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Chandler, local school districts plan joint campaign to attract young families
Summary
City staff described an intergovernmental partnership with multiple school districts to develop a marketing campaign intended to reverse long-term demographic shifts and boost K–12 enrollment; staff said the campaign would launch in 2026 and use leading and lagging metrics to measure progress.
City staff told the Chandler City Council on Sept. 15 that the city and four local school districts are moving forward with an intergovernmental agreement to co‑design a marketing campaign aimed at attracting young families and working professionals.
Staff said demographic analysis over the past 15–20 years shows Chandler’s population age pyramid has flattened into a “box” shape, creating long-term economic and workforce challenges. City staff (presenter identified as Mike) said the campaign’s goal is to “get back to sharing the story as to why Chandler is a great place for young families and professionals,” with a target launch in 2026.
Staff outlined how the partnership will measure progress. Short-term (leading) indicators will include campaign penetration metrics—media impressions, pickups and anecdotal feedback from schools—while long-term (lagging) metrics will be changes in school enrollments, population shifts in targeted areas and employer feedback on recruitment impacts. The project team will include marketing representatives from the participating partners; staff noted the working group will include five partner organizations (the city plus the four districts).
Several council members raised housing affordability and school‑specific pressures in follow-up questions. Council member Orlando cited potential school downsizing in the Kyrene School District as a driver for urgency and asked how the campaign’s success will be measured against factors such as housing availability and costs. Staff said the research phase will investigate why families choose surrounding competitor communities and will include housing among the factors analyzed.
Staff presented the IGA concept in the study session for discussion; no binding council vote occurred that night. Staff said the group will work with an external research/marketing firm and return with campaign materials and recommended metrics for council review.
