By Barbara Fishkind
Make no mistake, public education is big business. It's not just about educating tomorrow's citizens, rather it's about running a smooth, efficient, cost-effective operation
that's responsible to taxpayers. The job of preparing our students for the 21st century work force is enormous.
Limited state aid in combination with rising local taxes leaves few options for management to raise revenues. Staffing needs, food services, books and supplies, union issues,
legal expenses, transportation, insurance, borrowing, land acquisition, medical insurance and myriad business concerns plague the business office on a daily basis.
The multi-million dollar school budget is not so different than the budget of a private company, except for the fact that the opportunities to raise revenue are extremely
limited in the public sector. In addition to seeking additional funding, public support for the school district is needed to build trust, improve the perception of the schools and
create a feeling of ownership among all constituent groups. That's the only way the public will be persuaded that taxes are "the cost of doing business."
And for taxpayers without children in school--and a great majority fall into this category--it takes a lot to convince them that they have an ownership stake in public
schools.
The best way to accomplish this goal is to keep the public informed, so communications is crucial. Sharing the district's achievements and explaining the issues and concerns
will go a long way to building that trust and a sense of belonging. However, PR for public schools isn't just about writing press releases for local papers. It's--surprise --
about establishing relationships with various constituent groups within a community. Here's how:
Providing realtors, the "gatekeepers of the community," with updated information and data about the school district enables real-estate brokers to spread the word about public
education. School districts need to invite realtors to "Informational Breakfasts" that include a tour of the building, (talented) student performances and a parent-panel
discussion. An especially effective panel is comprised of satisfied parents who transferred to the public schools from the private schools.
School District public relations personnel need to meet regularly with neighborhood association leaders who act as a conduit to the community, communicating concerns and
heading off confrontations. "Good news" postcards are sent regularly to community leaders to keep information current and accurate.
District-initiated Business Advisory Boards enable industry leaders to hear first-hand how students are being prepared for the work force and allows business people to provide
input into the educational curriculum.
Meeting regularly with religious congregations is a powerful vehicle for getting the word out to the community. School PR officials need to meet with religious leaders to
expand the dialogue, provide information and gain feedback. Public schools, connecting with the various service organizations in a community, provide a good collaboration for
student involvement, enabling adult members to serve as role models and mentors, while learning first-hand about the schools.
A school district-sponsored "town meeting" brings together all the constituent groups. Focus on community issues--not school issues--and prepare to highlight the schools'
achievements when residents, business owners and government officials plan to show up.
Sponsor a community photo contest. Not only does it instill pride in the community, but [the contest] can later be archived for school and community brochures, with credit
given to the community winner. Publicize events in non-traditional ways: placemats in restaurants, school menus, banners across Main Street, the district Web site,
church/synagogue newsletters, neighborhood association newsletters and bookmarks. For instance, a "District Holiday Card" can be created with student artwork and sent to all
volunteers in the community; once again highlighting the schools' achievements.
Additional means to build pride in the schools and community include sponsoring a community day at a local sporting event, publishing a coloring book of homes in the community,
establishing a Web site for students to connect with volunteer opportunities in the community, and producing a DVD or CD about the community for prospective homebuyers. Promote
homeownership by sponsoring "Homebuyer Workshops" with local banks.
PR pros possess the expertise to initiate and maintain a two-way communication system. Private businesses require marketing and public schools are no exception. Providing an
avenue of communication between the schools and community enables the voter to feel ownership of the school buildings and personnel they support. A successful business would not
do without a marketing plan and an implementation strategy. Why would a multimillion-dollar school district think that a blueprint for communication is not needed? The products
of public education, our children, will determine the future of our society. They deserve no less.
Barbara Fishkind, a public relations consultant for the public schools on Long Island, NY, is retired from the Bay Shore School District after 33 years of service. She also was
president of Long Island School Public Relations Association for two terms. She can be reached at [email protected]