Engaging Communities Through Vision Development: A Systems Approach to Public Relations

Abstract

The implementation of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) federal legislation in 2001 exemplifies extreme reaction to an escalating public unrest with educational systems over the past several decades of “educational reform.” Effective public relations and communication with stakeholders is threatened during this time of increased public scrutiny and demands for accountability, creating conditions where many educators are reacting rather than leading. Systems thinking helps education leaders see public relations as a continual, systematic process and is essential for education leaders’ understanding of public relations and the role it plays in engaging school community support for improving student learning.