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Clay County board discusses funding a marketing position to recapture students
Summary
At a Dec. 16 workshop, board members debated creating an allocation for a dedicated marketing position to win back students lost to scholarships and private schools; supporters cited examples and return-on-investment math, while others urged first reviewing district data and program offerings.
At a Dec. 16 Clay County School Board workshop, trustees discussed allocating funds for a dedicated marketing position intended to help the district regain students lost to scholarship programs and private schools. Proponents said a small increase in enrollment would quickly offset the position's cost; opponents and district staff urged examining current efforts and enrollment data before committing funds.
Supporters, including Speaker 5, said the district loses thousands of potential dollars when students leave and cited an example from Sarasota County where a marketing effort reportedly brought 400 students to the district in one year. "If 9 students pay for it," Speaker 5 said, "we have to throw the dice." Board members also noted the district already pays about $60,000 a year for a lobbyist, which several speakers said has brought in larger appropriations for CTE programming.
District staff and other board members urged caution and requested a data-driven presentation. Speaker 3 said the district tracks reasons families leave (moves, homeschool, private school or vouchers) and offered to present the enrollment data and current outreach efforts to inform an allocation decision. "We should learn about what our market share actually is and where the numbers shake out," Speaker 3 said.
Board members framed the proposal as two parallel efforts: improve and publicize existing K-8 and specialized programs (Montessori, Cambridge, concept schools, CTE and ACE pathways) and consider targeted marketing to families who have not previously enrolled in public schools. Several speakers noted transportation and ESE services as competitive advantages to emphasize in outreach.
Next steps: board members asked staff to include information about lobbyist returns and grant funding in the upcoming newsletter and to add the marketing allocation option to the district's March allocation packet so the board can consider it during regular budget discussions. No formal motion or vote occurred during the workshop.
