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Presents CAMPAIGN TOOLKIT How-to Guide for Planning a Five Ways Ed Pays Campaign
Presents
CAMPAIGN TOOLKIT
How-to Guide for Planning a Five Ways Ed Pays Campaign
Table of Contents INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................................................... 3
BACKGROUND ......................................................................................................................................................... 4
EDUCATION PAYS: THE BENEFITS OF HIGHER EDUCATION FOR INDIVIDUALS AND SOCIETY OVERVIEW ........................................................................................................................................................... 4
FIVE WAYS ED PAYS PARENT AND STUDENT AWARENESS CAMPAIGN ............................................... 4
Messages .......................................................................................................................................................... 4
Components ...................................................................................................................................................... 5
Target Audience and Participants .................................................................................................................. 5
Who Should Be involved? ................................................................................................................................ 5
Collaborators ..................................................................................................................................................... 5
PLANNING A FIVE WAYS ED PAYS CAMPAIGN ............................................................................................... 6
Who Should Have a Five Ways Ed Pays Campaign? ........................................................................................ 6
How Do You Get Started? .................................................................................................................................... 6
Planning & Execution Teams .............................................................................................................................. 9
Format Options ..................................................................................................................................................... 9
Agenda Options ................................................................................................................................................. 10
Communications/Media Plan ............................................................................................................................ 11
CAMPAIGN TOOLS ............................................................................................................................................... 12
APPENDIX .............................................................................................................................................................. 13
Local College Board Coordinators ..................................................................................................................... 13
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INTRODUCTION
For most students who go to college, the increase in their lifetime earnings far outweighs the costs of their education. That’s a powerful argument for college. But more income is by no means the only positive outcome students can expect. The real value of a college education, in addition to greater wealth, consists of more security, better health, closer family, and stronger community.
The Five Ways Ed Pays campaign is built upon data and research highlighted in Education Pays 2010: The Benefits of Higher Education for Individuals and Society, which presents detailed evidence of the private and public benefits of higher education. Five Ways Ed Pays uses the data to deliver a compelling message to parents and create a vision for students — particularly first-generation, minority, and low-income — that college has the potential to transform their lives.
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BACKGROUND
EDUCATION PAYS: THE BENEFITS OF HIGHER EDUCATION FOR INDIVIDUALS AND SOCIETY OVERVIEW Issue Students who attend institutions of higher education obtain a wide range of personal, financial, and other lifelong benefits. Likewise, taxpayers and society as a whole derive a multitude of direct and indirect benefits when citizens have access to postsecondary education. Accordingly, uneven rates of participation in higher education across different segments of U.S. society should be a matter of urgent concern not only to the individuals directly affected but also to public policymakers at the federal, state, and local levels. Background Education Pays, published every three years, presents detailed evidence of the private and public benefits of higher education. It also sheds light on the distribution of these benefits by examining both the increases and the persistent disparities in college participation and completion. In the three years between the publication of Education Pays 2007 and Education Pays 2010, median earnings for four-year college graduates increased more rapidly than those of high school graduates, and the gap between the unemployment rates of the two groups expanded. In addition to earnings comparisons, the report documents differences in lifestyles, health, and other outcomes for people with and without college education. Differences in enrollment and completion patterns across demographic groups highlight the reality that gaps in educational attainment are explained by a combination of money and other factors. Read more about the report: Education Pays can be found online at http://trends.collegeboard.org/education_pays. If you would like to order copies of the report, please contact your local College Board coordinator (See Appendix A).
FIVE WAYS ED PAYS PARENT AND STUDENT AWARENESS CAMPAIGN The Five Ways Ed Pays campaign is a national campaign targeted at middle and high school students and their families that emphasizes the message that “it’s worth it to go to college” by using materials with engaging graphics and relevant data, public service announcements, and fun events and contests. The Five Ways Ed Pays campaign is built upon data and research highlighted in Education Pays 2010: The Benefits of Higher Education for Individuals and Society, which presents detailed evidence of the private and public benefits of higher education. Five Ways Ed Pays uses the data to deliver a compelling message to parents and create a vision for students — particularly first-generation, minority, and low-income — that college has the potential to transform their lives.
Messages The campaign shows with vivid graphics and data points the relationship between education and greater wealth, more security, better health, closer family, and stronger community:
• Better Health — Individuals ages 25 to 34 with a four-year college degree are 70% more likely to engage in vigorous exercise than those with only a high school diploma.
• Closer Family — Parents with four-year college degrees are 68% more likely to have attended a concert or live show with their children than parents with only a high school diploma.
• Greater Wealth — Individuals with a four-year college degree earn an average of $22,000 more per year than those with only a high school diploma.
• More Security — Individuals with only a high school diploma are about twice as likely to be unemployed as those with a four-year college degree.
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• Stronger Community — Individuals ages 18 to 24 with a four-year college degree were 75% more likely to vote in the 2008 election than those with only a high school diploma.
Components The campaign consists of several components that can be combined to create an integrated and effective campaign at the school-district level.
