Peyton Wolcott - National School District Honor Roll

H o w w e t a k e b a c k o u r c h i l d r e n ' s e d u c a t i o n -- o n e p e r s o n , o n e q u e s t i o n , o n e s c h o o l a t a t i m e

P E Y T O N W O L C O T T

C o n s e r v a t i v e C o m m e n t a r y
THE NATIONAL SCHOOL DISTRICT HONOR ROLL: How to successfully
ask your local school district to post its check register online

How we take back our children's education:
one person, one question, one school at a time.

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There are
only two
ways I
recommend
that you ask:
1. Go in person
to your local
school board
meeting, or 2.
Schedule an
appointment
with your local
superintendent
in his/her office.

These two
approaches are
both friendly and
personal and
are the only way
I believe we can
do this
successfully.

ONLY
TWO WAYS
TO ASK

BEFORE YOUR
SCHOOL
BOARD MEETING

*APPROACHES
I DO NOT
RECOMMEND

If you're at all friendly
with or known to
your local
superintendent, call
ahead a few weeks and
ask with a smile on your
face and in a friendly voice
to be put on the next
agenda as a discussion
item to discuss the idea of
your district's posting its
check register online.

He/she will either say "yes"
or "no."

If they agree to do this,
thank them and ask the
superintendent if they have
any questions or concerns
or reservations.

If they do not agree to do
this, thank them for their
time and let them know
you're looking forward to
discussing this briefly
during the next public
comment period.

Be pleasant. Do not carpe
diem and tell them what
you think of the way they're
running your school district.

Do not be alarmed or
express disapproval if you
have to explain what a
check register is to your
superintendent and/or
other district officials and/or
school board members.
(This actually occurred in
one district, that we had to
explain that a check
register is the same as a
checkbook.)

If you don't already know
whether the school board
is receiving a roster of all
checks in its monthly board
packet, ask. Do not
express alarm if the
superintendent does not
know. (This too has
happened.)

Whether or not your
superintendent says yes to
putting you on the agenda,
call ahead to all of your
school board members
and ask what questions or
concerns or reservations
they might have about their
district's posting its check
register online; share with
them that you're going to be
bringing this up at their next
board meeting.

Do not attempt to argue or
present your case at this
time; simply make note of
their name and their
comments.

If you're at all friendly with
your local press, you can let
them know ahead of time
that you'll be presenting
this idea. If they're
unfamiliar with the idea, the
easiest and quickest way to
bring them up to speed is
to refer them to my website.

AS YOUR
INITIAL CONTACT
OR REQUEST--
IN LIEU OF
A PERSONAL
APPEARANCE:

ASKING
AT YOUR LOCAL
SCHOOL BOARD MEETING

Arrive at the meeting 10-15 minutes
early.

Dress: Neat, clean conservative business attire.

Attitude: Be pleasant. If you're angry or appear
to be demanding that your board and/or
superintendent post the district's check register
online, they will pick up on this and it's only
human nature to be defensive.
       Remember: 90% of all communication is
non-verbal. The supe and school board
members will pick up on your intent and feelings.
          No matter what negativity has gone on
between you and your board and/or supe in the
past, erase it from your memory even if
temporarily and go in with a clean slate. Start
fresh with this meeting. If you can pull off a
genuine Southern belle smile, so much the
better.
       Most folks would prefer dealing with
someone who's pleasant than someone who's
unpleasant.
       Think of it this way: You're not storming the
gates of an unfriendly citadel to force them to
bend to your will or do something they don't want
to do. You're going as a friend and long-time
community supporter to persuade them that it's
in their best interests and your district's best
interests to post the check register online sooner
rather than later.

Handouts: Bring 50 copies of this flyer.
You can either print out the whole page from the
Internet or copy and paste the report portion (the
comments from the school districts in the grey
box) onto a word processing document with your
letterhead or your organization's letterhead,
include contact information, at the top; at the very
least this should include your name, your cell
phone number and a mailing address. You have
my permission/license to use the report on a
one-time basis for the purpose of addressing
your local school board; please include at the
bottom the source attribution on the flyer.
Distribute a flyer to each of your board members
first, well before the meeting begins, one each to
your superintendent and his secretary, one each
to the press, and the remainder to the folks in the
audience. Leave the extra at the sign-in table if
there is one. By now the meeting should be
about to start.

