Describes the public relations effort that went into a successful campaign to pass a $4.1 million bond referendum. (IRT)

By developing broad community input and support, a Louisiana district (Monroe City Schools) passed a $59 million property tax package. Offers 10 strategies for winning campaigns. (MLF)

An Illinois school system won a bond issue election with a 30-day marketing campaign. Helpful marketing practices include identification of the target audience and finding the best medium to reach the audience. (MLF)

To help sell a school bond issue in Akron, Ohio, the district recruited speakers that the voters could identify with: coaches, school board members, ministers, parents, senior citizens, and key school staff members. Speakers were brought together for a training session to go over presentation skills and the key selling points identified by the…

A rural Wisconsin school district passed a $5.5 million referendum package on the first try. Credit is given to a 20-minute video edited by a volunteer school-board member. The amateurish, homemade effort did not seem to hurt the video's effectiveness. An address is given to obtain a copy of the video. (MLF)

Voters in Starkville, Mississippi, passed an $9.8 million bond issue last year despite opposition by the local chapter of the NAACP. The election returns reflect that the district already was committed to a policy of finding and hiring qualified black teachers and administrators and district leaders were willing to commit themselves to the…

Using the strategy of "divide and conquer" can lead to victory at the polls. The ballot can include two freestanding questions, either or both of which can pass or fail independently, or it can be designed in such a way that approval of question two is contingent on question one passing. (MLF)

Cites lack of effective programs in reading readiness and decline of teacher-parent relationship as two major reasons for the discontent that has caused communities to reject bond issues, and outlines some steps that could be taken by administrators and teachers to help regain the public's sagging confidence. (Author/EA)

Describes the referendum campaign that resulted in voter approval of a $980 million bond issue, part of a $1.5 billion building project, for the Dade County, Florida, Public Schools. (MLF)