St. Cloud Area Schools faced a common issue: declining enrollment, particularly at the secondary level. We helped them reverse this trend, boosting student enrollment and revenue through our four-step PR process, called R-PIE (Research, Planning, Implementation, Evaluation).
While the city's population was increasing, district enrollment was decreasing by approximately 438 students annually. The state average loss was around 9% at the time, while St. Cloud lost about 30% of students to open enrollment and other enrollment options.
This campaign earned a 2025 Golden Achievement Award from the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA).
We gathered data and held 16 focus groups with students, families, staff, and the community. Key finding: competition and misperceptions were causing the enrollment decline.
We developed a two-year communication plan based on data and feedback, setting objectives to address misperceptions and foster trust.
We introduced the campaign to district leaders, providing guidance for incorporating key messages across district and school communications. We created marketing materials and trained staff to enhance family interactions and guest experience.
By the start of the 2024-25 school year, enrollment increased by 566 students, exceeding the goal of 210 students. This growth generated over $4M in additional revenue in year one, and $20M+ projected over the next five years.
For this campaign especially, it was important for the community to get a peek into St. Cloud Area Schools to see the reality of what happens throughout the district every day. We used visual storytelling to break through rumors and misperception; strategically weaving our key messaging into every piece we created. Visuals were translated into the main languages spoken in the district.
We used video to highlight the district’s strengths, showcasing modern facilities, rigorous academics, and a supportive atmosphere.
The variety of b-roll footage was specifically chosen to highlight our key messages, especially “World of Opportunities” and dispel rumors about the district.
We created examples of how to incorporate key messaging into the district’s roadside digital signage to drive enrollment.
Social Media Examples
We created images and sample captions for district staff to rework and share across district and school social media accounts.
We utilized stock imagery and advised communications staff to capture similar images of their students. These images were provided as templates so communications staff could rework them for future use.
District Leadership Team (DLT) Presentation
We led in-person presentations before the start of the school year to deliver key messages to key communicators throughout the district and to introduce the upcoming customer service training. The presentation included live polls and small-group instruction.
By the start of the following school year, enrollment increased by 566 students, exceeding the goal of 210 students. This growth generated over $4M in additional revenue in year one, and $20M+ projected over the following five years. Immediately following this campaign, we partnered with St. Cloud Area Schools to support a successful two-question referendum campaign, seamlessly integrating it with ongoing enrollment efforts and key messaging.
Read the full NSPRA award submission, or check out more strategic communications projects on our Case Studies page.
