Help Wanted: Public School Brand Manager

When you think of branding, you don’t think of public education. The problem neither does public schools and their leaders. According to enrollment figures from the California Department of Education, public schools in California have been experiencing declining enrollment since 2014 (California Department of Education, 2017).

Recent surveys by the Public Policy Institute of California (2017) found that most people want to send their students to any school they choose, which were identified as private and charter schools. It isn’t that public schools have less to offer them due to the fact that public schools do not manage their brand and tell their story well (Carr, 2012).

Eric Sheninger and Trish Rubin are trying to change the game for educators. They recently wrote the book BrandED, aimed at educators. The book gives a background on the history of advertising, marketing, and branding, and leads the educator to the realization that it is vitally important for schools to develop their brand and tell their story. Why is it important? Its predominately a financial reason but it also has to deal with the fact that parents are getting savvy and are seeking out the best schools to send their children. Public school districts are at risk of losing students, resources, and teachers when they fail to develop their brand.

In the book, Sheninger and Rubin speak about schools becoming “The StoryTeller-In-Chief” and taking control of their school’s professional brand. Not only does developing a brand help schools engage their stakeholders, create a positive environment and loyalty from students and their families but it also results in more resources and students for schools.

A prime example of this is Detroit Public School’s I’m In Campaign. DPS noticed that they were losing students at a significant rate, while charter school enrollment in Detroit grew. Looking for answers, DPS engaged in brand development and a public relations campaign that resulted in over 1.5 million dollars in free, positive press coverage. They also ended up increasing their enrollment by over 5,000 students. 

Branding isn’t just for private corporations anymore. Brand management has grown to individuals, non-profits and other areas. It is about time that schools pay attention to their brand, develop it and grow it. It is only a matter of time before all schools have a Director of Communication position because the engagement of the school brand with the community is something that public schools cannot wait on. Schools need to control their brand, and their story before someone else does. 

References:

California Department of Education, (2017). Enrollment by grade comparison. 

Carr, N. (2012). Promoting public schools. American School Board Journal, 199(8). 32-33. 

Sheninger, E. & Rubin, T. (2017). BrandEd. Jossey-Bass