Better Wyoming Narrative Guides:
SCHOOL FUNDING
GOOD NARRATIVE: THE BASICS
Here’s a basic truth when it comes to creating change: IT DOESN’T MATTER IF YOU’RE RIGHT.
You might have all the facts and figures in the world, and the moral high ground, but those don’t get people to act. What matters is whether you’re able to persuade someone, using language, values, and messages that resonate with them.
If our movement wants to win state-level policies that improve life for the people of Wyoming, we’re going to need to get on the same page in the way we talk about it.
TOP TIP! Good narrative is built on these values, which Wyomingites tend to share:
Freedom, Community, Honesty, Hardwork, and Pride in the Land.
Some DOs and DON'Ts...
DON’T repeat the opposition’s messaging. This just amplifies their points.
DO “pre-bunk” opposition messaging: know your opposition's messaging, and neutralize it in advance if you can.
DON’T fixate on crisis messaging or depressing stories. This de-motivates people.
DO tie serious problems to collective, constructive policy solutions.
DON’T just tell stories. Research shows that this makes it harder for your audience to understand the importance of collective solutions, and instead makes them believe that problems are for individuals to solve.
DO use stories to illustrate collective or policy solutions.
DON’T depend on facts and figures. By themselves, these do not help. Moreover, they can easily be misinterpreted.
DO tie facts and figures to shared values, narrative, and solutions. Try to interpret the facts and figures for your audience first, before actually presenting those facts and figures.
DON’T use jargon.
DO use strong, clear, direct communication.
Each section below introduces a top tip for speaking or writing persuasively on the topic of SCHOOL FUNDING in Wyoming. Each tip is then expanded upon, and examples are provided. These tips and examples are based on research from the Bighorn Company of Colorado, supplied by the Wyoming Civic Engagement Network.
Narrative SUBJECT GUIDE: School Funding
Tip # 1: Good EXPLANATION helps you get ahead...
School funding is complicated, especially when you get into litigation and the subject of “recalibration.” BW resources can help you understand those topics better. But the best way to talk about school funding is to get ahead of the opposition by using solid, clear explanation. Here’s a good formula:
Step 1. Lay a positive foundation of what’s at stake (using shared values!):
-
- Public schools are the backbones of our communities.
- They teach our children values like hard work and ensure our communities thrive.
- Our public schools power our workforce and economy.
Step 2. State the problem:
-
- Without steady, reliable investment in our schools, Wyoming families, children, and communities will suffer.
- Our constitution requires properly funded schools. The Legislature is not holding up its end of the deal.
- Our schools are strong, but only because communities keep working on their behalf.
Step 3. Place the burden on lawmakers:
- As recent litigation made clear, our legislature is required to respect our constitution.
- When lawmakers fail to fund our schools, they’re turning their backs on our students and communities.
- How we fund education reflects what we value: we should choose to invest in Wyoming’s kids.
- Wyoming needs leaders who listen to families and educators, and stand up for the schools that serve our communities.
Tip # 4: Resist counter-arguments.
If they say....
...you might say:
Wyoming has such a high cost-per-student!
It’s important to support children in our rural communities. This support costs more. Wyoming values children in every community, and we have to respect our constitution’s requirement to provide a quality education.
If our schools are already so good, why are you so worried about funding?
Families and communities rely on schools that are fully-funded. We shouldn’t have to fight to keep them that way. We need lawmakers to ensure this happens through recalibration.
If, during funding conversations, “school choice” comes up, please refer to our narrative guide on vouchers. For a quick way to reclaim the subject, you can say...
We need lawmakers to respect our constitution and ensure that kids in every community are supported. Lawmakers should make sure this happens through recalibration. Well-funded districts provide school choice for their families.
Tip # 4: Use Better Wyoming's communications team!
Want an extra pair of eyes on what you've written? Email your piece to info@betterwyo.org, and we'll make sure it gets forwarded to the right person.