5 Powerful Charter Renewal Tactics Your School Needs
Charter school renewals have become extremely challenging in states where the local school district has authorization. This is especially true when school district officials see charter schools as competitors draining their budget.
Therefore, the following concepts are particularly important if your charter school is located in a state whose education law requires a charter renewal every five years. In that case, schools need to apply the following five PR tactics as early as possible: Keep in mind, these are overarching tactics, not a comprehensive campaign, as so much more PR work needs to be done as you apply for renewal for your charter school’s charter term.
Develop a Strong Online Presence as Part of the Charter Renewal Process
In today’s digital age, having a strong online presence is crucial to the success of any business or organization. The same is true for charter schools. Charter schools need a website that is informative, visually appealing, simple to use, and full of helpful material. The website should provide parents and other stakeholders with all the information they need about the school, including information on its history, mission, policy, and financial information, and curriculum, along with administration, faculty, and staff bios. The website should be updated regularly with news and events happening at the school. Consider the website as the platform where you can control the school’s narrative,
Charter School Community Engagement as Part of the Charter Renewal Process
Charter schools should also engage with parents and the community to ensure their continued support. It’s not only a good idea but also the school’s responsibility. Such outreach can be done through regular newsletters, social media posts, and during events. Parents of students enrolled in the charter school want their children to feel involved in their education, and by keeping them informed about what’s happening at the school, charter schools can build a strong relationship with them. Posting regular updates and information about the school can help parents stay connected to their child’s educational experience and keep stakeholders informed of school events and activities. It can also help parents learn more about their children’s learning in class and how they can best support them.
Leverage Social Media – A 21st-Century Requirement
Social media is a powerful tool for any organization, and charter schools should use it to their advantage. Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram provide charter schools with an easy way to reach a wider audience and engage with their community. As we indicated in #2, by posting regularly, charter schools can keep parents and other stakeholders informed about what’s happening at the school. But seemingly mundane social media engagements can go a long way as it can help build trust in the school community by demonstrating transparency and accountability. That trust will come in handy when it’s time for the renewal of the charter as parental ground mobilization is crucial. Charter schools should adopt social media policies that not just spell out the dos and don’t of online conduct, but serves to remind users how important it is to leverage interactions with important events such as charter renewal and alumni relations in mind.
Highlight and Document Student Achievements With Charter Renewal In Mind
Charter schools should also highlight their students’ achievements. Similar to the above can be done through a variety of means, including newsletters, social media posts, and press releases. Nothing adds to an organization’s PR activities like media coverage in TV broadcast news, newspapers, and online news sites. By showcasing their students’ accomplishments, charter schools can demonstrate the quality of education they provide and build support for their renewal. Of course, schools should exercise caution and be selective when featuring students, and they must notify parents about their intent to publicize school activities. Parents should be allowed to request in writing that their children be kept from the media’s lens, and schools need to renew opt-out opportunities at the beginning of each year to comply with privacy policies.
Local Media Relationships for Charter Renewal Using Site Visits
Finally, charter schools should build relationships with local media outlets. This will increase opportunities for positive media coverage. Sending out press releases, inviting reporters to events, and offering faculty and staff interviews can accomplish this.
Charter schools should also ask the media to visit the building. Doing so will give school leaders the opportunity to show the press firsthand some of the wonderful things that happen each day. That way, you can back up assertions about the student experience that go well beyond data, academic performance frameworks, and accountability reports.
School board meetings are a monthly or regular opportunity to keep in touch with the press. Invite the media to attend each meeting. As a simple administrative task, be sure to send them the Board agenda and important documents in advance of each scheduled meeting date.
When it comes time to renew a charter, schools engaged in organization-wide PR activities will have an easier time maintaining their narrative and launching a stakeholder mobilization operation if necessary. Charter schools should deploy these 5 PR tactics toward charter renewal to ensure they can continue providing their students with a quality education. By developing a strong online presence, engaging with parents and the community, leveraging social media, highlighting student achievements, and building relationships with local media, charter schools can build support for their renewal and continue to provide students with an excellent education.