Improving Communication Strategies for K-12 Districts

In 2018, the District Leadership Forum convened a cohort of districts from across the country for our inaugural District Communication Collaborative. It was a pleasure to get their input on what communication-related issues mattered most to their schools—and after talking to other districts about how they solve the same challenges, our researchers got to work.

We’ve created this resource center to host three toolkits that help districts handle their most pressing communication-related issues. Across the resources, you can find dozens of tools, audits, templates, and other resources to help leaders brand their districts, win community support, and communicate about student safety before, during, and after crisis events.

Creating an Effective District Communications Plan: Five Tools to Help Communicate Your District’s Value

Historically, public school districts have not engaged with their community with the same frequency and intensity that they do now and have not relied heavily on creating a strong public presence. Often, the first step is setting up your communications team:

This toolkit provides detailed, step-by-step instructions on how to better engage with the community, as well as a variety of tools to support districts in these efforts. Use these tools to create an effective communications plan that aligns with your district’s mission and goals. Download the toolkit.

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Winning the Public Vote: Ideas and Resources for Developing a Successful Referendum, Bond, or Levy Campaign

Securing community support is vital to win the public vote to meet your district’s needs. Success hinges on understanding community support from the outset and engaging the community through resonant messages.

This toolkit provides a roadmap for districts to make sure they consider important campaign components and timelines while providing flexibility for districts to tailor message delivery to specific community needs and preferences. It’s broken into four main areas:

Use these tools to increase the likelihood your district’s referendums are supported by the community and ultimately pass at the ballot box. Download the toolkit.

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Safety and Incident Communications Toolkit: Ideas and Tools for Improving District Safety Communications

Communicating safety information is critical to building and maintaining trust. Incidents can come in many forms and happen at any time—you can’t just communicate during or after a crisis, districts must take a proactive approach to safety and incident communications.

This toolkit provides a variety of tools for districts to better communicate with parents, students, and other community members about school safety. It’s broken into four main areas:

Use these tools to customize your district’s incident communication strategy and resources based on your individual capacity and needs. Download the toolkit.

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