BUILDING CAPACITY

Laura McDonald John Poynton

for Public Participation

International Association of Public ParticipationCore Values Webinar

January 13, 2015

Poll #1: Your professional affiliation?

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- research/higher ed.- K-12 education- health care- government- industry

Poll #2: Your geographic location?

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- Australasia- Canada- USA- other

Can your school community have a reasoned discussion about…

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- massive cuts- school closures- boundary changes- police officers in schools- allowing teachers to carry arms- raising taxes to increase teacher pay

- conflict-driven media- heavy reliance on “experts”- polarized ideological interests- history of “decide, announce & defend” tactics- rising distrust for school administrators- lack of trained P2 facilitators in schools

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In an environment with?

Wouldn’t public education work better if more citizens…

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- had personal relationships with administrators & legislators and routinely contacted them with concerns?

- were so well-informed about school business, they’d be more willing to serve on the board or committees?

- effectively engaged other citizens on controversial issues that many citizens might be reluctant to discuss?

- could share accurate information about emerging issues, dispel myths and rumors, help problem-solve?

- …and more districts had administrators and parents trained in P2 theory and process facilitation?

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But engagement trends aren’t good!

- parents leaving PTAs (Putnam, 2000)

- complexity of education (Fisher, 2009)

- administrator expertise (Mathews, 2006)

- strained relationships (Gillon, 2000)

- distrust of “non-experts” (Sexton, 2004)

- citizens withdrawing (Harwood, 2005)

- public easily manipulated (Fishkin, 2008)

Meet our parent, Laura professional active voter taxpayer has two elementary-aged kids loves her neighborhood school

but had NO relationship with her school district!

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Laura’s perspective…

vs scary powerful people

Laura

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We needed to change the culture!

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Organizational change takes time!

- secure the support of a credible leader- identify root cause of failed interactions- design and train for details- get early wins (make colleagues ‘the hero’)- connect citizens with experts, build trust - empower parents with know-how, know-who- recruit experienced facilitators when needed- be a persistent change champion

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Outside, parents noticed!

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Engagement began to rise!

Poll #3: Generally, how would you characterize your community’s capacity for public participation?

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- above average- average- below average- S.O.S.! (crisis mode)- unsure

Poll #4: Generally, how would you characterize your organization’s support for public participation?

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- above average- average- below average- not even on the chart- unsure

Hypothesis

Would a citizen training that provides

- organizational knowledge (know-how)- relationship building (know-who)

raise our district’s P2 capacity?

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Know-how

District

- org. structure

- governance

- budget

- schools & curriculum

- student services

- P2/deliberation skills

State/Local- elected officials

- school finance

- state Board of Ed.

- state & federal laws

- state education policy

- PK-12 legislation

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Know-who

District - superintendent- board president- leadership team (asst. superintendents., exec. directors, etc.)

State/Local- legislators- state ed. board- state dept. leads- local municipal leaders- law enforcement

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LSV Training Program - Year 6

What citizen training in

district affairs

When meets monthly for 2½ hours

Where board of ed.room

Why reengage parents, build P2 capacity

Whoparents (mostly) from across the district

Agendasupt’s update,guest speakers, core topics

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Research domains

- knowledge operations, funding, governance,

P2

- relationship build rapport with decision makers

- willingness prepared to commit time/resources

- efficacy understands P2 theory & process

- action participates in district activities

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RQ1: Knowledge LSV significantly improved my knowledge of …

- policies and practices

- organizational structure

- state’s role in funding

- instructional programs

- school board’s role

97%

93%89%

85%80%

strongly agree/agree

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Participant quote - knowledge

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“When you feel informed, you feel empowered...”

RQ2: Relationships LSV makes me more likely to contact …

- a friend or acquaintance- friends contact me

- a board member

- the superintendent

- a state legislator

82%

81%81%

77%67%

strongly agree/agree

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Participant quote - relationships

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“It was the first time I was exposed to legislators.”

RQ3: Willingness LSV makes me more willing to be involved …

- in conversations with others

- in PTO, other committees

- seek out school leadership- in Board of Ed meetings- in state legislative hearings

96%

74%74%

63%56%

strongly agree/agree

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Participant quote - willingness

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“LSV has given me more confidence and to assert myself and advocate for the things I believe in.”

RQ4: Efficacy LSV strengthened my deliberation skills …

- finding solutions difficult choices

- finding solutions uncomfortable

conversations

- different perspectives better solutions

- greater understanding of different perspectives

- different positions, but finding consensus

97%

97%

92% 89%

85%

strongly agree/agree

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Participant quote - efficacy

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“I’ve definitely learned to consider where people are coming from.”

RQ5: Action After LSV I have participated in …

- volunteered at a school/district event

- asked another person to participate

- shared new knowledge with the PTO

- involved in a legislative initiative

- made a financial contribution

100%92%

88%

88%85%

yes

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RQ5: Action cont’d

81%73%69%42%

27%

yes

- communicated with superintendent/board- supported candidate campaign- used social media to share information- solicited a financial contribution

- submitted a Letter to the Editor

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Participant quote - action

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“It made me feel more comfortable about getting involved…doing campaigning, educating, talking to parents, getting petitions signed, going to speak at parent groups, emails, all kinds of things that I would say are on a broader level.”

RQ-6 Ripple Effect

PTO records

Newspapers

Web-based docs

Evidence from archival records

Legislative hearings

Election coverage

Event agendas

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Lessons learned

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John

- no perfect meeting time- encourage staff to raise the tough problems- include a social event- child care availability big plus

Laura- never underestimate the power of a few- don’t let perfect be the enemy of good- modeling, sincerity & encouragement are key- safety in numbers

Insights to consider

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- starting small is good- strong leadership essential- including staff builds buy-in- not a means for a specific political win- more work from staff (but its the right work)- huge opportunity for communications office

Getting citizens back to the table

Leadership St. Vrain

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Leadership St. Vrain37

Buildingculture ofpublic participation

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Grassroots St. Vrain

For more information…

Laura McDonaldGrassroots St. Vrain

laura@grassrootsstvrain.org

303-883-6320

John PoyntonSt. Vrain Valley Schools

poynton_john@svvsd.org

303-682-7404

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