Assessing the Impact of School-Based Marketing Efforts: A Case Study of a Foreign Language Immersion Program in a School-Choice Environment

Abstract

The marketization of K–12 education has led to an increase in school-based marketing efforts. Relatively little research, however, has examined how public schools market themselves, who is involved in marketing, and how these marketing efforts impact key stakeholders, including school administrators, teachers, students, and parents. We explore these questions in this qualitative study of school-based marketing efforts at South Boulevard,¹

Because of the long and public history of desegregation litigation associated with the school and with the school district, we use real place names throughout the paper. Thus, we disclose both the school's name—South Boulevard Foreign Language Academic Immersion Magnet—and the name of the city in which the school is located—Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in order to maintain the authenticity of the case and the findings.

a foreign language immersion magnet elementary school in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana. Analysis of data from participant observation and in-depth interviews with key stakeholders reveals that administrators, teachers, parents, and students actively participated in marketing and recruiting, and that these efforts were associated with a number of implicit and explicit costs. Introducing two concepts from the business literature—business-level strategy and brand communities—yields a number of observations and policy questions. Finally, the shifting role of parents and administrators in an increasingly market-like school-choice environment is discussed.

Notes

Because of the long and public history of desegregation litigation associated with the school and with the school district, we use real place names throughout the paper. Thus, we disclose both the school's name—South Boulevard Foreign Language Academic Immersion Magnet—and the name of the city in which the school is located—Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in order to maintain the authenticity of the case and the findings.

http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d12/tables/dt12_208.asp

Data obtained from the Louisiana Department of Education Annual Financial and Statistical Reports, found here: http://www.louisianabelieves.com/docs/funding/2010-2011-annual-financial-statistical-report.pdf?sfvrsn=2

We use the terms “Black,” “non-Black,” and “White” because these are the terms that have been used in demographic records throughout the era of court-ordered desegregation and because they are the terms used by the study participants.

The following management journals were searched: Academy of Management Journal, Academy of Management Learning & Education, Academy of Management Perspectives, Academy of Management Review, Administrative Science Quarterly, Business & Society, Business & Society Review, Business Ethics Quarterly, Business Ethics: A European Review, Business Horizons, California Management Review, Corporate Governance: An International Review, Harvard Business Review, Journal of Business Ethics, Journal of Management, Journal of Management Inquiry, Journal of Management Studies, Journal of Managerial Issues, Long Range Planning, Organization Studies, Sloan Management Review, Strategic Management Journal, Strategic Organization.

Data obtained from the National Council for Education Statistics, found here: http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator_cgb.asp

Data obtained from the Louisiana Department of Education Annual Financial and Statistical Reports, found here http://www.louisianabelieves.com/docs/funding/2010-2011-annual-financial-statistical-report.pdf?sfvrsn=2

A dedicated magnet program is a school in which the entire student population participates in the magnet program.

Pseudonyms are used through to protect the identity of study participants.