1. CHAPTER 16 COMMUNICATING SCHOOL FINANCE ISSUES

2. Vouchers to attend private schools will be a point of discussion and contention for years to come. This is especially true in an area like southern Louisiana where a large private school system has been part of the community for centuries. This will also be a point of political focus where schools are graded through accountability procedures to be “failing”.

3. QUESTIONS TO ADDRESS – It has been suggested that the public schools answer these questions to meet the challenge of vouchers to allow children to attend private sector schools. However, the schools, public and private, should be answering these questions in an ongoing quest to provide the best possible education to all children. 1. Do we know now what people like about our schools? 2. Do we know now what people don’t like about our schools? 3. How are we involving people in our schools? 4. Do we do anything to recognize outstanding graduates of our schools? 5. What are we doing to ask people for money for our schools? 6. Do we consider our employees our most important audience? 7. What are we doing to communicate with influential leaders in the schools and in the community? 8. What are we doing to keep our “customers”?

4. SUGGESTIONS TO GET PEOPLE TO CHOOSE YOUR SCHOOLS SUGGESTIONS TO GET PEOPLE TO CHOOSE YOUR SCHOOLS 1. Do an excellent job of teaching and retain only good teachers. 2. Understand how people accept change and use that knowledge. 3. Establish a key communicators program. 4. Build a large high school alumni group. 5. Invite more people into the schools. 6. Emphasize to all employees that just about everyone know at least one school employee and that person effects school perception

5. 7. Understand that the perception of discipline difficulties is the key reason parents do not choose the school. 8. Be sure everyone is customer-service oriented. 9. Develop a program to build pride n the schools. 10. Involve as many citizens as possible in the schools. 11. Conduct focus panels with students and parents to determine what they like and don’s like about the schools. 12. Brainstorm with staff to get marketing and public relations ideas.