School Fundraising Research Articles

Do schools and alcohol mix? Australian parents' perspectives

PurposeAlcohol use by adults at school events and alcohol promotion through school fundraising activities is common, but little is known about secondary school parents' attitudes towards these practices. Parental attitudes may influence principals' decision-making on this topic, particularly in jurisdictions where education department guidance is limited. This study explored parents' attitudes towards the consumption or promotion of alcohol in schools or at school events.Design/methodology/approachParents (n = 298) from five non-government secondary schools in Western Australia completed an online survey and provided responses relating to the promotion and availability of alcohol through their child's school.FindingsThis sample of parents were evenly divided in support of alcohol consumption or support of schools as alcohol-free zones. Parents reporting higher alcohol consumption were more supportive of alcohol promotion and use through schools, and those with higher education supported use of alcohol for school fundraising. Almost 20% of parents were neutral on several measures indicating they could be swayed by social pressure. Engaging parents is an ongoing challenge for school principals and alcohol may play a part in engagement activities. The results from this small, exploratory study suggest even engaged parents may have very differing views on alcohol use in schools.Practical implicationsEducation departments are encouraged to explore these issues carefully and introduce changes incrementally to assist decision-making and minimise potential parent disengagement.Originality/valueThis paper addresses a knowledge gap about parents' attitudes towards alcohol in secondary schools. These findings can support those involved in the development of school alcohol policies.

REVIEWS

Invite children to explore shape and pattern with the latest addition to the 50 fantastic ideas series. Find out more about setting up provocations and get expert advice on school fundraising.

From bake sales to million-dollar school fundraising campaigns: the new inequity

ABSTRACTThis study examines the changing style, scale, and scope of raising private funds to provide resources for public schools. In particular, we focus on school fundraising, especially the role of discourse in scaling up school fundraising practices to facilitate education privatisation. Drawing from Stephen Ball’s policy sociology, and employing Maarten Hajer’s discourse analysis approach, we analyze a multi-million dollar fundraising campaign in one secondary school in a Canadian province. Our analysis shows how a discourse-coalition has emerged around Public Private Partnership Fundraising (PPPF) to legitimise an increasingly privatised effort to fund school infrastructure. In conclusion, we raise questions about the problematic nature of large-scale school fundraising, specifically, its impact on inequality between schools with different levels of community wealth.

Coordinating Policy Layers of School Fundraising in Toronto, Ontario, Canada: An Institutional Ethnography

In this article, I report findings from an investigation into the politics and coordination of school fundraising in the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Theoretically grounded in institutional ethnography and critical policy analysis, the study began from the standpoint of parents asked to give money to their children’s school(s). I show how provincial and TDSB funding, parent involvement, fundraising, and school council policies organize parents’ experience of school fundraising. I also explore how participating in fundraising enables parents to meet neoliberal expectations of a “good parent” and how through their efforts to secure advantages for their children, fundraising parents are accomplices in the privatization of public education. I conclude by discussing possibilities for intervention into the social organization of school fundraising in TDSB schools.

Implementer resistance to school food policy: unpacking the paradox

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the paradoxical resistance of parent and private school food vendors to the paternalistic nature of school food policies. It develops the hypothesis that resistance, on the basis of them being “paternalistic”, is associated with implementers experiencing ethical breaches that contribute to frustration and low acceptability. This may be leading to accusations of paternalism and non-cooperation.Design/methodology/approachIt takes a deontological perspective and uses Upshur’s (2002) public health ethics framework to explore the potential that parents involved in school fundraising and private school food vendors are experiencing ethical breaches associated with implementation of school food and beverage sales policies in the Canadian context.FindingsUpshur’s (2002) harm principle highlighted how some implementers feel a loss of freedom in how they choose to function, which is perceived to be resulting in lost profits. Parents involved in fundraising activities may experience feelings of coercion. Opting out of fundraising may result in their children’s schools having fewer resources. Smaller private vendors are coerced through economic incentives while being bound by what products are available in the marketplace and the associated costs of items that comply with nutrition standards. Discussion around the reciprocity principle revealed implementers feel they are not adequately supported to implement. Transparency has been questioned where stakeholders report their perspectives are often not equally considered in decision making.Originality/valueThis is the first paper to explore the often cited resistance to the paternalistic nature of school food and beverage environment policies as an implementation barrier. Using a deontological ethical perspective offers an original way to discuss school food policies. This work offers potential leverage points at which policy-makers and practitioners may intervene to improve acceptability and contribute to more effective, consistent implementation.

