Enrollment, Community, Communications
This session blends research, storytelling, and hands-on collaboration to equip participants with practical, culturally responsive communication strategies that both honor communities and strengthen enrollment.
We will begin with an opening discussion on why trust — not marketing — is the foundation of school choice decisions for many underserved and marginalized families. Using real data from Colorado and stories from the field, participants will explore the barriers these families face — from language and transportation challenges to perceptions about charter schools. The session then shifts into two interactive activities:
1. Barrier Busting Wall. Participants rotate through stations labeled with common enrollment barriers (Language, Transportation, Perception of Charter Schools, Scheduling Conflicts, etc.). At each station, they contribute practical solutions on sticky notes. Ideas are then captured on a shared “solution wall,” creating a crowd-sourced library of strategies for overcoming participation challenges.
2. Message Makeover Challenge. Small groups receive a generic school outreach message, such as a flyer or enrollment email. They reimagine the content to make it more personalized, accessible and culturally inclusive, considering tone, visuals, language, and calls to action. Groups present their “before” and “after” messages, allowing for feedback, inspiration and the sharing of best practices.
The workshop concludes with each participant drafting their own 30-Day Personalized Outreach Blueprint, combining solutions from the Barrier Busting Wall with improved communication techniques from the Message Makeover Challenge. This ensures every attendee leaves with an actionable plan they can implement immediately in their school communities.