Communicating & Engaging the Public on Education Data

1. Communicating & Engaging the Public on Education Data Illinois Special Education Directors’ Conference Rick J. Kaufman, APR Executive Director of Community Relations Bloomington (MN) Public Schools

2. Communication Process • Effective Communication • Assessing Communication Strategies • Audience Identification • Communication Plan • Public Engagement • Communication Methods & Medium • Media Relations • Other Considerations IL Special Ed Directors

3. HierarchyofEffective Communication • One-to-one, face-to-face • Small group discussion/meeting • Speaking before a large group • Phone conversation • Handwritten, personal letter • Mass-produced, non-personal letter • Brochure or pamphlet • Article in newsletter • News carried in popular press • Advertising in media IL Special Ed Directors

4. “Most people worry about how they’re going to communicate before they even think about what it is they want to say, to whom and why.” IL Special Ed Directors

5. Assessing Communication Strategies • Who needs to know this? • What do they need to know? • What is the best time and vehicle to communicate this? • What are available resources? • How will we know the message has been received? IL Special Ed Directors

6. WHAT do you want to communicate? • How is data gathered? • How much is the reporting of data “new” in each state? • How and when will data be shared? • What does data mean? • What are school districts, state doing to improve results? NOTE: Bridge results with what you said you were going to achieve or tell audiences how you will attain objective. IL Special Ed Directors

7. Audience Identification • Primary • Secondary • Tertiary IL Special Ed Directors

8. WHO do we communicate to? • Special Education Directors • School Districts/Superintendents • Parents • Advocacy Groups (e.g. local, state, racial, ethnic, etc.) • Legislators • Government & Business Leaders • Media • Communities • Others? IL Special Ed Directors

9. WHY do we communicate with … ? • Special Education Directors- frontline folks; help shape critical relationship w/ state- influencers • School Districts/Superintendents- key communicators & decision makers • Parents- key communicators • Advocacy Groups- key communicators- influence legislation- outspoken critics or supporters IL Special Ed Directors

10. WHY do we communicate with … ? • Legislators- write, approve legislation- often loudest critics • Government & Business Leaders- critical supporters- interest is in good schools • Media- gatekeepers- see themselves as “objective” watchdog, but often harsh critics • Communities- democratic process IL Special Ed Directors

11. Effective Communication • Putting out STUFF does little to influence people’s opinions or change their behavior. • Target message to audience. • Most effective messages, approach can best be determined when considering the needs, interests of individual audiences. IL Special Ed Directors

12. Effective Communication • Most parents are conscious of their child’s school’s data; some interest in comparing with neighboring school, district. • Heightened interest is more evident with parents of special education students. IL Special Ed Directors

13. Effective Communication • One or two key messages help your audience to focus on what is most important. • A simple, direct message will get and keep your audience’s attention. • Be upfront about the data; good or bad. IL Special Ed Directors

14. HOW do we communicate? • Communication Plan- Audience (be specific)- Communication method or medium- Specific dates for completing communication steps- Identify person(s) responsible for completing steps- Evaluate (ask: were we successful? Why or why not?) • Other Plan Considerations- Why you want to communicate w/ specific audiences- Identify specific goals a communication plan will achieve- Draft key messages IL Special Ed Directors

15. HOW do we communicate? • Strategy session with…- School districts- Special ed parents, advocacy groups- Key communicators KEY HERE is to involve school districts, parents and advocacy groups in developing communication plan (creates buy-in or sense of ownership), OR sharing results before going public (data embargo?) to give them time to prepare for media & public questions. IL Special Ed Directors

16. HOW do we communicate? • Develop key messages- key messages help audience to focus on most important.- simple, direct messages will get and keep audience attention.Remember WHAT you want to communicate:- how is data gathered- what does data mean … good and bad- data is information and information is useful- data is one piece in determining how well students are doing- what are schools, school districts and state doing to improve - future reporting and SPP work IL Special Ed Directors

17. HOW do we communicate? • Media- meet w/ reporter and editor; goal is for fair, balanced stories and supportive editorials- press release (stick to key messages)- press conference (another forum for key messages)- advocates write supportive letters to editor, guest editorials • Web site (both state & districts) • Public Forums IL Special Ed Directors

18. Were you successful? • Evaluating results of communication plan is crucial to future efforts, success of relationships. • At every opportunity ask audiences if state is doing enough to communicate, how it can improve. IL Special Ed Directors

19. Were you successful? • Use follow up meetings to gauge effectiveness of work, build on relationship. • Were media stories balanced? Editorials supportive of efforts of state, schools? Letters to the editor supportive? IL Special Ed Directors