In this brief, DMC offers methods that rethink the traditional role of communications as a systemic management function that should seamlessly support district strategy and operations.
DMC has focused significant effort working on communications and community engagement strategies and tactics in conjunction with members over the years, and we encourage members to invest time and effort in building capacity in this area. In a past DMC member survey, district executives indicated three trends: 1) that district communications offices are often under-resourced 2) that skill sets needed by communications staff were changing and 3) that momentum for rethinking the district communications function appeared to be increasing.
This case study on the Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) presents a large district’s comprehensive efforts to deepen community and stakeholder engagement strategies in times of fiscal planning. In its second year of implementing its new budget rationalization process, FCPS engaged the District Management Council to assist in the formulation of the revised communications approach.
Read more: Improving Budget Communications with the Community: Fairfax County Public Schools
Great goals enable your district to focus on the “why” of a performance outcome, not just the “how” of the activity. Great goals allow for measurement and management that is necessary to enable school districts to become learning organizations that can adjust flexibly over time. Also, great goals help organizations become more agile in nature, allowing shorter time cycles for evaluating progress and more rapid redeployment of resources. Great goals also raise the overall accountability of an organization by increasing transparency. Today, many school district goals and associated management protocols fall short of what is needed for effective district improvement.
Among others, district administrators, board members, teachers, staff, parents, students, and community and taxpayer groups all represent important voices to be heard as planning processes evolve. Often, external stakeholders have little understanding of (or desire to understand) budget deficits or hard decisions that must be made. Also, people tend to be oriented to specific issues rather than about the system as a whole. A debate can quickly become about protecting “my issue” or “my school.” Supporters show their support by remaining quiet, but districts need them to be organized and vocal. As districts reengage diverse groups of stakeholders to seek input regarding priorities, several key questions should be addressed:
Read more: What Have You Heard from your Stakeholders Lately?
Planning for leadership succession can provide increased continuity of strategic focus and enable your organization to avoid unnecessary turbulence during times of leadership transition. In these fiscally uncertain times, loss of district productivity due to problems in leadership turnover can be especially problematic. Districts need planning tools and development processes to maximize existing talent and cultivate the necessary leadership skills to grow student achievement and build the overall performance capacity of the organization.
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