Back to School is Right Around the Corner

Current trends in K-12 schools in Kansas include the following:

• Alternative means for professional development, ie..on demand video, live streaming, online etc.
• Energy conservation and "green" technologies
• Seeking ways to operate more efficiently and cost-effectively
• Ongoing facilities management
• Administrative services such as: applicant recruiting and screening, filing/processing of required forms like E-Rate etc.

Every day I am hearing more school administrators seeking new products and services. They key for education service agencies is to posture potential partners in a way that meets and exceeds the needs of our school district customers while generating viable revenue for our partners.

Kansas School Update

On July 2, school districts in Kansas received an additional 2% cut in funding. From the superintendents in southeast Kansas who I've spoken with the monetary result of this latest funding cut ranges from $30,000 to nearly $300,000 depending on factors such as student enrollment, socioeconomic demographics etc.

Conversely, superintendents are also talking about the ARRA and Stimulus funding they are receiving and the challenge of quarterly reporting of how those funds are impacting student achievement.

I feel that marketing to school districts in Kansas will need to be approached from a different aspect than in the past. Creative marketing and aligning products and services to ARRA, Stimulus, and other Federal funding sources will be critical to success.

One last note...keep in mind that Greenbush philosophy and culture is steeped in the core tenets of service and remaining student-focused. Partners with similar core values will continue to achieve success.