• Materials: Full-color brochures, full-color posters, and one-page flyer, all available in both English and Spanish.
• Artwork for Public Service Ads: Advertisements on school buses, at school and college and university athletic events, and in other media.
• Events: College Board support for districtwide or school-level events, bringing together the local community.
• Video: A two-minute video explains the Five Ways Ed Pays and serves to engage and motivate parents and students to take part in the campaign.
• Call to Action: Resources point students and parents to YouCanGo!™ (YGG.org — an engaging website for college and career planning.
Target Audience and Participants The campaign is designed to empower students to pursue a postsecondary degree and eliminate misconceptions or barriers for parents who do not think they can support their child’s college aspirations. To get your campaign started, you will need support from district leadership to help implement the Five Ways Ed Pays message and execute a campaign in your community.
Who Should Be involved? School Leaders (Principals,
Superintendents) School Counselors
and College Access Professionals
Students and Parents
School Staff (Teachers, Volunteers, etc.)
Local Business and Community Leaders
College Board Membership
Collaborators The campaign requires collaboration between the College Board and the local school district to be most effective. Key district staff, such as the superintendent, chief middle and high school officers, and the school counseling teams, provide necessary contacts and act as vital distribution channels for the materials and announcements. Please see Appendix A for a directory of local College Board coordinators to support your campaign.
Districts, schools, and/or communities should also seek external collaborators to support and provide resources for a campaign.
• Local businesses and community leaders
• Nonprofit organizations and local government
• Local college and universities
• Student support programs within the district
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PLANNING A FIVE WAYS ED PAYS CAMPAIGN
Who Should Have a Five Ways Ed Pays Campaign? Districts and schools are the best intermediaries to kick off a Five Ways Ed Pays campaign. The Five Ways Ed Pays Campaign can jump-start college-going culture activities or help enhance and build momentum to the already established program(s) in the district. Schools that have high proportions of underserved students, first-generation, and/or over 50% of their students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch are a great target for this type of campaign. Often, underserved students lack the resources and guidance to support college aspirations. This campaign can build the aspirations and give students guidance on available resources to navigate the college application process..
How Do You Get Started? To execute a campaign, you must you must be aware of and meet critical deadlines throughout the process. The list below provides you clear deliverables and deadlines that are universal for a campaign. However; based on theme or event format, specific teams may want to incorporate additional items to ensure a smooth execution of tasks and events.. It is important to note that this list is not exhaustive but should serve as a guide to begin planning a campaign.
Assess interest level from key stakeholders; solicit support and buy-in o Conduct stakeholder meetings for support and “go ahead” (leverage existing meetings
where you can do a presentation): District superintendent District principals School counselors support (counselors will help support the sustaining momentum
within schools) o College Board support:
Regional Account Services (RAS) contact College Board Advocacy & Policy Center contact
o Materials needed: Five Ways Ed Pays presentation Samples of materials
Set up campaign kickoff meeting with key stakeholders and establish a core campaign
team o Team members should include principal, counselor, PTA/parent group representative,
student, community leader, and local College Board contact. o Identify format of campaign:
Will there be special events such as a rally, in-school assembly, or college fair? Will there be an opportunity to integrate the campaign into school curricula or
programs? o Define a budget:
Will there be marketing or events that require funding? Can you solicit local sponsor(s) for monetary support?
o Brainstorm how you will receive 100% participation from staff, students, parents, and community.
o Identify dates that work best for your district/school for any special events or meetings.
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o Define roles/expectations for staff and campaign team members. o Order materials from the College Board
Brochures (English and Spanish) Posters (English and Spanish) One-pagers (English and Spanish) USB flash drive with campaign resources and videos
o Set goals or outcomes: How many schools will participate? How will you measure the impact of the campaign? Does this campaign support already ongoing activities, or will it kick off new
activities? Campaign implementation
o Send notices to principals, counselors, and teachers Let them know what materials to expect at the school and when Provide guidance to staff on how to use the materials effectively
o Distribute materials to schools Ensure that school staff display the materials prominently Provide a mechanism for schools to order additional materials on demand
o Promote special events See communication planning below for more details
o Hold special events See communication planning below for more details
Communication planning o What channels do you have available?
No/Low Cost: School mailings/emails, school radio/TV stations, school newspapers, school websites, voicemail messages to parents, social media
Moderate/High Cost: School bus/public transit ads, local/regional newspaper ads, sport/special event marketing, local radio/television
o Invitations and promotion of special events, if applicable Are there local celebrities to invite to participate as spokespeople to help get the
message out? Are there local political leaders who would like to engage or partner with the
district? Can we connect students to colleges and universities through this campaign?
o Media Is this a story of interest to local media? Can we use the media to gain attention for any special events?
o What external partners can we leverage to support this effort? Are sponsorships available from local agencies or businesses? Are local college and universities interested in partnering on the campaign?
