People

Patrick Schuermann, Ed.D.

Founder and CEO

Strategic Compensation and Coaching Partners

Nashville, TN

Patrick Schuermann is one of the nation’s leading experts in educator compensation. He currently serves as chief strategy and impact officer for Optima Independent, which develops immersive teaching and learning experiences for educators and students leveraging VR & spatial computing platforms. In previous roles at Vanderbilt University, Schuermann founded the Professional Leadership Institutes at the Peabody College for Education and Human Development, and he developed, and for 8 years directed, the Independent School Leadership Master’s Program there. In 2022, Schuermann served as the lead researcher for NBOA’s Mission-Anchored Compensation Strategies initiative, the most comprehensive assessment of compensation and benefits practices used in our independent school community to date.

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Online Courses

Budget Meets Mission: School Finance for Non-Business Leaders

Understand the independent school business model, learn to be a good steward of your school's financial resources and work more collaboratively around financial issues.
Engaging in Difficult Conversations with Employees

Learn to engage with employees in an empathetic manner while still clearly conveying important information and safeguarding your school from liability.
Human Resources Fundamentals for Independent Schools

Learn how to address day-to-day human resources challenges such as evaluation and termination, FMLA, the ADA and employee classification.
Leave Law Boot Camp

Learn about best practices related to employee leave and how federal leave laws intersect and overlap.
Long-Range Financial Modeling

Learn how to customize and manipulate NBOA's Long-Range Financial Model, a powerful financial planning tool for your school.
Measuring Financial Health with the Composite Financial Index

Calculate your school's Composite Financial Index (CFI) score — a tool trusted in higher education for decades — and learn how you can use the score and its 4 underlying ratios to think strategically about your school's financial strengths and weaknesses.
Nonprofit Accounting Fundamentals for Independent Schools

Learn the fundamentals of nonprofit accounting and reporting by exploring governance structures, internal control strategies, financial statements and compliance essentials.
Payroll Best Practices for Independent Schools

Learn about best practices related to payroll including employee classification and overtime pay, deductions and taxability and the complexity of calculating a faculty member’s final paycheck when they leave mid-year.
Safeguarding the Future: Enterprise Risk Management

This course will equip school leaders to identify, document and strategically manage the risks facing independent schools. It covers the principles of enterprise risk management (ERM) and provides tools and resources to institute an ERM program.
Stewarding Donor Dollars: Financial Principles for Contributions

Learn best practices related to gift reporting, compliance and donor stewardship, as well as how to develop a successful and strategic partnership between the financial and development functions at your school.
Strategic HR Leadership

Learn to develop and communicate your school's personnel management strategy and to be responsive to a changing market.
The Business and Art of Financial Aid

Learn tactical best practices related to the financial aid process to enhance the strategic partnership between the business and admissions offices and ensure long-term success.
Wage and Hour Boot Camp

Learn the ins and outs of wage and hour law, including the aspects that are unique to educational environments.

Past Webinars

Effortless Efficiency: Payroll to Performance This item is protected

April 13, 2026

Efficiency is paramount through the entire Human Resources function. In this webinar, HR leaders and business officers will explore how to streamline workforce management from payroll processing to performance evaluation.
Mission (and Margin) Possible: Leveraging Campus Assets This item is protected

March 30, 2026

From summer programs and rentals to strategic partnerships, schools can unlock new income streams. This webinar explores practical strategies to maximize underutilized assets, assess operational readiness, and design sustainable initiatives.
Blending Respect and Efficiency in the Business Office This item is protected

February 20, 2026

Join members of NBOA’s volunteer Human Resources Council for a practical discussion on strategies to safeguard your working hours without compromising collegial relationships —all while saving time.
Facing the Aftermath of Disaster: Lessons & Preparedness Strategies This item is protected

February 6, 2026

Hear firsthand experience navigating the Palisades Fire and discover practical lessons in evacuation, business continuity, board governance and emergency response planning to help your organization prepare for the unexpected.
Business Office & Admissions Partnering on Net Tuition Revenue This item is protected

January 23, 2026

It’s essential to manage enrollment and financial aid in a consistent, sustainable and predictable way — but doing so can be complex and challenging. Learn how established sustainable net tuition revenue targets support mission, program and budget.

Net Assets Articles

Seizing the AI Opportunity

April 21, 2026

Distinguished business officer and long-time innovator Nancy Greene explains how to turn curiosity about AI into real operational gains.
Spotting Opportunity for Innovation: Insights from the 2025-26 NBOA Leadership Academy This item is protected

April 21, 2026

Studying accounts payable and student attendance tracking revealed opportunities for larger systems integrations and efficiencies, using AI workflows.
Endowment Spend Policy: Methodology Matters

April 17, 2026

Which of the three most common methodologies most closely align with your school’s goals?
Benchmarking Business Office Staff This item is protected

April 14, 2026

Average salaries of hybrid staff were generally higher than in-person or remote staff, according to NBOA’s BIIS data analysis tool.
When Trust Needs Rebuilding, Reset the Story

April 7, 2026

What a high‑profile reset reveals about letting go of what no longer works — and why that matters for schools.

FEATURED

Plan Smarter with the Fully Updated and Expanded NBOA Long-Range Financial Model

The upgraded LRFM helps you model tuition, staffing, and revenue over 10 years. Build confidence in your school’s financial decisions—before they’re made.

RECENT DISCUSSIONS

NBOA CAREERS

Vice President for Finance ~ Beginning July 1, 2026

De La Salle High School
Upper School English and Journalism Teacher

St. Francis Episcopal School
Chief Financial Officer - The Windward School, White Plains, NY

The Windward School

VISIT CAREERS

Patrick Schuermann, Ed.D.

Online Courses

Budget Meets Mission: School Finance for Non-Business Leaders

Engaging in Difficult Conversations with Employees

Human Resources Fundamentals for Independent Schools

Leave Law Boot Camp

Long-Range Financial Modeling

Measuring Financial Health with the Composite Financial Index

Nonprofit Accounting Fundamentals for Independent Schools

Payroll Best Practices for Independent Schools

Safeguarding the Future: Enterprise Risk Management

Stewarding Donor Dollars: Financial Principles for Contributions

Strategic HR Leadership

The Business and Art of Financial Aid

Wage and Hour Boot Camp

Past Webinars

Effortless Efficiency: Payroll to Performance This item is protected

Mission (and Margin) Possible: Leveraging Campus Assets This item is protected

Blending Respect and Efficiency in the Business Office This item is protected

Facing the Aftermath of Disaster: Lessons & Preparedness Strategies This item is protected

Business Office & Admissions Partnering on Net Tuition Revenue This item is protected

Net Assets Articles

Seizing the AI Opportunity

Spotting Opportunity for Innovation: Insights from the 2025-26 NBOA Leadership Academy This item is protected

Endowment Spend Policy: Methodology Matters

Benchmarking Business Office Staff This item is protected

When Trust Needs Rebuilding, Reset the Story

FEATURED

Plan Smarter with the Fully Updated and Expanded NBOA Long-Range Financial Model

RECENT DISCUSSIONS

NBOA CAREERS

Vice President for Finance ~ Beginning July 1, 2026

Upper School English and Journalism Teacher

Chief Financial Officer - The Windward School, White Plains, NY

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