Budget Presentation to a Focus Group

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Budget Presentation to a Focus Group

• Community Service Organization

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Presenters

• Martha Granados-Lemons, Raisin City
• Debra Haney, Kerman USD
• Pam Holland, Fresno COE
• Suzanne Johnson, Pacific Union SD
• Patrick Kraft, Clovis USD

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Outline of Presentation

• What is Our Focus
• Key Words or Phrases
• Political Considerations
• Addressing Concerns
• Sensitive Issues
• Language
• Questions and Answers
• Presentation Materials

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What is Our Focus

• The district has a healthy budget with many
  varied programs for all types of students (e.g.
  performing arts, athletic, pep and cheer,
  agriculture.)
• Detail the basic needs of some of the children in
  our district

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What is Our Focus

• We are a great district with good things to offer
  to the students and the community
• Where we can partner with the service
  organization to benefit the students and the
  community i.e. technology needs for the Library
  Media Center

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Key Words or Phrases

• Every group has its own interest, and it is
  critical to make sure you reach that interest.
  Some key words might include API, Athletics,
  Music, Programs, Facilities.
• Some of our children are in dire need for the
  most basic of necessities

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Key Words or Phrases

• The words should be positive yet honest
• The goal is to engage their interest and
  sympathies so that they will pass on your message
  to others, be willing to devote time and money to
  district-sponsored projects i.e. Lifelong users
  of technology

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Political Considerations

• Stability and accomplishments of the governing
  board and superintendent
• Support from local government officials
• The local newspaper writes positive articles
  about the district
• Local television news coverage
• The support received by other community
  organizations

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Political Considerations

• Enhance community assets
• Improve communication between community and the
  district

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Addressing Concerns of a Community Service Group

• What does the district do with all the money they
  receive?
• District would include slide showing funding to
  kids versus funding for administration and
  teacher salaries
• District would demonstrate some of the classroom
  technology available to students
• District would discuss access to library and
  other grade level literature available to students

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Addressing Concerns of a Community Service Group

• Building of and use of facilities
• Show pictures, give timelines, funding sources
  to pay the costs
• Programs such as music, agriculture, athletics,
  clubs, pep and cheer, etc
• Show pictures or have a live performance from
  the students
• API scores (academics)
• Student needs for basic items that can not be
  paid for out of district funds

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Addressing Concerns of a Community Service Group

• Are there enough funds to complete the project
  and what is the timeline
• What support will the board and superintendent
  give to the project

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Sensitive Issues and How to Handle with Care

• Salaries might be a concern that would need to be
  explained. Show what the district gets for the
  money in terms of number and types of employees
• Graduation rates or API scores that are not
  perceived to be high enough. Outline what the
  district is doing to continually address this
  concern

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Sensitive Issues and How to Handle with Care

• Facilities may not always be available for
  community use. Explain the order of priorities
  and the reason for rates that are charged
• Student absenteeism and the resulting issues of
  crime and dropouts. List the resources the
  district is using to fight the problem. Explain
  how much a lost day of attendance costs the
  district

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Language the Power of the Spoken Word

• Non-technical terms to explain budget basics
• Use English or language spoken by the majority of
  the audience
• Monitor the audience for boredom or lack of
  understanding
• Emphasize the positive
• Use encouraging stories of how money was
  well-used

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Questions and Answers

• Ask questions of the audience to engage them
  about their own issues
• Have a multi-member diverse panel available to
  address questions that are specific to their area
  of expertise
• Encourage site visits that are scheduled in
  advance to point out areas of need or success

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Handouts and Presentation Materials

• PowerPoint Presentation handouts and an offer to
  send the slide to the community service group
  president for distribution to other members
• District web page tour
• Video of sites, buildings, student and staff
  interviews

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Handouts and Presentation Materials

• Pictures of current and future sites
• One page key demographics sheet
• One page listing of donations from all service
  organizations within the past several years
• Include information that they requested to know
  about

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Handouts and Presentation Materials

• We would include easy to understand bar graphs
  and pie charts
• Indicate most new funding sources are restricted
  by State and Federal governments
• Indicate largest expenditure is teacher salaries
  and overall 85 of budget is salary and benefits

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What Materials Not to Include in Presentation

• Technical reports (i.e. SACS)
• Photographs that are not clear or easy to see
• Packets of too much information that they are
  not likely to read