Presents an interview with Kit Dunn, a specialist in school district information services, about the importance of communication with the community, especially concerning school bond referenda. (EV)

Ignoring public relations can have devastating consequences, as one Indiana (LaPorte) district learned after a failed bond measure. School board members should cultivate local news media, ensure that schools send out regular newsletters, use free media coverage, save press conferences for significant events, move board meetings to different…

Additional advice is provided, in conjunction with the foregoing article, on coping with legal constraints to school publications urging voter support for an upcoming bond issue. (TE)

Based on his own experience, a school executive counsels against using a hard sell in promoting a bond issue, since Washington State public disclosure law requires that school levy material printed and distributed by the school system be strictly limited to factual information. (TE)

The passage of a bond issue in support of school building construction or renovation can be one of the most difficult activities for a rural school district. The process of getting a bond passed requires a delicate mix of public relations, community education, and consensus building. In this chapter, a superintendent in a rural district describes…

Two major concerns related to large-scale capital outlay are convincing the community of the need for the expenditure and planning for the financing of the project. In an era when the public is resisting increased taxation, school districts must develop a plan of action for soliciting funds and must be able to conduct an effective fund campaign.…