Your presentation to the board
Introduce yourself even if you are known to
everyone in the room and state your purpose
immediately. "I'm John Doe and I'm here to ask
you to post our district's check register online." If
you have volunteered and/or been an officeholder
in a school-related organization, mention this. If
you've lived in the community a long time,
mention the number of years. If your kids attend
or graduated from the district's schools, mention
this.

Emphasize the positive:
(1) It is your district's opportunity to show their
commitment to transparency.
(2) It is your district's opportunity to show their
commitment to open government.
(3) By posting its check register online now,
ahead of everyone else, your district gains
valuable PR in your community for its willingness
to be transparent and to make a commitment to
open government.

Avoid:
(A) References to "accountability" and
"responsibility," or any other words with a stern
tone.
(B) Telling your board how you plan to file open
records requests based on information provided
in the online check register.
(C) Any indication that this is a "Gotcha."
(D) Talking about anything else, including your
junior high schooler's problem with his/her math
teacher, discussions about how your district is
wasting money, recruitment ads for your new
group.

Stay focused.

Address your board's questions and concerns
and reservations they mentioned when you
telephoned them ahead of time.

Most likely these will be along the following lines:

o Additional expense (time, labor, copying) for
the district. "It would be extra time for the staff."
o Negative attention. "Parents won't understand
the checks." "Our front office will be too busy
responding to public records requests."
o Lack of trust from community. "The
community should trust our superintendent
and/or business manager who's already doing
such a great job."
o Additional technology. "It'll take forever."
"We'd have to buy new software."

All of these and more are already addressed by
the six school districts whom I've interviewed
and this information is in the report on this flyer

Suppose they say, "We're already posting our
accounts payable online. Isn't that enough?"
No, it's not. While this is certainly a good step in
the right direction, it's not enough. The district's
posting its entire check register online, check
numbers included, reduces the amount of
financial mischief which can be made.

Okay, ye of little faith: Why do I know these
foregoing steps work?   In addition to admitting to
having a bit of a PR background, it's a
well-established axiom of advertising that the
testimonial is the strongest kind of ad, and on
this flyer you have testimonials from six school
districts who are already successfully doing what
you're asking your district to undertake.

In the unlikely event your board members bring
up a new question/concern not included in the
report on the flyer, please contact me and I will
help you address this.

Your closing remark: "You've seen good and
compelling reasons to post our check register
online. It's the right thing to do and it's the way
school districts are going. Let's be ahead of the
curve. We don't want to be perceived as being
anti-open government and anti-transparency, do
we? Besides, we don't have anything to hide.
Thank you."

If you're on the agenda, make your presentation
when it's your turn. Because you've already taken
the time to talk with your board members and to
address their concerns, your presentation will go
faster and be more positive, and the board's
discussion will likely be more positive. Also, by
making your phone calls ahead of time and
addressing the board's concerns, it's more likely
they'll vote "yes" on the spot. Had you not taken
the time ahead of the meeting to address their
concerns, it's more likely your board would defer
their decision until they can "think about it
further"--a polite way of saying "No." You want to
do everything you can possibly do ahead of time
to enable them to say "Yes," right then and there.

If you're not on the agenda but make your
presentation during the open forum session, be
careful about staying within the minimum time
allotted to you, and thank them for listening. The
board members will likely not say anything.

Thus far everybody who's asked along the lines
indicated above has received a "yes" from either
their board or their superintendent--on the spot.

Afterwards
If your supe/board said "yes" at the meeting,
follow up with a nice letter to the editor of your
local paper(s).

If your supe/board said "we'll think about it" at the
meeting, this is now the time to begin a
letter-writing campaign; ask friends to send faxes
and emails to the board and superintendent
showing their support for posting check registers
online. KEEP IT POSITIVE!

If your supe/board said "no" at the meeting, start
filing public records requests, starting with
looking at your supe's and board's travel and
other expenses. Share your findings with your
community in a positive way -- not a "gotcha" -- by
asking questions along the lines of, "I'm
confused. If we're really broke and needing more
money, why is our supe staying in luxury hotels
(cite dates and prices and purpose of trip)? Are
our schools so perfect that he/she can travel to
Rochester or New Orleans and fix their schools,
too?" And/or: "Why did our board treat
themselves to a $900 steak dinner at the last
school boards convention? Couldn't they have
just gotten a Big Mac and let the rest of the
money go to books for our library?"

