Having trouble viewing the email? Click here.

September 2018

Be ready. D0n't get PAC'd

We’ve had great school district clients who have seen the ugly effects of outside influences and money on bond issue elections.

These districts – which did their diligence in facility planning, community conversations and structuring of their bond – had proposals that would solve problems, some with new construction and expansion, security enhancements, and renovations, for example. The price tags were reasonable but not pocket change. The general mood among the campaign committees was cautiously optimistic.

All of this can change with the arrival of a last-minute, well-funded attack campaign from the opposition, political action committees, best known as PACs.

Their goal is to scare, and they know just how to do it – by carpet-bombing the community with simple, frightening messages that breed mistrust and take the community’s eyes off who would benefit from passage of the proposal.

Don’t let a PAC get the best of your school bond election. Consider these tips to be prepared:

Have your ear to the ground. Listen/monitor for opposition at public forums and on social media and read all news coverage about your campaign.
Plan a “Just the Facts” campaign to counteract the PAC. This could include newspaper ads, radio ads, social media posts and direct mail. Create these items in advance, so everything is ready to go, if needed.
Engage in direct dialogue with known agitators; this is a good counter strategy.
Raise the budget in advance to support the “Just the Facts” campaign. This is typically an activity by the citizen’s “vote, yes” committee.

Patron Insight provides election campaign consultation. Let us help you plan for a potential PAC. Contact Rick Nobles at rick@patroninsight.com or (913) 484-0920.

Kansas City Kansas Public Schools ran a successful bond election in fall 2016. In preparation for potential opposition, with the help of Patron Insight, the district created a simple "Just the Facts" campaign. Fortunately, the campaign wasn’t needed.

Find out what stakeholders are really hearing about your district

Even the most seasoned communications professional knows that once a message leaves the sender, how it is interpreted is up those in the targeted audience. School district communicators have it doubly hard, because messages are coming from the district, and from individual schools and teachers.

Finding out where messages sent out (in print, electronically or via social media) align with what is being heard – and where they don’t – can help a school district better pinpoint how to adjust its communications to make more consistent, positive connections with stakeholders that are important to its success.

Patron Insight’s approach to such a project is a comprehensive, diagnostic process called a Communications Audit.

We begin with a review of a representative sample of outbound communications for the previous 18 months to two years, looking for themes in what the district and its schools are saying.

We interview the Board, the superintendent and all members of the Cabinet to find out what messages they believe are most important.

Then, using a variety of methods, we ask stakeholders what they hear most often.

Our report details key findings and makes recommendations to close any “gaps” among what is being said, what the district would like to say, and what is being heard. Check out a sample report on our website.

For more information about how this would work in your school district, contact Rick Nobles at rick@patroninsight.com or (913) 484-0920.

Welcome to our new client:

Boone County Early Childhood Coalition (Mo.)

Welcome back to these clients:

Emporia USD 253 (Kan.)
North Lyon County USD 251 (Kan.)
Santa Fe Trail USD 434 (Kan.)

Patron Insight, Inc
19733 Birch StreetStilwell, KS 66085 www.patroninsight.com
Contact Us

This email was sent to .
Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up to receive your own copy.