Greater Orange News Service

OU$D BOND Watch 2008
a Special News Analysis series by
Orange Net News /O/N/N/


In 2006, the Orange Unified School District Trustees approved the OUSD Strategic Plan that among other things calls for placement of a third School Facilities Bond to be placed on the June 2008 Ballot with the goal of 25% of OUSD schools modernized by September 2009. OUSD Superintendent Dr. Thomas Godley, a self proclaimed disciple of the private sector Good to Great management approach, uses a classic Good to Great flywheel approach in the OUSD Strategic Plan. That plan in part lays out a multifaceted approach to using district resources to promote public relations (with a goal of “60% more positive media”), build business and community relations, and run the 2008 OUSD Bond Election. The OUSD Strategic Plan maps out how this is to be accomplished by using community committees to “educate” the community about OUSD needs; uses Community Surveys (both public relations and political) to gauge community support; fills the new District Development Coordinator position; and hires a Bond Consultant to run the 2008 OUSD Bond Campaign.

Two of the four sections outlined in the OUSD Strategic Plan are geared toward passing the 2008 OUSD Bond. The first section called Partnerships works towards “educating” the community through committees and business partnerships OUSD facilities needs. The Partnerships section has four subgroups devoted to the “educating” and public relations campaign “Ready to Sell”: Public Relations Campaign; Revamp the District’s use of Foundations; Director of Community Development; and Stakeholder Committee.

The second section outlined in the OUSD Strategic Plan geared toward passing the 2008 OUSD Bond is called Facilities. Two of the five Facilities subgroups are geared toward passing the 2008 OUSD Bond: Promote passing a facilities bond; and Promote Community Partnerships to adopt schools.

Orange Net News has used the timelines from the six subgroups of OUSD Strategic Plan that are part of passing the OUSD 2008 Bond to produce the following unified timeline of the OUSD’s march toward the 2008 Bond Campaign:

TIMELINE of OUSD 2008 Bond Election

January 2007
Public Relations Campaign: Ready to Sell, a coordinated district message to “sell” OUSD

Revamp the District’s use of Foundations: Begin developing community partnerships

Director of Community Development: Hire a candidate for the position of Director of Development

March 2007
Promote Community Partnerships to adopt schools: Community Partnership Committee formed using parents, students, alumni and business representatives

May 2007
Public Relations Campaign: Baseline sample of community to measure the level of involvement and trust by the community of OUSD in a telephone survey with a “test message”

Revamp the District’s use of Foundations: First Annual Partnership Summit Conference- meeting with community businesses

June 2007
Promote passing a facilities bond: Hire a Bond Consultant, begin Facility Evaluation

Promote Community Partnerships to adopt schools: Community Partnership Committee identifies targeted businesses for partnerships

July 2007
Promote passing a facilities bond: OUSD Bond Consultant will conduct a community Bond Survey by telephone

Director of Community Development: Director of Development visits business partnerships to thank and ask the following: “1) Thank them 2) What are your thoughts 3) How can we improve”

August 2007
Promote passing a facilities bond: OUSD Bond Consultant completes the community Bond Survey

September 2007
Promote passing a facilities bond: Establish Bond Taxable Rate

Promote Community Partnerships to adopt schools: Community Partnership Committee selects “representatives” to approach targeted businesses

Revamp the District’s use of Foundations: Align the resources of First Annual Partnership Summit Conference to OUSD needs


October 2007
Director of Community Development: Begin Donor Recognition Program

Promote Community Partnerships to adopt schools: “Begin Education of community regarding needs”

January 2008
Director of Community Development: Identify and develop “new relationships”

February 2008
Stakeholder Committee: Principals recommend parents and students for Stakeholder Committee

March 2008
Promote passing a facilities bond: “Board of Ed. Votes to place bond on ballot. Campaign for bond begins”

Stakeholder Committee: Stakeholder Committee begins monthly meetings

June 2008
Promote passing a facilities bond: Bond election

LAST THREE BOND ELECTIONS IN GREATER ORANGE COMMUNIITES

November 2006 Election Results RSCCD Measure O (needed 55% to pass)
Santa Ana College/Santiago Canyon College Improvement Bonds
Completed Precincts: 318 of 318
Vote Count Percentage
Bonds - Yes 48520 53.2%
Bonds - No 42766 46.8%

November 2004 Election Results
OUSD Measure A Bond (needed 55% to pass)
A-Orange Unified School District $196 Million Bond Measure
Vote Count Percentage
Yes 42928 54.6%
No 35712 45.4%

March 2004 OUSD Measure A Bond(needed 55% to pass)
A-Orange Unified School Dist. Improvement Bond
Vote Count Percentage
Yes 21797 48.9%
No 22778 51.1%

FOR MORE INFORMATION CLICK ON:
Orange Unified Strategic Plan:
http://www.orangeusd.k12.ca.us/downloads/strategic_plan.xls

ONN’s Good to Great Series:
PART I: http://greaterorange.blogspot.com/2006/02/hedgehog-digest.html

PART II: http://greaterorange.blogspot.com/2006/02/hedgehog-digest_26.html

PART III: http://greaterorange.blogspot.com/2006/04/hedgehog-digest-part-iii.html

OU$D BOND Watch 2008
is produced by Orange Net News /O/N/N/