Unfair Advantage? School Fundraising Capabilities and Student Results

There is little correlation between fundraising success at schools and student grades, finds a new report from the C.D. Howe Institute. In “Unfair Advantage? School Fundraising Capabilities and Student Results,” authors Huijie Guo and David R. Johnson measure the association of funds raised in Toronto District School Board (TDSB) elementary schools with educational outcomes, and conclude that fundraising plays only a minor role in making schools more unequal.

Challenging fundraising, challenging inequity: contextual constraints on advocacy groups’ policy influence

ABSTRACTSchool fundraising is known to reproduce inequities in schools, yet it remains common practice in Ontario, Canada; findings from a critical policy analysis of an advocacy group’s efforts to change fundraising policy help explain why this is the case. Adopting a discursive understanding of policy, the study used rhetorical analysis to identify how the group has engaged in a decades-long struggle over the meaning of fundraising policy. The findings of the rhetorical analysis were examined in light of an historical narrative of Ontario’s social context to understand how the policy’s contexts have constrained the group’s influence. The study’s findings demonstrate that challenging school fundraising by defining the policy as a problem of equity is not strong enough to overcome neoliberalism’s pressure on parents to provide their children with educational advantages, a trend toward privatization in public education, neoconservative interests in reduced government spending, Canadians’ belief in meritocracy, and historical fundraising practices and dominant meanings. Further, the continuance of school fundraising even after Ontario’s government introduced policy that explicitly addressed the group’s concerns about equity and aimed to limit the practice challenges traditional notional of group influence and success in policy processes.

Seven fundraising steps for the new school year

Brin Best outlines seven practical steps that will help kick-start your fundraising work in the school year ahead, including auditing your school's fundraising and widening yoru network.

Eleven fundraising pitfalls for the unwary

Brin Best explains how to avoid some of the common pitfalls associated with school fundraising, such as expecting funding for the school's core curriculum or overlooking end-of-project reports.

Intervention Effects on Kindergarten and First-Grade Teachers' Classroom Food Practices and Food-Related Beliefs in American Indian Reservation Schools

Prevalence of obesity among American Indian children is higher than the general US population. The school environment and teachers play important roles in helping students develop healthy eating habits. The aim of this prospective study was to examine teachers' classroom and school food practices and beliefs and the effect of teacher training on these practices and beliefs. Data were used from the Bright Start study, a group-randomized, school-based trial that took place on the Pine Ridge American Indian reservation (fall 2005 to spring 2008). Kindergarten and first-grade teachers (n=75) from 14 schools completed a survey at the beginning and end of the school year. Thirty-seven survey items were evaluated using mixed-model analysis of variance to examine the intervention effect for each teacher-practice and belief item (adjusting for teacher type and school as random effect). At baseline, some teachers reported classroom and school food practices and beliefs that supported health and some that did not. The intervention was significantly associated with lower classroom use of candy as a treat (P=0.0005) and fast-food rewards (P=0.008); more intervention teachers disagreed that fast food should be offered as school lunch alternatives (P=0.019), that it would be acceptable to sell unhealthy foods as part of school fundraising (P=0.006), and that it would not make sense to limit students' food choices in school (P=0.035). School-based interventions involving teacher training can result in positive changes in teachers' classroom food practices and beliefs about the influence of the school food environment in schools serving American Indian children on reservations.

