Before I worked in education, I was one of those people who questioned the public school system and was quick to criticize it. After all, I went to public school, so clearly I was an expert on how it all worked.
The truth is, I received a great education in the Plymouth-Canton School District in Michigan, but only after I got myself into trouble. In ninth grade, I decided to skip school a couple of times. My mother, who I assumed wasn’t paying attention, knew exactly where my Area Coordinator’s office was. One afternoon, she surprised me there with a visit that made it very clear the gig was over.
After that moment, I found what people sometimes call “religion.” My Catholic upbringing and a healthy dose of guilt helped me refocus. I showed up to school, worked harder, and became grateful that I had the opportunity to turn things around.
Over the course of many years working at Ford, I found myself working at Ford Motor Company Fund (now Ford Philanthropy) and became immersed in the world of education. I have been living in that world not for nearly 25 years and boy was a wrong about education before I became engaged in this work.
As President of Ford Next Generation Learning, a national nonprofit that helps communities transform K-12 education through community connected learning and partnerships with employers and postsecondary institutions, I spend a lot of time with educators across the country.
In those meetings and conferences, I hear a common concern: the landscape of public education is changing quickly. Funding models are shifting. Enrollment is declining in many districts. Superintendents often feel like they are waiting for the next shoe to drop.
At the same time, many districts are losing students to private schools and charter schools. The narrative that public schools are not good enough for “my child” continues to gain traction — even though in many communities it simply isn’t true.
The educators I meet entered this profession because they want to make a difference in students’ lives. They work incredibly hard. They give their time, their energy, and often their own money to support their classrooms. They are teachers, but also mentors, counselors, and sometimes surrogate family members.
But there is one thing many school systems struggle to do well: They do not tell their story.
Educators quietly guide and care for their students every day, yet many districts fail to communicate the incredible things happening inside their schools. Meanwhile, private and charter schools are gaining enrollment and they are very good at telling their story.
They market their programs. They highlight their successes. They respond quickly to families. They understand that parents are making a choice. In many communities, policy changes and expanded school options have created an environment where families have more choices than ever before. That reality has changed how schools must engage with their communities.
Public schools must recognize the same reality: education is a public service, but it is also a competitive environment. That does not mean changing the mission of public education. It means communicating its value clearly and consistently.
This blog focuses on the importance of marketing your district and telling your story. Education is complex, and marketing and storytelling are not the only answers, but they are an important way to keep your students.
If public school districts want to retain and attract students, they must embrace marketing and storytelling as essential leadership responsibilities. Here are five ways to start.
- Don’t Lose Them
Every student who leaves a public school takes funding with them. More importantly, families rarely come back once they have had a negative experience. Think about any product or service you have stopped using because of poor customer service. You likely didn’t return — and you probably told others about your experience.
Schools are no different. The first interaction a family has with your district matters. That experience may happen through your website, an administrative assistant answering the phone, a bus driver greeting a student, or a teacher speaking with a parent.
Every touchpoint should reflect pride, professionalism, and clarity about what makes your district special. Make sure your staff understands your district’s value and can communicate it. Ensure the enrollment process is welcoming, efficient, and supportive.
Families should feel from the very first interaction that they are entering a district that values their trust.
- Define Your Value
Too often, public schools fall into a defensive posture when questioned about their effectiveness. Instead, districts should confidently define their value. What makes your district the best choice in your community?
Be specific. Highlight academic achievements, innovative programs, career pathways, extracurricular opportunities, and real student outcomes. Use data, but also tell human stories that bring that data to life.
Most parents begin their research online and often turn to social media to learn about their local schools. Your website and social platforms should consistently showcase student success and district accomplishments.
Celebrate your wins — loudly and often.
- Reframe Your Story
Every strong organization has a clear message that people remember. What is your district’s story? What promise do you make to families? Many districts develop powerful taglines that capture their mission. Hampton City Schools emphasizes “Every Student, Every Day, Whatever It Takes.”
These messages matter because they create identity and pride. When repeated consistently, they shape how the community talks about the district.
Use events, programs, and partnerships to reinforce that story. Showcase signature opportunities that families cannot find anywhere else.
- Turn Your Community Into Storytellers
The most powerful marketing is not a press release — it is a parent telling another parent about their child’s experience. Encourage students, parents, teachers, employer partners, and alumni to share their stories. Feature real outcomes: internships, scholarships, college acceptances, certifications, and career success.
When authentic voices tell authentic stories, people listen.
Those stories should appear everywhere — on social media, on your website, at community events, and even in everyday conversations at the grocery store or local coffee shop.
- Treat Marketing as a Leadership Priority
Great storytelling does not happen by accident.Every district should have someone whose job is to ensure communications and marketing are strategic, consistent, and authentic — and that person should have direct access to leadership.
Transparency is key. Celebrate successes, but also be honest about challenges and how the district is addressing them. When communities see honesty and progress, they build trust.
Strong relationships with community partners, employers, and local leaders can also amplify your story and help advocate for public education.
The Bottom Line
Legislation will continue to change. Funding will continue to fluctuate. Those realities are largely outside the control of local school leaders. What is within their control is how they define their district, how they communicate their impact, and how families experience their schools.
Public schools have extraordinary stories to tell. They shape lives, strengthen communities, and create opportunities for millions of students every day. But if those stories are not told, families may never hear them.
And when parents proudly say, “I’m a proud parent of a ______ student,” that story becomes the most powerful marketing a district could ever have.
