What does it mean for a school to go fractional? After my conversation with Pete Moore of Oak Hill School, I heard from more listeners about fractional services than almost any other topic, and nearly all of them were asking some version of that question. So I invited back two people who do this work every day: Mattingly Messina, Founder of Throughline, who serves schools in advancement and fundraising, and David Hanson, Founder of Winthrop and Associates, who supports the business side of schools with services that include fractional CFO and COO work. Together, they offer a clear working definition, separating fractional from interim and outsourcing, and explain why this model is gaining momentum as schools look for specialized expertise that may not exist in their local market. From there, the conversation moves from definition to decision, anchored by a simple four-step framework David and Mattingly use to help schools decide whether and how to go fractional. Mattingly describes three types of schools that benefit from fractional support, from the well-resourced school managing a transition to the smaller school that treats a fractional leader as its long-term solution. David shows how an enterprise risk framework, built in the fall to inform the winter budget, helps schools plan for fractional help before a crisis instead of during one. They share what a strong engagement looks like in practice, including weekly reporting, a seat at leadership team meetings, and a scope built around the real rhythm of the work. The episode closes with David walking through that framework step by step. Schools start by assessing their needs, capacity, and gaps. They then clarify what stays in-house and what the fractional partner will own, evaluate both the financial case and the practical considerations of giving an outside partner access to systems and data, and finally plan what success should look like a year or 18 months out. David encourages schools to spend the most time on that last step, and both guests share a belief that the best fractional partners leave a school stronger than they found it. Want to put this framework to work at your school? David and Mattingly built two free resources to go with this conversation: the Fractional Pathway Matrix and the Fractional Readiness Discussion Guide. Bring them to your next leadership team or board conversation to map where fractional support fits and talk through whether your school is ready. Get both resources here. Top 5 TakeawaysFractional Leadership is an Intentional Strategy, Not Just an Interim Fix: True fractional engagements are planned, strategic decisions that bring specialized expertise into key roles, differing from emergency interim solutions designed solely to fill a vacant seat.Focus on Specialized Skill Sets Over Cost Savings: While fractional roles can save money, treating them purely as a cost-cutting measure often leads to mismatched skills; the main value lies in acquiring targeted, high-level expertise when needed.Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) Drives Talent Strategy: Aligning fractional needs with an Enterprise Risk Matrix allows leadership teams to identify operational gaps early and budget for specialized help well before a crisis occurs.AI and Evolving Tools Will Reshape Staffing Models: Non-student-facing departments, such as advancement and finance, are expected to shrink in direct full-time count over the next decade as automation takes hold, and fractional expertise fills remaining gaps.Fractional Leaders Must Be Fully Embedded: To succeed, fractional experts need deep engagement, participating in weekly leadership team meetings and building trust across campus rather than operating as distant outside consultants.
