Page 22 - The Edge - Fall 2017

SUMMER CONFERENCE WRAPUP

BY DON HARRIS

Marketing Helps School Districts

Compete with Charters

Nicole Christy Jeremy Calles

District schools are turning to marketing strategies to stave He told of a successful marketing e ort at Kyrene Elementary
off the increasing loss of students to charters. School District. “We were looking at ways to reinvent our brand,”
Nicole Christy, Major Marketing with Tank Girl Marketing, Calles said. “Tank Girl came through for us.”
and Jeremy Calles, CFO of Tolleson Union High School District, Christy put the focus on SWOT – Strengths, Weaknesses,
told AASBO members the benefits of marketing and how to put Opportunities and reats. “You need to be aware of what you’re
together an effective program. doing well – your strengths,” she said. “SWOT analysis is a huge
In a breakout session at the AASBO Summer Conference and part of your marketing planning.”
Expo, Calles provided a statistical background on how charters To start, she recommended getting your leadership together
are chipping away at district enrollment. The shift began in – everybody who has an opinion on how you spend the district’s
2007 and has steadily increased. In 2006, charters were getting money, including parents and governing board members. “Review
8 percent of the public school market. By 2015 that figure was perceptions of your school,” Christy said. “Look at it in a positive
up to 17 percent. way. Everybody is entitled to their opinion. How they feel about
“Charters will continue to capture more and more,” Calles your school is brand perception. Look at strengths, weaknesses,
said. opportunities, and threats.”
One of the reasons is that district schools have been slow to School districts need to turn opportunities into action items,
change. “District schools are operating the way they did 20 or strengths into marketing campaigns, and weaknesses into focus
30 years ago,” he said. “The thinking was, if you built a school, points, Christy said. And Calles emphasized the importance of
they (students) would come.” getting everybody on board. Marketing can’t be assigned to just
Three decades ago, 95 percent of students were attending one or two people.
district schools, while only 5 percent were enrolled in private
and parochial schools, Calles said. CONTINUED ON PAGE 23

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