Famous Quotes in School Millage History

Famous Quotes in School Millage History

“The school board and administration will just waste the money anyway. They’re crooks.”

“My kids are done with school, so I am done paying for it. Let someone else pay for it.”

“It didn’t have an elevator when I went there, and we

don’t need one now. We just carried the handicapped kids up the steps.”

“I am voting no because the break room for teachers is too big and the bus is always late. Plus, the teachers are

paid way too much.”

The Bond Campaign Soup to Nuts:

A Full Course of Planning and

Messaging Served Hot and Ready

67th Annual Convention

Presenters

Scott Rose

DLR Group Principal Assessment & Planning

Specialist

Karen Montovino

Planning & Messaging Specialist

#1 Education Design Firm in the World

(Source: World Architecture, 2012)

21 offices coast-to-coast and in China

Community Consensus Experts

86% Avg. Bond Passage Record (nationally)

Bond Size: $4M - $450M

Building assessments: over 100 million SF

Agenda



Assessments & Planning



Know the Rules



The Active Campaign



The Bond Did Not Pass



Case Studies



Questions

THE TAKE AWAY:

Meeting 1: Understanding the Needs

Long Range Educational

Planning is both TAKING and CREATING a Journey with the Entire Community

Meeting 6: Taking Next Steps Meeting 2: Dialoguing the Impacts Meeting 3: Creating the Outline Meeting 4: Finding Common Ground Meeting 5: Finalizing the Details

PHASE 1 PREPARATION

PHASE 1 PREPARATION

NEW SCHOOL

PHASE 1 PREPARATION

LEARNING

PHASE 1 PREPARATION

• Critical Maintenance • Safety and Security • Educational Equity • Capacity and Grade Configuration • Technology Status

Facility Report Card (FCI)

GRADING & BUDGETING

April

Workshop 1: Define your Vision!

May

Workshop 2: Precedent and Tours

May

Workshop 3: Refine the Vision

June

Workshop 4: Exploring Learning Environments

June

Workshop 5: Organizing the Environments

July

Workshop 6: Defining Attributes

August

Workshop 7: Ta Da!

PHASE 3 DISCOVERY

What is most important: that all elementary schools are equitable in class size and have space for support

programs, or having small building enrollments (i.e. smaller schools) 1 2 3 0% 0% 0%

1. Equitable

2. Small enrollments

3. I Don’t Know

PHASE 3 DISCOVERY

ENGAGEMENT

Would you support closing schools, if it would

provide cost savings and expanded educational opportunities? 1 2 3 0% 0% 0%

1. Yes

2. No

3. Maybe with

more information

PHASE 3 DISCOVERY

ENGAGEMENT

PHASE 3 DISCOVERY

PHASE 4 SOLUTIONS

PHASE 5 REFINEMENT

DISTRICT-WIDE VALUE

 Clear scope at every site

 Illustrative and narrative

SCHEDULE

 KEY MESSAGE POINTS – Do First Things First!

 Develop from your plan and message points:

 Supporting basic plans and images

 Figures in simple terms

 FAQ Sheet (you will ADD to this)

 Break down by site

THE PLAN

Your Communications Plan

Weekly Messages

Register to Vote Warm, Safe, Dry Overcrowding

Consequences of a No Vote Financials

Every Student Benefits FAQ

Vote

Distribution Channels

Backpacks and Mailers Website

Facebook Marquee Signs Staff Email Blasts IN PERSON FORUMS

PHASE 6 COMMUNICATION

District:

0 to 2,370 followers in two months

Vote YES Group:

0 to 708 followers in two weeks

PHASE 6 COMMUNICATION

Did You Know…

of students say their parents have no idea how they are doing in school.*

1/3

of all students report that their parents don't care whether they make good grades in school or not.*

1/6

of parents consistently attend school programs….more than 40 percent never do.*

1/5

survey of 10,000 public school teachers show 47

percent say families are less involved in their children's education now than five years ago.**

47%

*From Beyond the Classroom: Why School Reform Has Failed and What Parents Need to Do by Lawrence Steinberg, **Gates Foundation survey

“KNOW” Your Millage Rules

The community must be

engaged in helping

craft the facilities

solution on the ballot

“KNOW” Your Millage Rules

Rule #1

10 Critical Planning Items to have in place before the board authorizes an election:

1. Scientifically understanding the public, the parents and your key

messaging….i.e. Surveys!

