Taking Root

Communicating the College- and Career-Ready Agenda

Sample Organizing Principles

Every organization, no matter how large or small, how formal or informal, needs an organiz-
ing structure to set objectives, scope, roles and responsibilities, measurements for success
and basic governance. Taking the time to define your core communications team’s organiz-
ing principles up front will pay large dividends down the road. These organizing principles
may lend themselves to framing the structure of a statewide coalition that can also carry the
messages forward on behalf of the college- and career-ready agenda.

SAMPLE ORGANIZING PRINCIPLES

Organizing Principles: Provide a forum for sharing and coordinating communications strategies and initiatives for moving
the college- and career-ready agenda forward to ensure all students graduate high school ready for college, careers and
life.

Objectives:
1. Share, recognize and leverage the work done across the state by different groups/organizations around the college-
and career-ready agenda to increase effectiveness while conserving resources and saving time.
2. Link all communications activities to strategies that achieve the policy goal of graduating all students ready for college
and careers.
3. Coordinate and synergize communications activities that support the college- and career-ready policy agenda through
collaboration between stakeholders.

Scope: The State College- and Career-Ready Communications Team will develop and drive coordinated execution of
communications strategy among all stakeholders and partners across the state.

Roles & Responsibilities:

1. Ensure appropriate policies and procedures are implemented to support a single communications strategy.
2. Support and promote a single, aligned statewide college- and career-ready communications strategy.
3. Monitor the impact of the communications and outreach strategy.

Measurement: Team effectiveness will be measured on the impact of all major college- and career-ready communications
and reform initiatives. Key milestones include:
1. Adoption of college- and career-ready policies.
2. Implementation of college- and career-ready policies.
3. An X% increase in students graduating from high school ready for college and careers.

Structure: Members are representatives from the state’s K-12 and postsecondary education, business and policymak-
ing sectors as well as from non-profits and teacher and parent organizations that will represent the reach of the education
reform agenda. At any time, there must be representatives from each sector engaged in these efforts.

Governance:
1. The State College- and Career-Ready Communications Team membership shall not exceed X people.
2. Where the Team cannot reach agreement, decisions will be made by an appointed steering committee. The steering
committee shall appoint the chair who will be empowered to call all meetings. The chair will also serve as the main
contact point for the media.
3. Meetings will be held monthly on DAY at TIME.

Membership: List the members of your core communications team here, along with their contact information, and any
missing members/sectors you want represented in the future.

1775 Eye Street NW, Suite 410 • Washington, DC 20006 • P 202.419.1540 • www.achieve.org
 SAMPLE ORGANIZING PRINCIPLES

Organizing Principles: Provide a forum for sharing and coordinating communications strategies
and initiatives for moving the college- and career-ready agenda forward to ensure all students
graduate high school ready for college, careers and life.

Objectives:

1.

2.

3.

Scope:

Roles & Responsibilities:

1.

2.

3.

Measurement: Team effectiveness will be measured on the impact of all major college- and
career-ready communications and reform initiatives. Key milestones include:

1.

2.

3.

Structure:

1.

2.

3.

Governance:

1.

2.

3.

Membership: List the members of your core communications team here, along with their contact
information, and any missing members/sectors you want represented in the future.

1775 Eye Street NW, Suite 410 • Washington, DC 20006 • P 202.419.1540 • www.achieve.org