MSBA/MASA Conference Presentation

 23 years crawling around inside people’s heads  Team of 7  Based in Kansas City, with more than 130 K-12 clients in 11 states  Part communicator/part data nerd The obligatory “a little bit about me” slide

Common ground found in successful districts, no matter the demographics:  Perception of classroom success  Support for teachers  Awareness/interest in district  Participation in district life  Feeling “in” on things  Believe the district is interested in solving problems What caught our interest?

The common theme? Trust. Districts that take strategic steps to nurture trust have more success:  Enacting plans  Addressing concerns  Passing ballot issues  Limiting discord

See if you can guess the author of each of these quotes. First step: See what luminaries say on the subject of trust.

William Shakespeare “Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none.”

Ronald Reagan “Trust, but verify.”

Stephen Covey “Trust is the glue of life. It’s the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It’s the foundational principle that holds all relationships together.”

Eminem “Trust is hard to come by. That’s why my circle is small and tight. I’m kind of funny about making new friends.”

The Trust Project study was born. OK, so when that didn’t help…

About The Trust Project  Online study  Completed by 405 school district leaders  Asked about trust level of seven key audiences  For audiences with a high trust level, respondents were asked to offer evidence to justify their rating

Trust is strong, and getting better! The results; the one-sentence version

How does importance square with the current level of trust? Rank order of importance 1. Current district parents 2. Staff members 3. Current students 4. Biz/Community leaders 5. Non-parent patrons 6. Local govt. leaders 7. Local media

(Pretty well, for the most part) Rank order of importance 1. Current district parents 2. Staff members 3. Current students 4. Biz/Community leaders 5. Non-parent patrons 6. Local govt. leaders 7. Local media Rank order of current trust level 1. Current district parents 2. Local media 3. Current students 4. Biz/Community leaders 5. Local govt. leaders 6. Staff members 7. Non-parent patrons

How about proof? “Evidence” divided into two categories:  Tangible – evidence that can be specifically measured Numerically-based Not subject to different interpretations  Intangible – anecdotal, unmeasurable Perception-based “I think,” “I feel,” “I believe”

54% tangible  “General fund tax referendum passed 86% to 14%.” 46% intangible  “Asked for and got virtually complete silence during graduation exercises for the past three years.” Current parents (#1, in terms of importance)

Staff members (2) 50% tangible  “Staff surveys show a great deal of trust at the district level.” 50% intangible  “I believe, overall, the staff of our district trusts the decisions made.”

52% tangible  “The results from annual student surveys.” 48% intangible  “Just walk in the door. Our school is a happy and healthy place.”  A bonus one: “There is a low level of rebellion by the students.” Current students (3)

63% tangible  “We have a Leadership Council made up of 35 business and community leaders.” 37% intangible  “When we call on them for help or assistance, they respond enthusiastically.” Business and community leaders (4)

Non-parent patrons/residents (5) 66% tangible  “We passed a millage in every precinct, including the retirement community.” 34% intangible  “Our School Board meetings rarely see attendance from any non- employees.”

68% tangible  “We meet biannually with them.” 32% intangible  “They work with us any time we ask, and make comments about how good our students are.”  A bonus one: “The mayor sends his children to our school district.” Local government leaders(6)

60% tangible  “Editorial endorsement of levies for maintenance and operations, and technology.” 40% intangible  “We get called for media interviews when they want to localize a more global story.”  A bonus one: “The editor of our newspaper is the president of our School Board :).” Local media (7)

So, how well do the lists match up? Rank order of importance of stakeholder groups 1. Current district parents 2. Staff members 3. Current students 4. Biz/Community leaders 5. Non-parent patrons 6. Local govt. leaders 7. Local media

So, how well do the lists match up? Rank order of importance of stakeholder groups 1. Current district parents 2. Staff members 3. Current students 4. Biz/Community leaders 5. Non-parent patrons 6. Local govt. leaders 7. Local media Rank order based on the percentage of tangible trust “evidence” 1. Local govt. leaders 2. Non-parent patrons 3. Biz/Community leaders 4. Local media 5. Current district parents 6. Current students 7. Staff members

In other words… The three stakeholder groups whose trust is considered most important to the school district’s success are also the three groups where we are most inclined to “trust our gut” when measuring that trust.

 Intangible proof is like online research (any input is better than no input).  But tangible proof is the only way to know for sure if you are building and nurturing key relationships. Don’t get me wrong…

An organizing principle to measure trust and to chart a course to improve it. What’s the big I.D.E.A.?

“I” is for Investment Making (or increasing) a financial commitment to the district, a school, the school district’s foundation, or a specific program.

“I” is for Investment examples  A business in the community setting up (or expanding) an internship program.  An increase in the average donation to the school district’s foundation.  The donation of a piece of equipment that will enable the launch of a new course.

Statistically measurable improvement on a specific, strategic factor, from one time period to the next. “D” is for Data

 Results on an annual survey of the community.  Using staff surveys to measure (and improve) building “climate.”  More “yes” votes on a ballot issue in a region that has typically not been supportive.  Improvement in the graduation rate. “D” is for Data examples

Passive Engagement: A measurable increase in activities, requiring a commitment of time, when the school district, a school, a school district leader, etc. requests that participation. Active Engagement: A measurable increase in activities, requiring a commitment of time, which is suggested by the individual or organization making the commitment. “E” is for Engagement

 The number of sign-ups for “carnival duty.”  Parents recognizing a problem (funding a unique need, etc.) and presenting a solution that will be time-consuming for them.  An increase in the number of participants in a business “Roundtable” group.  A higher percentage of parents participating in parent/teacher conferences. “E” is for Engagement examples

“A” is for Advocacy A specific public statement (or other form) of support for a program, a ballot issue, a school district, etc. made by a member of the targeted group.

“A” is for Advocacy examples  Endorsement of a school district ballot issue by the local newspaper and/or a well-respected business leader.  An increase in the number of well- known and respected community members applying to join a district committee.  The debut of a media relations effort by a business that provides internship opportunities for district students.

I nvestment D ata E ngagement (two levels) A dvocacy I. D. E. A.

1. Start small. Find the “low-hanging fruit,” where data already exists. 2. Determine which ones of all the low-hanging fruit would have the biggest impact, if they were improved. 3. Get the right people involved. (Engage, don’t dictate.) 4. Set a modest stretch goal and determine when/how you will measure progress. 5. Identify strategies and tactics that will help achieve that goal. 6. Begin! Getting started

 If it has a number – or could have a number – it is a tangible measurement of trust.  If it relies on “I think,” “I believe,” or “I feel,” it is not a reliable measurement of trust. Always remember

Stakeholders only give their time, their money, or their pubic support to people and organizations they trust. That’s why this is what you measure. One final thought…

Thank you! Ken DeSieghardt Patron Insight, Inc (cell) Questions and comments?