Ten steps to successful school fundraising

Squeezed budgets and government cuts have made life difficult for schools and placed a new importance on raising additional monies locally. Rachel Gordon offers 10 dos and don'ts for successful school fundraising and bid-writing

Successful school fundraising in 10 steps

Squeezed budgets and government cuts have made life difficult for schools and placed a new importance on raising additional monies locally. Rachel Gordon offers 10 dos and don'ts for successful school fundraising.

A healthy trend: less food used in fundraising and as rewards and incentives in Minnesota middle and high schools

To assess change in the 4-year prevalence (2006-2009) of the use of food in school fundraising and as rewards and incentives for students, following implementation of federal legislation in the USA in 2006. Serial cross-sectional design using trend analysis to assess school-level data collected over four consecutive years from 2006/2007 to 2009/2010. Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN. Convenience sample of middle and high schools participating in two longitudinal, aetiological studies that examined youth, their environment and obesity-related factors. A significant and sustained decrease was demonstrated in the use of low-nutrient, energy-dense foods in school fundraising activities and the use of food and food coupons as rewards and incentives by teachers and school staff. Results support the utility of policy and legislative action as a tool for creating healthy, sustainable environmental change.

Knowing the ropes: The Gift Aid Scheme

Getting to know the rules surrounding the Gift Aid Scheme can enable you to make claims you would not have thought possible. Jane Hellings and David Hadley explain how Gift Aid can improve school fundraising.

Food Use in Middle and High School Fundraising: Does Policy Support Healthful Practice? Results from a Survey of Minnesota School Principals

This descriptive, cross-sectional study aimed to examine classroom, school-wide, and club/sports teams fundraising policies and practices of middle and high schools; concordance between policy and practice; and associations between healthful policy/practice scores and selected school characteristics. In 2006, principals/designees of middle (n=45) and high (n=71) schools in the St Paul/Minneapolis, MN, metropolitan area completed a self-administered mailed survey. Schools were attended by a convenience sample of students (n=349) participating in a longitudinal measurement study of children and their environments to assess obesity-related factors. Descriptive statistics, χ 2 tests, and multivariate linear regression were used to examine variables and associations of interest. Across schools, 50% had policies addressing the nutrient quality of food and drink items used in fundraising or disallowed food use for fundraising. About one third used chocolate, candy, and high-fat baked goods for classroom and school-wide fundraising; 60% sold these items for club/sports teams fundraising. More middle than high schools reported healthful fundraising policies or practices, as well as greater concordance between policies and practices. For all fundraising activities, high schools had significantly lower healthful policy/practice scores than middle schools ( P<0.01). For school-wide fundraising, scores were significantly lower for public than private schools ( P=0.02). Policies to regulate food used for fundraising were common and most supported healthful practice, particularly in middle schools. However, use of foods high in fat and added sugars remains a prevalent fundraising practice, especially in high schools and for club/sports teams, and requires additional attention.

Mixing business with fundraising: Making that link

Laura Warren discusses some ways Parent Teacher Associations can get local businesses involved in school fundraising.

On the agenda: No school is an island…

Suggest taking a business approach to school fundraising, and all too often you come up against mistrust and resistance.

On the agenda: Fundraising through communications

The high administrative work associated with school fundraising can seem like one headache too many. When principals, deputy heads and teachers are already swimming in paperwork, it is all to easy to see the burden rather than the benefits of taking measures like claiming back Gift Aid on donations.

