Over the past several years, Tennessee lawmakers have increased school choice options for families. In an effort to influence those choices, Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) is providing each school with a stipend designed to entice families to make zoned schools their first choice. It’s a continuation of a strategy first implemented last year, and one that the district feels was successful.
In an email, MNPS spokesman Sean Braisted told The Tennessee Star, “Our goal as a district is to get as many families as possible to choose MNPS as their first option for student success.”
He added, “To help accomplish this goal, we are working with schools to increase their engagement with families in the community to encourage retention and recruitment of students to their school. MNPS piloted this program in the 21-22 school year and is expanding it for the 22-23 school year to more schools.”
The plan, as laid out by Braisted, is to make funding available to schools – subject to the approval of their spending plans by executive directors – within allowable parameters in the coming weeks. Suggested uses for the funds include the use of direct mail, flyers, or media advertising – both print and digital. Some of the funds could go to the staff of individual schools. Per the district-circulated memo explaining the initiative.
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“Schools may wish to use some of their funds to pay staff for an extended time to conduct door-knocking, attend community events, or host events after hours (tours, enrollment assistance, etc.). Direct engagement and personal contact tend to have the most positive and effective impact.”
While laying out alternative strategies, the referenced memo urged school leaders to conduct a self-evaluation:
“And when it comes to ensuring families choose your school, remember, nothing is as powerful as word of mouth and customer satisfaction. Review customer service practices. Take some time to study how families are treated at your school and ask if that is the service you would expect for yourself,” the memo said. “Review how families are greeted on the phone or when they come into the office. Do you have a plan for tours for prospective families?”
Individual schools will receive an extra $1,000 to $10,000 in funding for this initiative. Braisted told The Star, “The selection of those schools who will receive more funds is based on projected enrollment declines due to increased competition in the area and additional capacity to grow ($10,000) and those who participated last year ($5,000). The funding source is pooled SBB funds set aside for enrollment changes.”
