December 2024

Engaging elected officials can be a powerful way for charter schools to raise awareness, gain support, and build lasting partnerships. While a robust VIP program is an essential component, strategic engagement extends beyond that. Here’s how school leaders can maximize these relationships:

1. Collaborate with State Charter School Association Leaders

Get to know the priorities of your state charter school association leaders. These leaders often advocate for policies that directly impact your school’s operations. By aligning your efforts with their agendas, you can contribute to broader policy initiatives while advancing your school’s goals.

Ask yourself: How can my school support and inform these efforts? Share ideas, provide data, or participate in advocacy events. Schools that actively engage with associations by offering support—whether through committee involvement or hosting events—build stronger, mutually beneficial relationships with these leaders.

2. Engage Proactively with Elected Officials

Charter laws are crafted at the state level but implemented locally. Understanding the needs and priorities of state and local officials allows you to strengthen relationships and elevate your school’s profile.

Leverage your expertise in areas such as charter operations or education policy to engage thoughtfully with these officials. Your school’s VIP programs—designed to connect parents and community members with your mission—can also be repurposed to introduce elected officials to your school. Give them a close-up view of your operations, innovative practices, and student success stories to foster deeper understanding and advocacy.

3. Capitalize on National Charter Schools Week and Other Events

Events provide excellent opportunities to showcase your school’s impact and educate lawmakers. During National Charter Schools Week, for instance, invite all elected officials representing your school, from mayors and city council members to state and federal legislators.

Many officials actively seek ways to connect with their constituents, making these visits mutually beneficial. These invitations should be a key part of your school’s outreach strategy, helping officials engage with students, families, and the larger school community.

4. Highlight Student Achievements to Leave a Lasting Impression

When hosting elected officials, focus on your students’ accomplishments, innovative programs, and the broader impact of your school. Use tools like school tours, presentations, and data-driven stories to demonstrate success.

Before the visit, coordinate with your state association to determine what materials or requests to leave with the official. Whether it’s advocating for a policy change, addressing a local ordinance, or proposing an amendment, ensure the lawmaker departs with a clear understanding of your needs. Add them to your mailing list to maintain the connection.

5. Foster Relationships with Federal Representatives

Building strong ties with federal representatives can amplify your advocacy efforts. Senators and members of Congress are eager to learn about high-performing schools in their districts. They can also play a critical role in federal legislation affecting charter schools and influence grants that can reach your schools.

Collaborate with organizations like the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools to access tools and resources for federal advocacy. These might include guidance on grant applications, insights into funding opportunities, and support for advancing specific policy goals.

Engaging with elected officials is about more than raising awareness—it’s about building partnerships that support your school’s mission while advancing the charter sector as a whole. With a strategic approach, school leaders can drive meaningful change for their communities while helping boost the charter school brand!

About the Author

How To Engage Elected Officials 5 Strategies From Nina Rees

Nina Rees is the former President and CEO of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. With over 20 years of experience in education policy, she has been a leading advocate for expanding high-quality charter schools across the country. Previously, Nina served in senior roles at the U.S. Department of Education and in the White House, where she helped shape national education initiatives. She is a recognized thought leader dedicated to increasing educational opportunities for all students.

Your digital presence is crucial when it comes to school enrollment, but there’s no replacement for face-to-face connections. Inviting families to visit your school or join virtual open houses helps bring them into your community, yet showing up in the places they already are is just as powerful.

Here are some strategic, actionable ideas for how your school can meet families where they are and make a lasting impression:

1. Go Where Families Gather

Identify local events where your target families spend their weekends or afternoons. From farmer’s markets to zoo days, cultural parades, and more, think about where your current families might be and how you can set up a presence there. Weekly tables or booths at high-traffic locations give you consistent visibility. Invest in a branded tablecloth, tents, and attire for your ambassadors to create a memorable, professional setup.

2. Equip Your Team with Branded Materials

Consistent branding is essential to make sure people remember your school. Equip your team with branded t-shirts and swag like magnets, coloring pages, or fun giveaways that align with your school’s mission. This way, you’re not only connecting in person but also giving families something to take home.

One effective tip I’ve seen in action is using branded magnets as a giveaway. Hand out a flyer about an upcoming open house along with a magnet and encourage parents to put it on their fridge. It’s an easy way for them to remember your school and revisit enrollment opportunities.

