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March/April 2006

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IASB Publications
2921 Baker Drive
Springfield 62703
217/528-9688, extension 1131

• Turning NCLB 'lemons' into 'lemonade' schools
  by Rick Loy
  Rock Island-Milan School District 41 initiated restructuring for three schools before it became mandatory and hopes to enjoy better test results for its efforts.

• Proposed legislation realigns reorganization
  by William H. Phillips
  Changes could be in store that would add flexibility and streamline the current school consolidation process.
  Sidebar: Be alert for changes

• Reaching the public in democracy battle
  by Nora Carr
  If public schools are going to turn the tide of public opinion, school leaders will need to be more strategic and sophisticated in their approach to communications.

• Listening to hear community's voices
  by Barbara Banker and Julie Armantrout
  School boards can use the public engagement process to establish common ground and gain valuable insight into what their communities truly want for their schools.

• Biased survey beats unbiased for influence
  by Bill Foster
  Surveying is an essential part of the pre-referendum process, and identifying "influentials" in your community can make all the difference in the world.

• Grinding axes, greasing wheels
  by Joe Dannecker
  School board members need to be able to distinguish between the voices that seek to sharpen board policy and those who just want to grind a political ax.

• Setting an example with ethical leadership
  by Linda Dawson
  This third in a series of articles on school board leadership looks at the state's Ethics Act as well as revisiting the issue of reimbursable expenses discussed in the November/December Journal.

• Practical PR: A practical approach to communicating

• Ask the staff: Use different tactics for different groups