2024 Communications Audit

The City School District of Albany is in the process this winter and spring of taking a comprehensive look at our overall communications efforts. 

We are glad to partner with the National School Public Relations Association to conduct this independent review. NSPRA has conducted communications audits in hundreds of school districts nationwide, and we are excited for their perspective and expertise to help us improve our communications practices district-wide.

Everyone in our school community will have an opportunity to provide valuable input as part of our communications audit – employees, parents and guardians, students and community members. 

What is an NSPRA Communication Audit?

• A comprehensive assessment of current communications practices and the effectiveness of our overall program
• An overview of current perceptions about our district and schools
• A tool that provides baseline research and a framework for enhancing our communications practices moving forward

District-wide survey

NSPRA’s tools to gather your input included a district-wide survey that was open through April 9.

Thank you to the 567 people who took the time to complete the survey!

Your perspective is invaluable to us, and the feedback you provided will play an active role in shaping how we communicate with you

Focus groups

NSPRA’s information-gathering process also will include a series of 14 focus groups that will be held in mid-April. These groups will be comprised of 10-12 individuals each and will be led by NSPRA’s team of experts. 

These 14 focus groups will be conducted over 2½ days and will seek additional input from employees, parents and guardians, Albany High School students and community members. These focus groups will allow NSPRA to dig deeper into feedback gathered through the SCOPE survey.

Additional steps, audit timeline

NSPRA’s research also will include a review of district materials, including print and digital publications from the district and school levels, social media and digital notification platforms, websites, media coverage, goals, policies, etc. 

When NSPRA has collected all input and materials, we expect to receive initial findings in June and a full final report with recommendations during the early summer. 

NSPRA’s report will include an executive summary, key research findings, a SWOT analysis, a comparison of district results with national benchmarks and best practices, and 8-10 detailed, customized recommendations to guide the district’s future plans for our communications program over the next 2-3 years. 

Have questions?