School Choice Messaging: One Statistic, One Story, One Solution

Tailoring School Choice Messages to Different Regions:

Key Statistic:

• Pennsylvania spends nearly $22,000 per student (top 10 nationally)
• Despite high spending, test scores continue to decline

Regional Messaging Approaches:

1. Suburban Areas:
   • Emphasize that students are unique
   • One-size-fits-all system doesn't work for every family
   • Highlight families choosing alternatives when the system doesn't fit
   • Focus on: giving options to find what works best
2. Rural Areas:
   • Acknowledge pride in local schools while recognizing need for options
   • Contrast strong rural schools with struggling districts
   • Empathize with parents who can't afford to move from failing districts
   • Focus on: maintaining strong schools while helping trapped families
3. Urban Areas:
   • Address unsafe and failing schools leaving children behind
   • Point to waitlists and lotteries showing demand for alternatives
   • Frame as an urgent safety and survival issue
   • Focus on: immediate relief for students in dangerous situations

Solution for All Areas:

• Lifeline Scholarships to give families options
• Fund students directly rather than trying to fix broken systems
• Reference successful implementation in other states

Bottom Line: Keep messaging simple but resonant for your specific audience using one statistic, one story approach, and one solution.

For more tips on effective school choice messaging, refer to the accompanying one-page PDF.

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