Communicating Effectively with the Media and Public about Child

Outcomes DataEarly Childhood Outcomes Conference

July 30-31, 2010

Donna Spiker Sharon Walsh ECO Center Data Accountability Center

Being prepared………..

• How will we talk about the child outcomes data with:– The media– State legislators– State agency heads– Families– Early intervention and 619 providers– State advisory councils– Other key stakeholders in your state

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In this workshop, we will…

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• Discuss approaches for presenting your child outcomes data to media, the public, other audiences

• Provide opportunity to share strategies with colleagues

• Brainstorm possible questions you may be asked and possible responses. (Activity #1)

• Brainstorm possible misinterpretations/misuses of the data and possible responses. (Activity #2)

• Practice preparing a news release. (Activity #3)

Being prepared means……….

• Thinking ahead about how to talk with the public about the data.

• Writing out the specific messages you want to make (an internal ‘talking points’ memo).

• Developing a 1-2 page fact sheet that summarizes the findings and your messages.

• Using public dissemination opportunities to get out key messages that will educate the public about your programs, their benefits.

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Being prepared means thinking about…

• What audiences? • What you want each audience

to know about your program including any recent changes in eligibility, system, etc.)?

• What you want each audience to know about the data?

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Being prepared means……….

• Identifying key spokespersons.

• Being thoroughly familiar with your state’s data.

• Practicing your talking points with individuals who are not familiar with the program.

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Crafting the messages:Set the context

• Provide the context (Federal reporting).• Use the ECO Center Q&A document** to explain:

– What are the child outcomes– Why we are measuring and reporting outcomes– The ultimate goal is to enable young children to be active

and successful participants during the early childhood years and in the future in a variety of settings, in their homes with their families, in child care, preschool or school programs, and in the community.

** Q&A is on Web site under ECO Resources - http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~eco/pages/faqs.cfm)

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Crafting the messages: Summary Statement #1

• Of those children who entered the program below age expectations in Outcome __, the percent who substantially increased their rate of growth by the time they turned 3/6 years of age or exited the program.

• Share the numbers; describe them in simple ways:– “Nearly two-thirds of the children

made greater than expected progress while in the program.”

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Crafting the messages: Summary Statement #2

• The percent of children who were functioning within age expectations in Outcome __ by the time they turned 3/6 years of age or exited the program.

• Share the numbers; describe them in simple ways:– “About half of the children were

functioning like same age peers when they left the program.”

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Activity #1

• What are 3 questions that different audiences may ask you about the child outcomes data? – Families– Legislators– Agency heads– State or local councils/boards– The media

Key issues in messaging the data….

• How do we look ahead and become thoroughly prepared to present and explain the child outcomes data?

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Making the message understandable…..

How do you make the message easily understandable for the public?

Use “Plain Speak”Don’t be repetitiveExplain how your data relates to the average

person in your stateWhat are you saying about how the children

are doing?Discuss in terms of what is important to all

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Describe the numbers in simple ways ….

– “Nearly half the children showed made greater than expected progress while they were in the program.”

– “About two-thirds of the children were performing like same age peers when they left the program.”

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You can talk about more than the two Summary Statements.

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Give YOUR interpretation about the numbers…..

• “We see these data as good news….”• “We are pleased that the data shows that

children in these programs are making progress between the time they enter and leave these programs…”

• “Many children are catching up with peers in the same age group…”

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Be prepared to explain local variations….

• “For example, if we see differences in outcomes in different areas of our state, we want to look at that in more detail”.– “Why do you think this is happening?”– “Are the services different in these different areas?”– “Are the children served different in these different

areas?”– “What else could explain these differences?”

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Share other key messages to educate your audiences….

• “These programs serve many different children….”

• “Some children have mild delays or problems in one area only. These are children who can ‘catch up’”.

• “Other children have more significant disabilities; some make substantial progress and others make less progress”.

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Link messages to broader EC issues…

• Point out how the program is helping get children ready for school.

• Note that there is lots of policy attention and research about the cost effectiveness of early learning programs.

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Remember to include messages about family outcomes……

Make sure to point out:• Family involvement and

participation of families in the program

• How family outcomes are measured in the program (different for B-3 and 3-5)

• Consider if family outcome data should be included in the “message”

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Think ahead about messages that might work or not work….

• What are some messages that have worked for you in the past?

• What are some messages that didn’t work so well, or were misinterpreted by the media or public or other key audiences?

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If the data show possible problems….

• Get out in front of the data, and note the problem areas:– “We see large differences in the data in different

regions………..”• Then, offer interpretations and note that you

are trying to understand such differences:– “We are trying to understand these variations.

They may have to do with differences in the children being served or in ways the data are being collected…..”

Heading off the misuse of child outcomes data: Be prepared…..

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• Think through possible scenarios.– Good news would be….– Bad news would be…

• Think through how you will make sense of your data.– Will you need other information?– What would that be?

• Anticipate how others might use/misuse or interpret the data.

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Activity #2

What are some possible misinterpretations or misuses of the data that you can anticipate?

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Messaging for the media – Framing the message

• Framing the message to fit into the news cycle

– Read today’s headlines– Pay attention to both local and national

news– Try to find a “news hook” that makes

your data relevant to the media

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Messaging for the media – Being understandable

How do you make the message easily understandable for the public?

Use “Plain Speak”Don’t be repetitiveExplain how your data relates to the

average person in your stateDiscuss in terms of what it tells us about

how the children are doingDiscuss in terms of what is important to all

families

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Messaging for the media – Using spokespersons

• Spokespersons– Identify spokespersons at state level or in your

community who you trust to “stay on message”• Examples of spokespersons:

– Service Provider/Teacher– Data collector/researcher– Parent– State or local council/board rep– Administrator

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Preparing a news release…..

• Find the main message you want to communicate

• Translate the main message into a simple statement about the data

• Use quotes to explain the meaning of the data; give an interpretation– Include quote by state official.– Include quote by program or provider.– Include quote(s) from parent(s).

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Preparing a news release…

• Create headline, subhead & lead.• Add information about why data are being

collected.• Add comments about the programs to give

context.• End with comments about using data to:

– Inform public about benefits of programs– Improve programs– Support funding

• Include information about how data were collected• Include quotes, stories to go with the numbers

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ACTIVITY #3

• Begin to prepare a news release with these hypothetical data.

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Hypothetical State Data:Outcome 2 – Knowledge & Skills

Selected Regions

Summary statement for Outcome 2

Entire State #1 #2 #3 #4

Percent

n=3355 n=650 n=22 n=998 n=65

1. Made greater than expected progress 65 70 55 66 67

2. Functioning within age expectations when left the program

51 61 33 58 49

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End any messaging by returning to the big picture message…..

“The goal of these programs is for children to be active and successful participants now and in the future”.

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QUESTIONS?

Resources about communicating and messaging by Zero to Three’s The Baby Monitor (4/6/09):

http://www.zerotothree.org/site/PageServer?pagename=BM_04_06_09

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Find more resources at: www. the-eco-center-org