2. Prioritize educational goals

3. Discuss and solve parity & equity

4. Incorporate community expectations & culture

5. Analyze demographics

6. Integrate technology

7. Focus on safety & security

8. Accommodate future trends in learning & facilities

9. Optimize use of existing sites &

facilities, while anticipating future site & facility needs

10. Establish realistic schedules & budgets

Curriculum

Operations

Have you ever voted for someone or some issues on a ballot where you did not know the

candidate or the reason the issue was on the ballot? 1 2 0% 0%

1. Yes

2. No

Vested Voter apathy is

your enemy: Defeat it

USE YOUR DATA!!

“KNOW” Your Millage Rules

Rule #2

Make sure the ENTIRE

school board is in

support AND active in

the campaign.

“KNOW” Your Millage Rules

Rule #3

“KNOW” Your Millage Rules

Tangible Educational Benefits

of a “YES” vote and the

Consequences of a “NO”

vote must be formalized and

understood within the Vested

Voter Ranks.

“KNOW” Your Millage Rules

Don’t let the “YES”

committee drive/lead

the education effort

In the first half of 2012, Nationally* which

gained the most public approval?

1 2 0% 0% 0 of 5

1. School Millages

for Construction

2. School Tax Levies

for operations

*California, Florida, Illinois,

Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Oregon,

Washington and Wisconsin

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 School Millages School Tax Levies

44.3%

How well do

you know

Every District has

two audiences

with distinct

differences and

“KNOW” Your Millage

Audience

A registered voter whose

children will directly benefit from the solution at some point in their education. A registered district employee living in the district.

“KNOW” Your Millage Audience

Everyone else.

Vested Voter Expectations

Typical Vested (ranked in order of importance) 1. Quality of Education/Performance

2. Classroom Space Needs/Size 3. Fair School Boundaries

4. School Safety

5. Technology Access 6. Overall School Size

7. Athletic Competitiveness/Opportunities

8. Taxes (Value)

9. Non-sport Extra Curricular Opportunities 10.Bus Route/Walking Distance

Non-Vested Voter Expectations

Typical

Non-Vested

1. Taxes

2. District Quality Perception

3. Elected Leaders Credibility

4. District Leaders Credibility

5. Athletic Performance

6. Quality of Education/Performance

District Leadership

Vested Voter Informed

District Prepares “Bible” to Educate School Leadership Engaged /Accountable Targeted Information Reminders Delivered FAC T B ASED E FFORT

Vested Party Informers

District Mission

Architect/ Financial

District Leadership

Vested Voter Informed

District Prepares “Bible” to Educate School Leadership Engaged /Accountable Targeted Information Reminders Delivered Visible Steering Committee (SC)

Community Patrons Informed SC Uses “Bible” to Promote Community Leadership Informed/Engaged Targeted Promotional Reminders Delivered FAC T B ASED E FFORT Architect/ Financial PR OMOT IONAL E FFORT

Vested Party Informers Non-Vested Patrons

Vested Voter Engagement

DISTRICT MATERIALS

Vested Voter Engagement

PAC MATERIALS

When do you think you start promoting a

millage election?

2. 8-12 weeks before election day

3. Day after last

millage election 4. Upon Board

approval

In your opinion, are Vote YES committees used more or less to educate the public about millage votes than 10 years ago?

1 2 3 0% 0% 0%

1. More

2. Less

3. The same as 10

years ago

Social Media

What percentage of moms (vested voters)

use Facebook?*

1. 1 in 10

2. 4 in 10

3. 6 in 10

4. 9 in 10

Where do more Parents go Online to

get School Information?

1 2 0% 0%

1. District website

2. Facebook /

Twitter

According to Ipsos North

America, a market research firm:

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 District website Facebook/Twitter 26% 57%

Did You Know…

1 in 9

pieces of content are shared on Facebook each month

30 billion

average tweets per day occur on Twitter

190 million

users are added to Twitter each day

500,000

Source: Facebook November 2012

people on the Earth are on Facebook

Lead, don’t follow. The

conversation will

happen, initiate it and

become the go-to

source for information.

“KNOW” Your Social Media Rules

Rule #1

Post regularly. Stay in

front of your followers.

“KNOW” Your Social Media Rules

Rule #2

Identify a team of

individuals to refute

negative posts.

“KNOW” Your Social Media Rules

Rule #3

Would you hire this individual?

