Executive Viewpoint

Marketing Your District

Dr. Mike Hernandez, AAEA Executive Director

School administrators face many challenges every year. Some they are prepared for, and some they are not. One of those areas is a very real competition for students. School choice has been a growing trend in our nation and state. Parents have options such as choosing another traditional public school, homeschool, magnet schools, private schools, and charter schools. Our traditional public schools no longer have a guaranteed pool of students based on school district boundaries. This reality creates the challenge of remaining the school of choice in their community. In response to their expanding options, families today are open to exploring the best fit for their students. Many of us would argue that the local public school is the best option for any child. We believe this because of the miracles we see every day. Each district is also not without its warts, but overall, they are great places to be. So how do we get the average community stakeholder to see the valuable services local school districts offer and inspire them to participate? We also have to retain the families that are enjoying the educational programs at the local school district.

Today's administrators and staff need to understand why, when, where, and how to promote their schools to the community. Schools can thrive now by understanding how families select schools for their children. Like it or not, there is competition, and it appears this will continue to grow. I know this initially leaves passionate leaders with feelings of defeat, angst, and anger. Dwelling on the negative aspects costs schools valuable time and effort in attracting new students. For any school system to thrive, it must recognize the winds of change and adjust accordingly. A district can generate momentum through positive stories about the educational opportunities offered, but this alone is not enough. The families need to be better understood by administrators. What makes a parent choose a particular school? Of course, many parents opt to attend the local school that drives a big yellow bus up to their door and hope for the best. However, a growing number of parents research schools the same way they decide which restaurant to try in a new city or products they buy on Amazon. What are the customer reviews? How many stars did they get? Is their menu appealing? The data for schools is rich, but understanding everything out there is almost impossible. We have the ESSA School Index, letter grades, Niche rankings, and other online measurements of how a school is doing based on various indicators. Side note: ESSA School Index and letter grades will become publicly available soon, and communication will be vital in helping your stakeholders understand the big picture. The recent commissioner's memo has a communication toolkit and sample letter that can be useful in your communication strategy.

If one were to ask educators what it means to market their school, the answer would probably be to “get the word out.“ Again, this is important, but not necessarily the whole picture. According to the American Marketing Association, marketing is the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large. Yes, this has a very business sound to it, but a few things can help school leaders develop a richer approach to promoting their school district. Offerings that have value for customers and society at large stand out as items that warrant consideration of how this could apply to schools. What value does a school system have for the student and parent? What value does it have for society at large? More time should be spent developing your school's value proposition because some in society have forgotten, taken it for granted, or are distracted by the many options for education. In the long run, time spent on truly learning to market to and engage your community will pay dividends in the form of more families choosing your district for their educational needs.

Telling your story, engaging families, and marketing your district is the focus of the upcoming AAEA Fall Conference on October 18 at the Benton Event Center. I hope you will attend or send a staff member to grow knowledge in this critical area vital to attracting students to your district. You can see the agenda and register here. We cannot rely on practices or philosophies of the past. We must evolve and grow to meet these challenges head-on. I am excited to take this journey with you and am here to help in any way possible.