PAYING A PERSONAL
VISIT TO YOUR SUPE

Although I recommend asking at
your local school board meeting,
there is another approach, the
personal visit.

A friend of mine and her husband
are career educators and long-time
residents in their district. They
make a practice of paying a brief
(half-hour) personal visit to each
new superintendent. This is a
different standing than most of us
have with our districts and our
superintendents.

During her visit, my friend brought
up the idea of the online check
register, mentioning it's the coming
thing, and that our state education
agency is already posting its check
register online. She received
positive feedback from her supe,
and will be following up.

My only concern with this approach
is that it might be all too easy for the
supe to delay posting until some
time in the distant future.

That said, I did myself ask another
superintendent (not my local district)
during a personal meeting last fall
and was turned down; the guy
actually had a horrified look on his
face. Six months later, with
subsequent positive press around
the state, plus, again, our state
education agency's decision to post
its check registers online, the same
supe said "Yes."

When your superintendent/board says
"yes" after you ask, please let me know
and I'll post this on our growing roster.

Congratulations!

Remember:
90% of our communication is non-verbal
____

What you're thinking and feeling speaks
much louder than your actual words.

ASKING AT A
SCHOOL BOARD
NOT YOUR OWN

First off, hats off for
taking this altruistic
step.

Second, what is your
motive? Is this a
neighboring district or
is it in your son's town
and you're visiting?

Or, could your motive
be that your state and
federal taxes are
helping to fund this
district?

Why it's important to
keep your motive in
mind: Likely if you're
not recognized
someone will ask
where you're from and
what you're doing there.
Easier to respond to a
belligerent trustee
when you're standing
alone at the mic if
you've thought this
through beforehand.
Have a nice one-
sentence statement
printed out on a sheet
of paper you can read
from; include this in the
"identify yourself" step
at left.

To be well prepared is
to be well armed.

Let's take the third
possibility, that you're
asking at a district not
technically your own.

You can approach
supes and school
boards unfamiliar to
you in one of two
ways: either with a
carrot or with a stick.
Think about this: You're
a human being. Which
would you rather have
folks approach you
with, a carrot or a stick?

With the stick
approach, you go to a
district unannounced,
fairly confident they'll
turn you down--again.
Both your demeanor
and your presentation
have an air of the
"Gotcha" about them.

With the carrot
approach, you plan
ahead and call ahead,
in a friendly way. You
call the superintendent
and ask if his/her
district is posting their
checks online yet.
When he/she says
"No," you ask if they've
considered taking this
good big step towards
transparency and open
government. When you
get a second "No"
response, you can say
then you're planning to
attend the district's next
board meeting on
such-and-such a date
and time, and, by the
way, as you'll be
alerting the local press
that you're planning to
attend, can the supe
give you a brief
statement now, ahead
of time, for a report
you're preparing as to
his feelings (this is an
important word in the
public school world)
regarding the
possibility of the district
posting its check
registers online.

Then you take the time
to call each of the
school board
members individually,
and ask them
about/share with them
this exciting new
possibility. For almost
everybody outside of
Texas--for right now,
anyway-- you'll be able
to say, "Wouldn't it be
cool to be the first
district in our state to
voluntarily post its
check register online?
Think of the PR benefits
to the district, taking
this bold big step
towards transparency."
Ask them if they have
any reservations,
issues or concerns.
This part is easy,
because every
objection they could
have--expense/
time/labor involved,
possible deluge of
negative questions,
etc.--is probably
addressed on the
report on this printable
flyer.

When you go to the
school board meeting
in another district,
rather than feeling
(there's that magic
word again) you're
storming the castle
walls, treat it instead
like you're going to a
friendly gathering
committed to doing
something positive for
school children, their
parents and taxpayers.

Now, please take a
moment to read the
column at left, "Asking
at your local school
board meeting."

Again, this isn't to be
bossy, but to save you
time, grief and energy.
There really are parents
who will show up at
school board meetings
in cut-offs and flip-flips
to discuss something
serious--then be
bewildered as to why
no one takes them
seriously.

Benefit from my
mistakes.

5-POINT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY *

2. Don't cold call on the board at meeting -- call ahead.
3. Bring 50 copies of this flyer (with your contact info).
4. Correct & thorough prep saves time in the long run.

