| School districts are complex organizations which require the use of strategic communication. Measuring the communication from school leaders to their various audiences for message content and alignment has the potential to illuminate the current reality of school communication practices as well as point to areas of needed improvement. The current study measures strategic communication by conducting a communication audit of the fastest growing school district in Iowa, by interviewing 10 school leaders and analyzing essential communication products including 26 web pages and 10 district newsletters. Guided by current research on school communication and branding by universities, the communication audit measures alignment between the perspectives of school leaders and the reality of school communications. Results suggest district communication products expressed brand themes of excellence, heritage, relationships, and innovation, but inconsistently across communication products. Implications for alignment are discussed along with suggestions for future communication studies in school systems. |
