Helping You Solve for the Toughest Challenges in the K-12 and State Education Markets (SLED)

Challenge Case Study

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​Here is how Melody can help solve challenges, 

allowing your product to fit into the education

landscape and achieve higher sales growth rates

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• Team mentorship, support, and hands on direct involvement for tactical execution throughout the sales process

• Strategic sales plans that include GTM messaging, & prospect pain alignment 

• Dissection of public  funding and relevant budget alignment

• Procurement expertise (RFP responses, procurement rules etc)

• Building scalable repeatable sales processes, standing up or refining KPIs

• Closing and second voicing large, complex, multi million dollar deals

• Fostering a positive culture of high sales growth

• Lifting up sales targets from schools/districts to state agencies (SLED)

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Melody brings deep expertise in understanding several of the core education priorities outlined in the National Governor’s Association agenda. She not only understands the gaps across these verticals but also tracks budget allocations at both the state and district levels. This enables her to position products where funding and need align.

Her approach blends tactical precision with direct support to help teams win complex sales opportunities.

The following are core verticals and challenges that Melody is particularly equipped to address across the education sector, both at the state and local levels (SLED). These focus areas are front and center in 2025 and will remain priorities throughout the current presidential administration. Each topic has been filtered to governors, who determine where to act based on their state’s most pressing community needs

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CTE challenge:

33 states prioritized Workforce Development and CTE in their 2025 agendas, the most cited priority of the year​. Despite growing bipartisan support and funding, Career and Technical Education (CTE) remains fragmented and inequitable across the U.S. Many students, especially in rural and low-income communities lack access to high-quality CTE programs due to limited infrastructure, staffing, and transportation. Outdated career exploration tools, low awareness, and persistent stigmas hinder student engagement. Meanwhile, weak alignment between CTE offerings and regional workforce needs, combined with a lack of real-time data to track outcomes and employer engagement, prevents states from scaling effective, future-ready CTE systems.

K12 Funding formula challenge:

32 states prioritized addressing the K12 funding formula in their 2025 agendas. Despite record investments and renewed attention from governors, K-12 funding systems remain inadequate, outdated, and often inequitable. Many states still rely on decades-old formulas that fail to account for modern student needs, especially in low-income, rural, and high-cost urban districts. As a result, funding is often misaligned with the populations that need the most support (such as English learners, students with disabilities, and those living in poverty). Additionally, districts lack tools to strategically plan, track, and link spending to student outcomes, making it difficult for policymakers to measure return on investment or ensure funding drives academic improvement.

Teacher workforce crisis:

26 states prioritized addressing the teacher workforce crisis. Schools across the country are struggling to find and keep qualified educators, especially in high-need subjects and underserved areas. Many aspiring teachers face costly, complicated certification processes, and new teachers often leave early due to lack of support. While states are investing in salaries and recruitment programs, most systems still don’t offer enough coaching, mentorship, or real career pathways. In addition, tools to help teachers do more with less is imperative. On top of that, leaders don’t have the data they need to understand what’s working or how to improve the pipeline.

Student mental health challenge:

21 states are asking the schools and educators to address student mental health. In the past, this was a taboo topic, only addressed after a student was in extreme crisis. The frequency of school shootings and COVID brought to light that an earlier intervention is advisable. Schools are facing a growing wave of acknowledging student mental health needs, but most lack the staff, tools, and systems to respond effectively. Counselors and mental health professionals are in short supply, especially in rural and high-poverty districts. Teachers are expected to notice and manage emotional concerns without proper training or support, adding to their burnout. Many students don’t feel safe or comfortable asking for help, and services that do exist are often reactive instead of proactive. Most schools also lack early warning systems and don’t have the data to track what interventions are working or where more support is needed.

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​School Choice/Education Scholarship challenge:

At least 21 states are poised to address school choice this year under the direction of their governor's offices. As Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) and school choice programs expand rapidly, many states are struggling to manage the operational demands. Parents face confusing applications, long wait times, and limited customer support. Digital wallet systems are often separate from compliance rules, leading to delays and frustration. Vendor approval processes are slow and inconsistent, making it hard for families to access services. At the same time, the public is calling for more oversight to prevent fraud and ensure accountability. Without better systems and support, states risk losing trust and limiting access to the very choices these programs aim to provide. This vertical is scaling at a rate so high that the current vendors in the space are unable to keep up with the demand soon coming into play.

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LET'S DISCOVER WHAT WE CAN ACCOMPLISH TOGETHER