CVSD rolls out budget communications plan including student outreach, videos and town‑level mailings
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Summary
District communications staff presented a multi‑month plan to increase voter turnout and education about the FY 2026 budget, including a target turnout goal (7,300), FAQs, a three‑part video series, printed materials, and student involvement in messaging.
Tyler (staff member) presented a budget communications plan that outlines goals, actions and resources intended to increase voter turnout and public understanding ahead of the district’s FY 2026 budget vote.
The plan sets two primary goals: drive voter turnout (a target of 7,300 voters, roughly 30% of registered voters cited by the presenters) and increase voter education through a narrative of district successes, clear how/when/where voting information, and myth‑busting about the budget. Actions include a sequenced FAQ and infographic rollout, multi‑point Front Porch Forum posts by board members and the district account, meetings with PTOs and student groups, targeted town letters by board members, and media outreach.
Planned materials include a talking‑points and FAQs document, printed mailings to families, infographics, and a three‑part video series. Presenters said the videos would include a general district story (evergreen), a high‑level explanation of this year’s budget, and a student‑voice piece; each video would run about three minutes. The district proposed early February completion for the videos to support outreach as early voting begins on Feb. 12 and ahead of Town Meeting Day on March 4.
Student engagement was explicitly part of the plan: administrators met with a student group that will advise on messaging and attend some informational meetings. Board members and administrators discussed the need to stay nimble to address unanticipated public questions (for example, test‑score comparisons) and asked staff to make assessment data easy to find for the public. The plan lists informational meeting dates and requests board volunteers to attend events in their towns.
Several board members encouraged an emphasis on accessible, brief content (multiple short videos rather than a single long piece), on highlighting stories of district success and student voice, and on preparing direct answers and links for frequently asked questions, including how ballots are commingled across the district and how to find assessment data on the website.