School Districts Need to Engage Residents Who Do Not Have Children

Over the last few years schools have had a hard time passing new or renewing tax levies anywhere in the country, but particularly in Ohio. With each election parents and kids hit the pavement passing out fliers at supermarkets and going door to door to beg residents for their votes.

Unfortunately, the strategies intended to win over the support of the community generally ignore the largest group of voters - those without children. On average, approximately 70 percent of the residents of any given school district have no students enrolled there.

So much of a person's income is already wasted at the state and federal levels that, without kids in the district, there is little incentive to voluntarily increase or maintain one's local tax burden. But, by engaging the overwhelming number of households without children school officials can gain the support of these residents by making better use of the district's facilities and talented staffers.

In order to reach out to the entire community, some districts around Ohio are now offering adult or family-oriented classes such as aerobics, driver's education, yoga and even financial planning or computer training. Most activities are offered either for a small fee or free of charge. Some classes are even taught by district employees.

Several Greene County schools, such as Greeneview High School in Jamestown, already make their fitness centers available to the public, but these activities appeal only to a small percentage of the population. Expanding the concept to include classes like basic car maintenance, literature and art studies or music programs would benefit more residents and generate a heightened sense of inclusion for those who do not have children in school.

Adding after-hours courses and activities might also help bring in some additional revenue from the use of the facilities. Reputable driving schools and other companies who offer educational programs often rent out satellite class rooms or multi-purpose spaces for evening or weekend sessions and generally pay well for the privilege.

After the bell rings most school facilities sit empty and unoccupied. Using existing resources, innovative school officials could easily nurture a better relationship between financially-strapped districts and residents who feel they pay too much in school tax with no return on their investments.

Eventually even those with children in the school system will be empty nesters and likely remain in the family home through retirement. Once their kids have graduated, interest in the fiscal health of the school district will eventually decline. Providing resources for residents of all ages is important to the long-term survival of any school district.

Starting small, however, is probably the best approach and aggressive marketing is essential. The public needs to be made aware of the activities being offered or any efforts to do so are pointless. Press releases, online postings and listings on community calendars are just a few no-cost methods available to notify residents of upcoming activities.

Historically, school districts do not have a good reputation for informing the public about anything except when they're begging to have a levy passed. If officials would put the same kind of energy into teaching residents about public school resources as they do towards levy campaigning, they may not have to work so hard to get the votes next time around.

Someone once said, "Public schools should be palaces. Teachers should be highly paid and publically revered. Public education should be free to all citizens and enormously expensive to the government - just like national defense."

Until that happens, school boards need to think more creatively and do everything they can to engage all the residents of their district. The expense of public education should be a give and take, especially in these uncertain economic times. To maintain the support of the public majority, school officials should work to provide educational resources to as many district residents as possible.

Gery L. Deer is a self-syndicated columnist based in Jamestown. Read more at www.gerydeer.com