3. Use Yard Signs and Community Visibility

Sometimes, your best advocates are your current families! Ask if they’d be willing to place a yard sign advertising your school in front of their homes. You’d be surprised how often people say yes. Make sure the signage reflects your branding and is in multiple languages if needed to reach different communities.

4. Partner with Local Organizations

Identify organizations that align with your mission. Community hubs like the YMCA, local churches, after-school programs, and the Chamber of Commerce are ideal partners. One example that stood out was a school that connected with their local Chamber of Commerce, learning that the Chamber provided welcome baskets to new families moving into town. By adding branded coloring books and school information to these baskets, the school could reach new families as soon as they arrived.

5. Connect with Local Media Outlets

Local media can be one of your most powerful allies in spreading the word about your school. Develop relationships with local journalists, editors, and producers who cover education. Build these relationships over time, sharing positive stories, achievements, and exciting events at your school.

6. Adapt to Your Community’s Needs

Knowing and meeting your community’s specific needs can be a meaningful way to connect. For example, Buckeye Charter School partners with a local nonprofit to provide fresh produce through a weekly market. By participating in community initiatives like these, your school can build trust and visibility while helping to meet local needs.

7. Tailor Your Materials for Diverse Audiences

To make sure all families feel welcomed, create marketing materials in the languages spoken by your school community. From bilingual banners to door hangers, having these resources shows your commitment to inclusivity.

These are just a few ways to make your enrollment efforts resonate with families on a personal level. When you show up authentically in community spaces, engage thoughtfully, and meet families’ needs, they’ll remember your school long after the event ends. So, think beyond your enrollment page—make connections that turn into lasting relationships.

Happy outreach, and here’s to growing your school community!

About the Author

As a Project Manager on the Enrollment Marketing team, Betsy Roberts works closely with school leaders to develop and implement marketing campaigns that increase enrollment. With a degree in Journalism and Public Relations from University of Oregon, Betsy has a robust background in building brand awareness—she has worked alongside dozens of companies over the course of her twenty-year marketing and PR career. Betsy loves helping charter schools thrive and collaborating with the dynamic team at Grow Schools.

Language and Literacy Academy for Learning (LLAL) is turning its vision of “abilities above limitations” into a reality with its new facility in Winter Haven, Florida. Designed to support over 300 PreK–12 students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs), this project represents a significant step forward for LLAL as it empowers students with special needs. Our team is proud to support LLAL in bringing this ambitious project to life by securing funding and resources for the acquisition and construction. Building Hope, a nonprofit organization focused on creating educational spaces for K–12 students, provided the financing to ensure the school’s mission could move forward.

The new facility will provide an environment specifically designed to foster academic growth, social development, and emotional well-being.

Key upgrades include:

15 Classrooms to accommodate growing enrollment.
A Sensory Room for students requiring sensory integration support.
A Therapy Clinic to provide on-site services tailored to students’ individual needs.
A Mixed-Use Cafeteria and Multipurpose Room for dining and school-wide events.
Conference Rooms and Offices for collaboration and administrative functions.
ADA-Compliant Parking and an exterior staircase to ensure accessibility and safety.

These updates align with LLAL’s mission to accelerate growth in language, literacy, and social skills while engaging parents as active partners in education.

“Funding for our facility expansion will significantly increase our capacity to serve the community, allowing us to accommodate more families and enhance service delivery,” said Dr. Tandria Callins, Founder, CEO, and Principal of LLAL. “This expansion will create jobs, strengthen community ties, and support our sustainability goals.”

“Language and Literacy Academy for Learning has been a beacon of hope for students and families in the Winter Haven community,” said Maddy Marlton, Vice President of Real Estate Acquisitions at Grow Schools. “We’re excited to help them expand their impact and continue to serve students in a space that reflects their commitment to excellence.”

The Need for Better Facilities

Adequate facilities remain one of the biggest challenges facing charter schools nationwide. We’re honored to support the financing and construction of this incredible project alongside the team at Building Hope. Many schools operate in spaces that limit their ability to grow or deliver on their mission. This project exemplifies what’s possible when schools, communities, and partners come together to create nurturing environments where every child can thrive.