1 2

0% 0%

Facebook Post:

…I tried to explain that the "facts"

and figures are false and that much of what is on the millage is not needed. Believe me, I do my best in conversations, but I have to be careful. I really would like to

have a job someday as a teacher in this district. :) LOL

0 of 5

1. Yes 2. No

Be the buzz around and

on election day. Send

calendar reminders to

vote.

“KNOW” Your Social Media Rules

Rule #4

I WENT OUT FOR A BOND

AND IT DID NOT PASS.

FIND OUT WHY IT FAILED

GENERAL RULES

• Upper 40’s – Apathy killed it

• Mid to lower 40’s – A divisive issue • Below 40 – Fundamentally flawed

WASHINGTON

CASE STUDY

First Election

• May 2011 Bond election

• $125 million for additions to high school,

junior high, and1 middle school; new elementary and one replacement elementary; miscellaneous repairs throughout

Why didn’t it pass?

 Worst election cycle in 20 years  Wrong plan for the community  Not clear enough with needs

Second Election

• Nov. 2013 Bond election

• $195 million for new high school, partial

replacement of one elementary; miscellaneous repairs throughout

Why?

 Simple, concise message

 A vision and plan that energized the

community

 Clear on consequences  Better economy

OREGON

District Demographics



Resident population = 4,500



District enrollment = 1,130

 Elementary School enrollment = 550  Junior High enrollment = 180

Millage History

 4 Bond elections:

 Nov. 2008 - $26.5 million

 Nov. 2010 - $26.5 million (QSCB funds)  May 2011 - $10.5 million (same cost)  May 2012 - $10.5 million (passed by 9

May Success Rate • 2009: 2/4 Pass 50% • 2010: 2/3 Pass 67% • 2011: 6/12 Pass 50% • 2012: 5/6 Pass 83% • 2013: 4/10 Pass 40% Total: 19/35 Pass 54%

November Success Rate

• 2009: 2/3 Pass 67% • 2010: 1/8 Pass 11% • 2011: 0/2 Pass 0% • 2012: 4/6 Pass 67% • 2013: 2/11 Pass 18% Total: 9/30 Pass 30%

Election Results Since May 2009*

*: May 2009 was first since Measure 56, ending Oregon’s “double majority” requirement

The Plan

–

ALL STUDENTS BENEFIT



Safety at the elementary school



Phase 2 of the middle school

replacement



Safety, heat, and critical systems at

the High School

New Approach in 2012



Engaged wider planning group for buy-in

& volunteer force



Directly targeted information to vested

voters – overcome apathy



No yard signs, posters, or big rallies



They determined in a small rural

community, the campaign is different.

You have to not rile the “No” voter – get

EVERY vested voter to vote

Grass Roots

• Repeat back Q&A from planning

• Straight forward millage information

• Key message points

• Engaging Staff

• Educating parents

• Business community impacts AND benefits

• Which tools do OUR voters use

Victory in May 2012!

High School &

Elementary work near completion Middle school under

The “Know” Your Millage Do’s / Don’ts

Recruits strategically, organized, focused, proactive process.

Avoids summer and board

elections. Ideal time: Thanksgiving to Christmas. Fall is better than Spring

Lives by the 20-60-20 rule of school campaigns.

Educates the committee / public with tangible benefits of voting YES AND the consequences of a NO vote

Makes sure the ENTIRE school board is in support AND active in the

campaign.

Unorganized, reactionary process,

totally volunteer

Vote date is dictated by building occupancy need, construction time line or non-strategic decision

Focuses on one or both of the 20%

Focuses only on benefits of passage

Ignores the power of one Successful Unsuccessful

Runs a dual path campaign:

• Path one, run by the district, targets the vested voters

• Path two, run by bond committee targets patrons/community

Tax pain threshold is factored into solution and master plan

Scientifically knows what the community wants and expects

Ballot issue is “perceived” to be about education and kids

Builds “this project is a no brainer”

consensus prior to ballot vote.

Confident bond will pass prior to vote

Runs a single shotgun path campaign

Needs AND wants drive final solution

Assumes they know via public forums or word of mouth).

About admin, board, taxes, brick & mortar, or the construction costs

Predetermined solution and schedule drives ballot process

No clue if it will pass, buts lots of hope.

Successful Unsuccessful

THANK YOU!

Scott Rose, 503-274-2675, [email protected]