School Public Relations for Student Success

Research has identified several trends in school communication. The communication expectations being placed on top school leaders at the district and building levels continue to increase. Qualities such as the ability to communicate and the ability to effectively engage key publics routinely top the lists of demands made in searches for superintendents and other administrators. At the same time, the inability to communicate or a failure to create support are typical comments made by school boards when describing leadership failures or decisions to seek new leadership. The demand for professional school-communication practitioners is also increasing, placing even greater pressure on school leaders to make the right decisions when hiring communication administrators and in supervising and evaluating the creation and outcomes of school-communication investments. The bottom line: formal communication programming is playing a greater role in the tactical and strategic operation of schools and school systems. Top school district and building leaders face greater demands for organized and open communication systems to foster operational transparency and stakeholder engagement. Going forward, expanding open-enrollment and other school-choice initiatives place new urgencies on the need for proactive school communication efforts.School Public Relations for Student Success offers educational leaders practical advice and specific tips for meeting the tough new communication demands they face daily. Readers will find step-by-step guidance on creating and applying communication tactics that work for generating community support, managing crises, stopping rumors, handling media inquiries, dealing with critics, and much more. The author: Outlines the key components of successful educational communication programs Demonstates how to set reasonable expectations for communication efforts Provides guidelines for judging what is working and what is not