|
|
| Home | Site Map | Contact Us | |
|
|
|
Understanding and responding to parent and community expectations for our public schools is essential to the continued improvement of public education.
The Learning First Alliance is continuously developing
communications tools and resources to help educators, policymakers and
others effectively promote the value of public education for our nation.
• Promoting What's Working in America's Public
Schools
• Communications
Tool Kit
• Initiatives and Resources from our Member
Organizations
• Initiatives and Resources from our State Alliances
• Outside Resources
• Public Opinion Data
This new Learning First Alliance website presents a fresh, 21st-century vision for public schools, with real examples of what's working in public schools and districts across the country. The site features imaginative strategies that are helping students succeed, insights from extraordinary people on public education's front lines, and interviews with leading thinkers. Site visitors can also tell stories about success in their own public school or district.
In 2005, LFA produced a proprietary Communications Toolkit to help education leaders communicate more effectively about public education. Based on focus groups and polling LFA commissioned in 2004 and 2005, the toolkit offers original research findings on public opinion, a guide to promoting public schools, and language for op-eds and speeches. It includes:
• "Values, Vision and Performance: American's Hope for their Public Schools", a Power Point presentation on the results of LFA's original research on public opinion of public schools
• The "Practical Guide to Promoting America's Public Schools”, which is designed to help educators and others interested in education promote public education in their communities
• Sample Language for Written Materials, such as columns, articles and letters
• Sample Language for Speeches
AASA—Stand
Up for Public Education Campaign
AASA launched its Stand Up for Public Education™ campaign
in February 2003, spurred by an AASA Executive Committee resolution
to make standing up for public education the “overriding principle
for the association.” In the campaign, AASA has focused on two
major initiatives: 1.) Reframing the discussion about proficiency and
2) “punching back” to counter misinformation about public
education. More….
ASCD—A
National Compact on the Whole Child
ASCD is pursuing a public engagement campaign to promote greater support
nationwide for education of the whole child. The campaign encourages
schools, communities, and policymakers to work together to ensure every
child “access to a challenging curriculum in a healthy and supportive
environment.” More….
NAESP—Vision
2021 and the Future of Public Education
NAESP’s Vision 2021 initiative asks the important questions: What
will schools be like in 2021? What will be the role of principals in
2021? What needs to be done today to prepare schools for the next generation?
NAESP, is working closely with its state affiliates to engage members,
NAESP staff, diverse stakeholder groups and national thought leaders
in discussions on these questions. More….
NMSA—Public
Relations Resources
NMSA offers public relations resources designed to help public school
advocates build the visibility of and support for excellent middle schools.
More….
NSBA—Center
for Public Education
NSBA’s Center for Public Education is a national resource for
accurate, timely, and credible information about public education and
its importance to the well-being of our nation. The Center provides
up-to-date research, data, and analysis on current education issues
and explores ways to improve student achievement and engage public support
for public schools. More…
NSPRA—Communications
Accountability Project
The National School Public Relations Association’s mission is
to advance education through responsible communication. NSPRA’s
Communication Accountability Project webpage presents examples of school
communication at work, together with evidence that better communication
helps students succeed. More….
PDK
International—Advocacy for Education
Phi Delta Kappa International’s advocacy web page offers resources
for public education advocates, including public advocacy statements,
the renowned PDK/Gallup Poll of the Public’s Attitudes Towards
Public Schools, free materials to support community “Forums on
the Public Schools,” and other resources. More…
PDK
International—2007 PDK/Gallup Poll of the Public's Attitudes Toward
the Public Schools
The 39th annual PDK/Gallup poll reveals steady public support for local
public schools, declining confidence in the nation’s schools as
a whole, and growing disapproval of No Child Left Behind.
Important Communications Work by the Learning First
Alliance of Alabama
For the past year, the Learning First Alliance of Alabama has been working
with a communications firm to craft messages they can use to change
the conversation about public education in Alabama. They are reviewing
their own research and LFA’s public opinion data, and they will
begin field testing some specific wording and messages later this year.
State alliance leaders report that this work has created unprecedented
unity among Alabama education associations. Link requires password
Through this collaborative work, Alabama has discovered that forming
an LFA “chapter” has been good for all their member organizations
and good for the state. They report having much more dialogue among
the members, especially about legislative issues, than ever before.
Their LFA affiliate does not take official political positions, but
subsets of the membership have come together in various configurations
to hammer out legislative proposals and to support issues that have
come up for public votes. Such cooperation is really a first for the
state. For more information about Alabama’s work, contact John
Draper at john@clasleaders.org
.
Give
Kids Good Schools—A National Public Engagement Campaign
Give Kids Good Schools is a national public engagement campaign to guarantee
a quality public education for every child in the nation. Through national
activities and online resources, the campaign seeks to provide Americans
with the information and tools they need to take action in their communities
and improve their public schools. More….
The Arizona Public Schools Making a Difference Every Day Campaign was created to counter balance the predominantly negative report on public schools in the state meida outlets. The site showcases success stories happening in local schools.
New
Report Focuses on How Public Schools Have Promoted the Common Good in
the United States
Written by Nancy Kober this Center on Public Education report analyzes
the reasons why public schools were created in the first place, the
goals originally set for public education, and why those goals are still
valid today.
The Latest Good News About American Education An analysis of latest data, shows positive trends in American education and identifies areas of improvement. Download the full article here.
The
2007 Gallup Pulse of Democracy
Keeping
Our Edge: Americans Speak on Education and Competitiveness
You
Might be Surprised: What Teachers, Parents, School Leaders, and the
Public Really Think about Public Education Today
By Ruth A. Wooden, President, Public Agenda
July 11, 2005
Copyright 2003 Learning First Alliance.
4455 Connecticut Avenue • Suite 310• Washington, DC 20008• 202-296-5220 (phone) • 1-866-218-3759 (fax) • Staff Directory
Get more information about our privacy policy.
