common Core assessments. According to the article, PARCC will award a contract in April 2012 with the hope of implementing the test by 2014-2015. SBAC estimated that its contract would run until November 2013. U.S. states will then be given the choice of either the PARCC or SBAC assessments.

The article focuses on important considerations which must be included in the vendor contract to act as school official in an annual notification of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). The information which needs to be provided in the contract includes both directory and non-directory information. One should not be concerned about the student's right of nondisclosure in this case because the information is being provided to another school official. There should be an understanding that the agent is a school official who is well aware of FERPA implications.