When it comes to your school’s social media presence, your content isn’t just living on your official pages anymore—it’s everywhere in the digital space. Prospective families, students, and educators aren’t always seeking you out, most of the times they’re encountering your school in snippets—an Instagram Reel, a tagged post, a TikTok duet– in between their friend’s vacation photos and the latest viral videos.

Think of it this way: you’re a guest in their digital space. And like any good guest, your goal is to show up thoughtfully, creating value and fostering genuine connections.

Here are five tips to make your school’s social media content stand out:

1. Be a Good Digital Guest: It’s All About Community

Being a great digital guest starts with nurturing a sense of community. Social media isn’t just a megaphone; it’s a dialogue. And dialogues are all about creating meaningful connections with other people.

Before you post anything, ask yourself:

How are you building community?
How are you nurturing that community?
How are you giving that community room to grow?

People follow brands and creators they feel connected to—whether through shared values, mutual interests, or simply feeling understood. When your community sees your posts, do they feel seen and valued?

2. Hook Their Attention and Earn Their Time

With attention spans lasting less than 8 seconds, your posts must grab attention immediately. Vibrant visuals, intriguing captions, or dynamic text overlays can make all the difference.

Understanding who’s consuming your content, and when helps you tailor your approach to fit their habits and interests.

For example, a video that opens with “Did you know we’ve doubled our STEM classes this year?” tells me a lot, even if I don’t watch the whole thing.

3. Keep It Real: Authenticity Wins Every Time

Your school has its own unique personality—lean into it! Whether you’re a project-based learning pioneer or an arts-focused academy, your “vibe” should guide everything you share, and every conversation you join.

For instance, a Montessori school might share intimate moments of discovery like a student planting a garden or solving a puzzle, while a STEM-focused school could highlight student robotics projects and coding breakthroughs.

4. Connect with Cultural Moments

Authenticity also means being thoughtful about when and where you participate in conversations and sharing stories that resonate genuinely with your mission. Participating in cultural moments—like heritage months or special days relevant to your community—can help your school engage with broader conversations. Keep it genuine, inclusive and meaningful.

For example, during Hispanic Heritage Month, a school with a diverse student body could feature students sharing their family traditions or a language class presenting cultural projects. A STEM school might skip National Donut Day—unless the physics class is calculating optimal dunk angles.

5. Always Add Value

People follow accounts that bring something to their lives—whether that’s inspiration, information, or a sense of belonging. Whether it’s a classroom activity, assembly video, or student art carousel, each post is an opportunity to connect emotionally. Instead of just promoting events, share why they matter.

For example, post a time-lapse video of students preparing for a science fair, paired with tips for families to support learning at home.

Remember, you’re not just competing with other schools in the feed – you’re up against every cat video and celebrity post out there. Make your content worth the pause.

Final Thoughts

Your goal isn’t just to get likes or views, it’s to create a genuine, lasting connection with your community. To do this, ask yourself: Is this content making people feel something? Whether it’s laughter, inspiration, or new knowledge, your content should evoke an emotional response.

The best social media presence isn’t about perfection—it’s about authentic connection. When you approach each post as an opportunity to make someone feel something real, you’re already winning.

Here are some quick ideas to spark your next post:

The Photo Dump: A collection of behind-the-scenes moments from field day or spirit week, set to upbeat music
The Behind The Scenes: Feature a student mural or project with a caption about its inspiration and creation process
The Before & After: Showcase a classroom or campus transformation, like a new art display or science lab renovation
The POV: Share an authentic perspective from a student, teacher, or parent—like “A Day in the Life of a 6th Grader”
The Tutorial: Quick tips or insights, such as “3 Ways Families Can Support Homework Time”
The Listicle: “5 Things You’ll Love About Our School” or “3 Reasons Our STEM Program Stands Out”
The Community Spotlight: Launch a weekly “Student Spotlight” celebrating achievements while fostering school pride
The Mini-Series: Break down big topics into themed segments, like “60-Second Science Lab Secrets” or “Where Are They Now?”

About the Author

Neisha Tweed Bell is a creative strategist and founder of Next Level Up Creative, where she empowers organizations to elevate their messaging and connect meaningfully with their audiences. With over 15 years of experience in branding, content strategy, and digital storytelling, Neisha has worked with global brands, non-profits, and educational organizations to craft campaigns that inspire action and build community.