Here are a few dreams we’ve helped achieve.
Camdenton R-III School District thought it could never pass a bond and then passed one with flying colors.
Normandy Schools Collaborative passed a bond for the first time since the 1960s.
Cheney USD 268 tested 15 ideas with pre-election research, and all 15 were supported by their patrons.
Andover Public Schools wanted a pool – and got it.
What we’ve learned
These five stages aren’t necessarily in order or linear. There can definitely be some overlap. But in our experience, when all five stages are in place, winning a bond issue is much easier. The first step is getting your internal stakeholders singing from the same page in the hymnal.
In our experience, there are five distinct stages involved with passing bond issues or making other dreams come true
TALKING
You should have a robust communications plan that reaches ALL your patrons – not just frequent fliers. Few communication vehicles do this more readily than a printed newsletter mailed to every household. This is often the “missing link” in communication plans. It’s critical that your newsletter is more than a puff piece. You need to be talking about what the district needs.
ENGAGING
A Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) is a great way to hear from a cross-section of your patron population and get people involved who ordinarily shun the process of communicating their ideas to you. If you are doing it right, a CAC will help you identify potential potholes and help you get your ideas ingrained at the grassroots level.
PLANNING
Whether it’s strategic planning or facilities planning, you should include large numbers of patrons in the planning process. You should hear from at least 1,000 voices and make sure that you begin to cultivate those voices into supporters.
LISTENING
Telephone surveys are priceless as a way of testing ideas and tax tolerance prior to a bond issue. Online surveys and State-of-the-District surveys provide great input from “captured audiences,” like staff and parents. And you can’t just listen. You must be ready and willing to incorporate the ideas you are hearing.
WINNING
When it comes time to go to the ballot box, make sure you have a campaign calendar that starts at least 90 days out and hits every “stakeholder” group you have. More than one dream has been derailed with poor campaign planning. It’s worth the time and money to get this stage right.