Post-campaign activities o Thank-you letters for participants and sponsors o Debrief campaign with team and key stakeholders o Assess success of the campaign through surveys of students, parents, and counselors o Brainstorm and establish ongoing campaign efforts to continue momentum
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Detailed Campaign Special Event Checklist:
TASK LIST by TIMEFRAME
Preliminary Planning — Two months prior to the event date
Hold kick-off meeting (organize weekly calls) Identify campaign event team Secure local venue for event Identify and invite speakers and agenda participants Identify key invitees: parents, community organizations, students, etc… Identify local collaborators (colleges/universities, student financial aid services, etc.) Send Save the Date invitation Inform staff
One to two months before the event date
Confirm speakers Send formal invitation letters Send invitation email Gather collateral/giveaways for event Secure food if applicable Develop a communication plan Secure photographer/videographer
One to two weeks before the event date
Print day of event material Hold briefing calls with agenda participants (if necessary) Reminder invitation email Line up day-of-event media coverage
One day prior / day of event
Prepare collateral for distribution Staff check-in table (if applicable) Determine guests’ special needs Hang signage Secure food (if applicable) Set up technology Set up room/facility Provide instructions to photographer/videographer
Postevent
Send thank-you to special invited guests Send thank-you to staff/campaign team Hold debrief on event successes and areas of improvement Define next steps (ongoing momentum)
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Leverage Existing School or District Activities
Integrating the Five Ways Ed Pays message in existing college- or career-awareness activities throughout the school or district. This campaign can help build momentum around these activities or broaden awareness.
School counselors, principals, PTA, district career or guidance center
College/University Collaborative Event
Work with your local college, university, or business in a collaborative effort that shows the importance of higher education.
School counselors, principals, PTA
Agenda Options
In-School Assembly Rally or Fair Career/College Fair
45–60 minutes 1–2 hours 3–4 hours
Introduce Campaign and Engage Students: Principal (15 min.)
Opening Address/Keynote: Local hero who can speak about the Five Ways Ed Pays (25 min.)
Discuss School/District Resources: Counselor (20 min.)
Q&A (10 min).
Institute a School Challenge or Call to Action (10 min.)
Registration and Raffle/Giveaway
Band/Cheerleaders (5 min).
Welcome and Introduction: Principal or Superintendent (10 min.)
Keynote Speaker: Local hero who can speak about the Five Ways Ed Pays (15 min.)
Speak about resources available in the community/district: Counselor and community leader (15 min.)
Closing Remarks/Call to Action (10 min.)
Welcome and Introduction: Principal (10 min.)
Speak about resources available in the community/district: Counselor and community leader (15 min.)
Closing Remarks/Call to Action (10 min.)
College and Career Fair
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Communications/Media Plan Communication/media plan and checklist should be managed by your local media and public relations coordinator at the district/school level. It is imperative that the campaign project team review all communications and provide updates for any changes in the event, participants, and/or agenda. Below is a sample timeline for communicating about the campaign launch in an event format:
Timing Deliverable
8 Weeks • Create messaging and build a local media contact list that you would like to reach out to.
• Identify communications outlets that you can leverage (school radio, emails, newsletter, bulletins, etc.)
7 Weeks • Begin soliciting local press to support and cover the campaign launch in your district or school.
5 Weeks • Draft launch news release • Begin to draft talking points, FAQ, and core materials for campaign
spokespeople. 4 Weeks • Send requests and confirm vendors (photo/video).
• Draft event media advisory based on finalized location and logistics. 3 Weeks • Draft news articles, blogs, and tweets for school leadership.
• Approve all media communications for distribution. 2 Weeks • Conduct extensive media outreach in key local media market.
• Finalize press kits. • Begin to pitch event participants in local print, radio, and broadcast
interviews. • Reach out to business columnists, weekly business journals.
1 Week • Distribute media advisory in preparation of event attendance. • Finalize all participant logistics for key campaign participants.
Event Week • Submit article to local daily newspaper (when appropriate). • Distribute news release. • Leverage established communications to promote event.
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CAMPAIGN TOOLS
Campaign materials will be available upon order, and planning tools can be accessed via the Five Ways Ed Pays Campaign website advocacy.collegeboard.org/fivewaysedpays. To request campaign materials, please work with your local College Board coordinator (See Appendix A). Available Resources:
Awareness
Campaign Overview Presentation Campaign Video
Planning
Campaign Checklist Campaign Toolkit
Invitations
Sample Invitation Letters Sample Thank-You Letters
Sample Collateral
Five Ways Ed Pays Brochure, Posters, and Trifold
Media
Sample Media Advisory Sample Press Release Sample Key Messages
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APPENDIX
Local College Board Coordinators
Region Name Title Email
Midwest Region Theodore Gardella Senior Director, K-12 [email protected]
Middle States Region
Catherine Nti Executive Director, K-12 [email protected]
New England Region
David Adams Senior Director, K-12 [email protected]
Southern Region Larry Brown Executive Director, K-12 [email protected]
Southwest Region Joe Loving Senior Director, K-12 [email protected]
West Region Sandra Williams-Hamp Executive Director, K-12 [email protected]
National Office Support
Nikole Collins-Puri Director of Outreach [email protected]
Annika Many Program Manager [email protected]
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