District Administration - April 2006 - (Page 80)

DISTRICT FINANCE name of the game is to get out your bond measure itself. Every district You can increase your odds of win- base. Even if polling tells you that it's has a list of top priorities, but those n i ng by paying attention to some worthwhile, or necessary, to try to relatively simple rules. Every district doesn't necessarily correspond to convince some people on the fence, what the electorate is willing to pay is unique; even experts that have the typical formula is: Hold your own for. Run some polls and fi nd out worked on dozens of campaigns can't with the persuasion voters, do well offer a set of phrases that make every what items are appealing enough to with the yes turnout vote and you'll provide enough yes votes to win. If voter nod approvingly or a list of win the measure. insisting on spending money for a projects that always garner support. Sophisticated surveys can tell new laptop for every high school stu- But if you follow the six steps below, you with some certainty the demo- dent will cause the district to lose the you have a much better chance to be g r a ph ic s and location of your sup- bond, drop it. celebrating when the polls are closed. p or t er s . Then try to connect with We do a lot of polling early on 1. them three or four times before and get a sense of what voters want the election with tightly targeted to support. You've got to sprinkle appeals that are seen by your sup- some sugar on the bran. We're sure LAY THE GROUNDWORK NOW p or t er s and your supporters only, we fund what we need, with a mix of like postcards or events in particu- things we can highlight, says Glenn W hen a bond issues flounders, it's la r neighborhoods. In this kind of Gritzner, who was special assistant to often because too many voters went campaign, broad appeals like ads in the superintendent in the Los Angeles to the polls with a poor opinion of the local paper and gimmicks such Unified School District through three the school district, anything from lag- as high school cheerleaders stand- bond issues in the last four years that g i ng test scores to an old argument i ng downtown with signs during totaled more than $10 billion. between two board members that rush hour are usually a bad idea. You may even fi nd that the votes played out in the press. Come elec- They're unlikely to change anyone's just aren't out there to pass any t ion day, you want people thinking mind and because they're witnessed ballot initiative right now. While about how the money will improve by everyone, your work is as likely disappointing, it's better to know student's education, and not nursing to remind the no voters to get out beforehand and hold off than to gear some grudge. By reaching out before to vote as your supporters. up and suffer a dispiriting defeat. the bond is even on the ballot, you Maybe you come back in six months can create invaluable goodwill. 4. 4. or a year, instead, says Campbell, In the Everett Wash. Public who has consulted on nearly 20 bal- Schools District, director of communi- lot initiatives for districts around the cations Gay Campbell mails letters to Pacific Northwest. Why spend the CREATE A STRONG INSIDE/ about 100 homes near every elemen- time and money now? Why train the OUTSIDE TEAM tary and middle school in the district. voters to think you can't win? Hand addressed and signed by each For almost every state, school districts principal, the letters keep neighbors aren't allowed to spend resources 3. who don't have school-age children a nd that includes employees' time on informed about school news, especially lobbying to pass a ballot. So you need anything that might be disruptive, like a citizens committee to print and dis- MOTIVATE YOUR FRIENDS, new bus routes. The whole tone of the tribute flyers and postcards, organize IGNORE YOUR ENEMIES letters is, `We want to be good neigh- meetings, speak to reporters, buy any bors,' she says. We select people who ads, etc. Choosing your citizens com- T he conventional wisdom on school we think will help with word of mouth. mittee can be a crucial step. Along bond issues is that most people know We want to build a relationship with with obvious supporters such as how they feel about more money for them, so they'll trust us to be able to construction firms and affected labor schools before they've even heard the spend their money wisely. unions, aim for bringing in high-pro- details and it's very hard to change file endorsements. their minds. Under these circum- 2. T he more community leaders st a nces, your best strategy is to work you can put on your side, the better: to motivate the yes voters to get realtor's association, the chamber of to the polls, and don't spend much BUILD THE BALLOT commerce, ministerial association. time, money or effort to try to con- You've got to get people in the com- v i nce no voters to reconsider. In the P repa rat ion is even more important mu n it y who are trusted to support parlance of the 2004 election, the when the time comes to write the 80 April 2006 District Administration bond.w.indd 80 3/20/06 10:59:19 AM

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of District Administration - April 2006

Contents
Editor's Letter
Letters
Update
Inside the Law
Curriculum Update
Administrator Profile
District Profile
Measuring Value
Budget Talk
Underfunded
Are Your Schools Competitive?
Back from the Brink
Rigorous Expectations
Getting Connected
How to Get Your Bond Passed
The Online Edge/Odvard Egil Dyrli
Speaking Out/Gary Stager
Research Corner
Problem/Solution
Leadership Books
New Products
By the Numbers

District Administration - April 2006