Using Data to Build Trust During a Winning School District Referendum Process
Transparency, clarity, and trust are critical to successfully navigating a school district referendum. Whether the goal is to invest in facilities, support academic programming, or support staff and students, district leaders are often faced with the challenge of helping their communities understand both the why and the value behind the ask. In this post, learn how New Glarus School District in Wisconsin benefitted from ECRA's State Percentile Analysis and Comparative District Analysis data briefs.
According the the district website, New Glarus School District is a top-rated school district that offers students extensive curricular and extra-curricular opportunities within a small school setting. With a school population of just less than 1000 students, teachers form strong relationships with their students and are committed to each child reaching his or her potential in a safe learning environment.
Turning Complex Data Into Meaningful Messages
Data Briefs are concise, visual reports that distill large, complex data sets into accessible insights for non-technical audiences. Designed with superintendents, board of education members, communications teams, and community stakeholders in mind, they allow districts to present messages that highlight student growth, academic investments, and the district’s overall impact on students.
During the referendum process, these data briefs can be used to answer some of the most common — and important — questions from community members:
- How well is the district performing?
- What impact is the district having on students?
- Because of the year-over-year analysis, is our tax investment leading to results?
By presenting data in a clean and professional format, district leaders are better equipped to communicate not only needs, but also successes.
Building a Narrative of Value
In one recent example from New Glarus School District in Wisconsin, they noted the clear impact of these reports on their community engagement efforts. The district used both the WI State Percentile Analysis and the Comparative District Analysis while campaigning. The result was a 59% approval rate on their referendum.
Jennifer Thayer, superintendent of New Glarus School District in Wisconsin shared, “the ECRA reports we purchased proved to be very valuable and were used in numerous communications with our community, staff, Board, and press during our referendum process. I believe the data helped our community see that they were getting a good value for their tax dollars, which helped result in a 59% pass rate on Tuesday night.”
This kind of feedback illustrates a critical point, that communities are more likely to support initiatives when they feel informed, respected, and confident that their investment is being managed effectively.
Aligning with Strategic Priorities
Because Data Briefs are built using district-specific data, they can be aligned with your existing strategic priorities and improvement efforts. When paired with ECRA’s Strategic Dashboard or School Improvement solution, these reports further reinforce the district’s commitment to transparency and evidence-based decision-making.
Communicating with Confidence
Every referendum campaign is different, but the underlying need is always the same: clear, compelling communication. With ECRA’s Data Briefs, district leaders can build confidence with their communities by showing the impact of their work.
When used strategically, data does more than inform — it inspires trust, builds consensus, and may even contribute to successful outcomes at the ballot box. If you’re preparing for an upcoming referendum and want to learn more about how Data Briefs can support your efforts, connect with the ECRA team today. We’re here to help you tell your story — with clarity, evidence, and impact.
