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To update and build on the 2004-05 communications work described below, in 2012 LFA commissioned a scan of the public opinion research on public education over the past two years. This scan served as the foundation for development of a message map for use in strategic communications.

• Learning First Alliance Message Map, a document intended to guide communications with a general audience. (As LFA messaging on the value of public education grows and expands, audience-specific maps will be developed.) 

LFA's Communications Toolkit aims to help education leaders communicate more effectively about public education. Based on focus groups and polling LFA commissioned in 2004 and 2005, the toolkit offers original research findings on public opinion, a guide to promoting public schools, and language for op-eds and speeches. It includes:

• Values, Vision and Performance: Americans' Hopes for Their Public Schools, a Power Point presentation on the results of LFA's original research on public opinion of public schools.

• Practical Guide to Promoting America's Public Schools, which is designed to help educators and others interested in education promote public education in their communities

• Sample Language for Written Materials, such as columns, articles and letters

• Sample Language for Speeches

• Language for Back-to-School Communications. Use all or part of LFA's back-to-school speech for your back-to-school presentations, columns or other communications. This language outlines a vision for 21st century public schools which is already taking shape in schools across the country. It reaffirms the extraordinary mission of our public schools and encourages strong partnerships among public schools, citizens and communities.