Politics of a School Bond Election

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Politics of a School Bond Election

• Gene Sheets
• Superintendent
• Muleshoe ISD

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Muleshoe ISD

• 1500 students
• 70 miles West of Lubbock
• Rural West Texas - South Plains
• Budget - 11 million
• Property Value - 189 million
• 43 years since last successful bond election
• May 13, 2006 passed 25 million Bond Election
  by 2 to 1 margin

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Types of Factors That Affect Outcomes of Bond
Elections

• I. Non-Strategic
• II. Strategic

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I. Non-Strategic Factors

• Contextual, environmental, and non-controllable
  in nature-Factors inherent in the school district
  and community

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A. Voter Demographic Characteristics

• 1. Age
• Senior Citizens tend to vote against bond
  elections, unless educated on benefits to them
  and tax exemptions available to them
• 2. Socioeconomic Status
• Combination of income, occupation, and education
  level-The more wealth within the district, the
  more successful the bond election

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B. School District Characteristics

• 1. Size of District mixed results
• a. Small district-less capacity for bonding
• b. Large district-benefit seems more
• distant to voters
• 2. Size of Facility Needs
• The larger the bondthe less likely it will be
  successful

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C. Voter Psychological Characteristics

• 1. Orientation toward civic improvements
• Community pride is one of the most consistent
  predictive variables of successful bond elections
• 2. Tax Orientation
• General realization that taxes are necessary to
  fund public services is predictive of successful
  bond elections

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C. History of Communication with Public

• Ongoing Public Relations Program
• One of the most important factors
• influencing bond elections-must begin
• long before election campaign
• Listening and communicating with stakeholders
  develops relationships
• and trust

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II. Strategic Factors

• Part of a specific election campaign plan to
  affect the outcome of school bond elections

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Strategic Factors

• More important than non-strategic factors in
  determining bond election success or failure
• Strategies that are successful in one community
  may not work in another community
• School leadership must know the district and
  community

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A. Pre-Election Strategies

• 1. Public Relations Campaign
• Should inform citizens of specific needs for
  Bond Elections-will appear manipulative if
  started just prior to election
• 2. Effective Communication
• Clear, honest information about needs, design,
  costs, taxes, etc.

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B. Policy Strategies

• Unanimous School Board
• Board that has not reached consensus on the
  Bond Election should not embark on a campaign

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C. Organizational Strategies

• 1. Organizing Citizen Advisory Committees
• Parents of students and influential citizens on
  the committee are keys to success
• 2. Use of a Campaign Consultant Inconclusive
• 3. Role of Superintendent
• Inconclusive (Trust in superintendent seems
  important in most cases)

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D. Communication Strategies

• 1. Focus on Needs of Children
• Citizens must understand real needs
• 2. Targeting the Yes Voter
• Focus information on Yes voter get them to
  the polls
• Arrange early voting times and locations
  convenient to teachers and parents of students

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Timeline

• Oct, 04 Board commissioned a Facility
• Evaluation Study by TASA
• Jan., 05 Board receives Facility Evaluation
• Report
• Aug. 05 Board hires architect to conduct
• Master Facility Plan
• Oct. 05 Education Specification Committee
• Grade configuration

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Timeline

• Nov. 05 Public meetings on Facility
• Evaluation Study
• Jan. 06 Master Facility Plan submitted to
• Board
• Jan. 06 Citizens Facility Committee
• appointed by Board
• -met once per week for five weeks
• -recommended 25 million Bond
• -recommended four facility priorities

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Timeline

• Feb. 06 Board called for Bond Election
• Feb. 06 Citizens Facilities Committee
• organized bond election
• campaign committees
• May 06 Bond Election passed by 21
• margin