Schoolwide Food Practices Are Associated With Body Mass Index in Middle School Students

To examine the association between body mass index in young adolescents and schoolwide food practices such as foods used in school fundraising and in the classroom as incentives and rewards. Using a cross-sectional study design, we collected data from both the schools and the students. School administrators provided information on schoolwide food policies and practices. Eighth-grade students provided self-reported heights and weights. Sixteen middle schools in the Minneapolis-St Paul metropolitan area. The study included 3088 eighth-grade students. Students were participants in a school-based dietary intervention study. Body mass index was calculated from self-reported height and weight data. A 7-item schoolwide food practices scale (Cronbach alpha = 0.83) was created using data collected from school administrators. The mean number of food practices permitted by a school was 3 (range, 0-7). The most prevalent food practices were the use of food as incentives and rewards (69%) and in classroom fundraising (56%). Body mass index (BMI) [corrected] of the students increased a 0.10 BMI unit [corrected] for every additional food practice permitted in their school (P<.03). Schoolwide food practices that supported frequent snacking and the consumption of foods and beverages high in calories and low in nutrients by students throughout the school day were common and adversely associated with body mass index of the students. Prevention of overweight in childhood must include attention to the nutrition integrity of schools, and school nutrition policies that consistently support and promote healthy dietary practices among young adolescents are urgently needed.

Attitudes of Youth of Color on Student Dress and Uniforms: A Case of Commercialism in Schools

The Survey of Student Dress and Behavior in Public Schools was administered to 213 predominately Black middle school students in an urban school. Statistically significant intergrade differences were found among students on their knowledge about the incidence of dress-related problems and the use of uniforms to reduce and prevent dress-related problems. Intergrade differences were also found on students' attitudes on the relationships between and dress-problems in their school and other settings. Younger students, grade 6, agreed more than disagreed with attitudes statements, while the pattern was reversed for older students. Implications are made for further research, policies, and interventions on the topic of and behavior among students in schools and other socialization settings. Research and reports of commercialism influences exist in both public and private schools such as pervasive marketing and student and family involvement in corporate sales for school fundraising (Consumers Union, 1995; Molnar, 2001, 2002; U.S. General Accounting Office, 2000). However, commercial influences on student are generally not discussed in reports of commercialism in schools (LaPoint, 2003a; LaPoint & Allyene, 2001). Yet, many children and adolescents are often walking billboards for certain styles, logos, and brand labels (Chapelle, 1998; Curry, 1998; Klein, 1999; LaPoint, 2003a). Research also indicates that children and adolescents are well aware of brand labels in (Alleyne, LaPoint, Lee, & Mitchell, 2003; LaPoint & Hambrick-Dixon, 2004) and among other products (Chandler & Heinzerling, 1999). Relatively few empirical studies have examined dress-related challenges among youth in public schools (Holloman, LaPoint, Alleyne, Palmer, & Sanders-Phillips, 1996; LaPoint & Alleyne, 2001). Even fewer studies and reports exist on children's views and experiences as reported by them, especially children of color. This article reports findings from a research project, the Youth Dress and Behavior Project at Howard University. The article focuses on students' attitudes and experiences related to and behavior including uniforms. It includes a literature review, a description of the study, data collection and analysis procedures, discussion of findings, and implications for research, policies, and programs relating to youth and behavior. This article focuses on the views of students while a companion article focuses on the views of Black educators in the middle school (Alleyne et al., 2003). In both articles, we use the term dress to define individuals' total appearance-clothing, shoes, accessories, hairstyles, and other bodily adornments-a term that is more inclusive and used in research on and behavior (Eicher, Evenson, & Lutz, 2000). However, on surveys, we use the terms clothes or that are more familiar and widely used by students and other research participants. LITERATURE REVIEW Research and reports on and behavior among students at school, including uniforms, is broad given the various areas where such literature might exist. Few empirical studies exist while varying kinds of reports, especially from the media, exist. Based on this review of literature, we will highlight selected literature in four major areas: (a) youth victimization; (b) academic related challenges; (c) commercialism influences; and (d) the use and effectiveness of uniforms. Mitchell and Rnechtle (2003) review legal issues, on the use of uniforms in public schools. Youth Victimization While violent assaults and even murder among youth have been linked to theft of certain items in schools, official records about these incidents nationally by law enforcement officials or school officials are often not reported or reported inconsistently (National School Safety Center, 2001). For example, two reports in the 1990's indicated that children are victimized by theft of their clothing and other property (National School Safety Center, 2001). …