I do not
recommend
sending an email
or a letter as your
initial contact or
request.

I do not
recommend
organizing a
petition drive with
your neighbors.

I do not
recommend
sending a group
of letters from
members of your
organization.

I do not
recommend
asking by
sending a letter to
the editor of your
local paper.

I especially do
not recommend
standing outside
your main admini-
stration building
with posters and
foghorns and
shouting, "Online
check register
NOW!"

I only
recommend
going in person
either to visit
your supe or to
attend a school
board meeting,
and some of
the foregoing
afterwards if
necessary.

Please keep
reading; most if
not all of your
questions are
answered on
this page.

Home

Not a PR pro?
How to talk to your local
school board & supe
about putting your
district's checks online
By Peyton Wolcott
Copyright 2007
Updated Nov. 30, 2007

Friends, a light bulb went off
recently when an astute friend
remarked, "Most grassroots
parents and taxpayers aren't
very good at PR."

This comment took me off
guard, but do you know what?
He was right.

Many of our best volunteers
are rational people, engineers
and accountants and the like,
who are used to an
environment in which facts
reign.

1. Commit to memory: "Our public schools are essentially socialist
models and their engine and currency is the realm of emotions and
people skills. They speak in the language of feelings, not facts." -- PW

It takes us a very long while
to understand that our public
schools are essentially
socialist models and their
engine and currency is the
realm of emotions and
people skills.

When we speak with folks
who work at our public
schools, it is helpful to
remember to speak in the
language of feelings, rather
than facts. "I feel it would be
helpful if . . . " rather than, "I
think we ought to . . . . "

Further, our superintendents
attend conferences and
meetings where they learn
how to develop their PR
skills, and they hire well-paid
PR guys and gals who are
skilled in the art of public
relations. This is the arena
into which we step.

When we take our logic and
thoughts into our schools'
well-oiled PR machinery,
especially if we are angry, we
lose every time.

Also, by the time most of us
get to the point that we are
interested in seeing how our
district spends its money,
there have been precipitating
incidents. As another friend
put it, "I just wanted to slug
someone at that board
meeting." This man is a
genuinely decent human
being and the comment
surprised me-- but it's not the
first time I've heard this from
a parent.

It wasn't always that
way.
Generally we start out
assuming our dealings with
our school districts will be a
rational exercise. Most of us
are volunteers and in
addition to our taxes give
generously to our children's
schools. Then when we
spend a lot of time there, we
notice things.

Years ago I myself felt sure
that if I showed my local
supe and board where
money was being wasted in
some areas and not
adequately safeguarded in
others that they would
welcome this information
with open arms and changes
would be made on the spot.
Hah! Imagine my surprise
when they reacted as though
to a personal attack when I
was just trying to help.

At this point we often start
gathering hard data* on our
schools because we
assume--also incorrectly, as
it turns out--that "someone"
higher up is watching out.

The "someone in charge"
turns out to be us. We learn
that our local schools have
next to no real oversight; as
just one example witness the
two dozen state, federal and
local governmental bodies
and elected officials two
moms in Texas contacted in
their effort to bring their local
superintendent to justice.

Besides, to focus on spread
sheets and flow charts to
take to "someone in charge"
is to focus on the wake of the
wave and not the boat and
the pilot.

This is why I have come to
the conclusion after years in
the grassroot trenches that
the best and most effective
single step we can take to
help our districts reign in
costs and improve our
vendor-driven curriculums in
order to better educate our
kids is to persuade our
schools to post their check
registers online.

When we approach our
districts, we have found there
are some things we can do
which are more effective than
others.

Like I tell my kids, go and
make new mistakes--don't
replicate mine.

To make it easier for you to
successfully ask your local
district to put its check
register online, I've posted
two webpages; the first one
(here) walks you through the
process, and the second is a
flyer you can print as is.

I've done this successfully,
using the steps outlined on
this page, and wouldn't
recommend that you
undertake something I
haven't already done myself.
If I can do it, you can, too--
and probably much better!

* Yes, you need hard facts. They
need to be in the form of paper
records from the district. And you
need them in order to have them
on hand for making your case,
not to take to "someone in
charge."

5. Everyone who has followed these steps exactly as outlined below
has experienced 100% success; shortcuts lead to failure.