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Maple River Education Coalition PAC
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How the government sells STW to the public

March 6, 2000

A government document teaches implementers how to sell School-to-Work (STW) to the public.  It is full of tips for public relations, promotion, marketing, and working with the media.  The document, entitled "STW Marketing and Communication at the Local Level," is available at a government website. Below are the highlights.

Of the federal tax dollars granted for STW, about 15% is for marketing.

"Marketing funds should be about 15% of the grant budget."

Though the document repeatedly speaks of "marketing", it suggests that this be publicly called "public outreach":

"Use the term public outreach, not marketing."

In the same way, it suggests the word "kids" instead of "students":

"The term kids resonates better than students."

The system uses the federal money to leverage support from local "partnerships" to obtain further funding.  The document teaches how to put the squeeze on employers for financial support by reminding them that employers are the "beneficiaries" of the STW system!  Employers will be the ones who benefit from it.  That is true, as STW opponents point out.
 

"Tell employers: you are the beneficiaries, so we need you to match funds or underwrite the campaign."

The document says to "Market at 2 levels" — statewide and grassroots:

1. "statewide (Groundhog Job Shadow Day, teacher appreciations, open houses; wherever mass media is utilized), and"

2. "at grassroots because STW support must be a groundswelling within the community and eventually make its way to the legislatures."

In other words, the document clearly intends the federal tax funded marketing to sway grassroots public opinion and state legislatures in favor of the STW system.  

The document says the top CEO is typically not the one who buys-in to the system, rather it is the mid-management "human resources" person.

"Typically it’s the mid-management human resources person who buys in, but not the top CEO."

Special techniques are suggested for flattering a response from CEOs:

"Strategies to involve CEOs: Golf sessions were sponsored with the superintendent of schools. A country club underwrote the cost, which included lunch at the country club with a STW speaker. Before employers left, they signed a commitment to contribute funds, sponsor teacher externships, provide mentor and career shadowing, and/or agree to call 3 other CEOs. Other activities have included sailing or special breakfasts. These strategies have had a 90% success rate with CEOs; participants knew up-front about making commitments because they had received a written invitation from Superintendent."

"An employer recognition system rewards employers for stepping up. (examples: a certificate signed by the Governor, ..."

The document encourages STW partners (many of them substantially controlled by the government) "to buy from STW businesses", in essence boycotting against non-STW businesses.  This involves a "recognition system", an easily recognized visible way of identifying STW businesses from non-STW businesses:

"... a [STW] Zone sign visibly displayed on business windows, encouragement for STW partners to buy from STW businesses—essentially creating a STW brand)."

By means such as these, some state STW system planners aim for an 80% compliance rate by the end of year 2000.

"Currently there are 10,000 employers participating in the Florida STW system. The state has a goal of 80% participating employers by the year 2000."

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