In 2022, the Corvallis School District partnered with the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) to conduct a Communication Audit.
A communication audit is:
- A comprehensive assessment of current communication efforts and the effectiveness of the overall program.
- A snapshot of current perceptions about our schools, district, and leadership.
- A tool that provides baseline research to evaluate progress and a framework for developing our communication plan.
The Corvallis School District audit included:
- A district-wide Communications Survey
- Focus groups with staff, families, and community members
- A review of district materials (print and digital publications, policies, goals, media coverage, websites, etc.)
| Equity | Audiences say the district’s equity work is a strength and want to understand how it positively impacts students |
| Community Support | Audiences are supportive of the district |
| Caring & Inclusive | Audiences view the district as caring and inclusive |
| Informed | Audiences feel informed by district communications in key areas |
| Vision | Audiences feel there is not a clear vision for the district |
| Website | Audiences want the website to be easy to navigate, engaging, and a source of up-to-date information |
| Message Fatigue | Families get too many messages and many that are not relevant to their family, making it hard to find what they need to know |
| Communication Tools | Families do not understand ParentSquare and how it is being used |
| Questions | Families do not know where to direct district-level questions |
| Decision Making/Financials | Families don't fully understand how district decisions are being made, in particular about finances |
| Focus | Families feel the district has a greater focus on equity and a lesser focus on academic rigor |
| Timely Communications | Staff need timely information to answer questions as ambassadors for the district |
| Internal Communications | Staff need communications to be more proactive than reactive |
| Valued | Staff have a desire to feel valued in terms of their role within the district |
| Decision Making | Staff feel they don't have enough context to understand why or how decisions are made |
| Training | Staff feel there is a lack of communication training for employees |
| Leadership Visibility | Staff want to see more district leadership presence at school sites |
The following recommendations are designed to help meet the goal of creating more effective communications. Some can be implemented immediately, and others may take longer. This is a long-term effort for which the audit report should serve as a road map.
- Enhance the strategic value of the communication plan with measurable objectives focused on moving the district toward achieving its goals
- Develop and implement strategies to keep staff members informed and engaged
- Provide support and training to staff at all levels who are responsible for communicating with students, parents and the public
- Standardize family communication processes
- Enhance strategies to strengthen the engagement of parents and community members
- Create a network of key communicators
- Increase the usefulness and value of the district’s website and social media channels
Communication 5-Year Strategic Plan
Based on the feedback gathered in the audit, the district drafted the 2023-2028 Corvallis School District Strategic Communication Plan. This is the district’s first strategic communication plan and is aligned with the district’s 2024-2029 Strategic Board Goals. We believe this plan will strengthen communication and build better connections with staff, families, students, and the community.
Next Steps
The communications department will:
- Measure the strategic communication plan’s effectiveness and impact on staff, families, students, and the community.
- Share yearly progress with staff, families, students, and community members.
- Use this information to make ongoing adjustments to the plan or timelines as needed.