Every year, public schools pour vast amounts of money into self-congratulatory reports and public communications designed to build and maintain a favorable image. Smaller school districts have staff designated as communications specialists and larger ones host entire public relations offices. Many are members of a national organization with hundreds of members: The National School Public Relations Association. Their role is to inform the public but they selectively highlight successes and favorable events while minimizing anything that would detract from a district’s positive image. As a result of their efforts, most local communities are selectively bathed in a stream of positive messaging and exposed to little that would suggest a need for better schooling.
The typical effect is the local public remains favorably impressed with their schools despite unimpressive objective results–results that might otherwise inspire calls for new leadership, revised school policies, school board recall elections, reconsidered district decisions, and new policies and practices.
ECF’s mission is to provide consumers with the facts and perspectives that will permit them to be more discerning consumers education and the tools necessary to spur changes that school improvement may require. In order to carry out our role, we must remain financially and otherwise independent of the education industry. To maintain that independence, we must have your support. , i.e., the support of private donors like you. If you see the value of what we do and want to see it expanded, please make a tax-exempt donation. We are fully qualified as a 501–c–3 organization. See our IRS 990 here.
Consumers are a David facing a publicly funded Goliath. We need all of the help we can get.
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Education Consumers Foundation
1629 K St. N.W. Suite 300
Washington, DC 20006
Phone (202) 827-9468