From Research to Reality: Building a Winning Charter School Narrative
From Research to Reality: Building a Winning Charter School Narrative
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Meeting Room 222
Charter schools enjoy broad public support — but that support is soft, and it erodes quickly under attack. Two new message research projects (from CF/BP and CSGF) offer the sharpest picture the field has had in years: what voters and parents actually believe, where the messaging is vulnerable, which story types move specific audiences, and which messengers they trust most. The research also makes clear that the field's challenge isn't finding a better slogan — it's learning to deploy the right message, through the right voice, to the right audience. This session translates that research into action. We'll draw on new thinking from the attention economy: why message quality alone isn't enough, how the forgetting curve works against us, and what it looks like to build the kind of consistent, multi-channel presence that turns soft support into durable advocacy. Attendees will leave with: A clear picture of what voters believe about charter schools right now, where that support is vulnerable, and what messages hold up under pressure. Examples of messaging in action and concrete advice for how advocates can adapt their communications strategies. A set low-cost tactics for building consistent presence and narrative across channels, with next steps they can act on immediately.
Presenters
Director of Marketing & Communications
KIPP Atlanta Schools
Gabriel Bracy is a strategic marketing and communications leader with more than a decade of experience in education, nonprofit, and mission-driven organizations. As Director of Marketing & Communications for KIPP Atlanta Schools, he leads brand strategy, media relations, crisis communications, digital marketing, storytelling, and community engagement efforts for one of Georgia's largest public charter school networks. Gabriel is passionate about using strategic communications to elevate impact, strengthen organizational reputation, and create meaningful connections between schools, families, and communities. His work has helped drive increased brand visibility, stakeholder engagement, and support for educational opportunities across Atlanta.
Vice President of External Engagement
City Fund
Kristen Forbriger leads the communications team at City Fund, a national organization that supports local leaders to build innovative public school systems. Previously, she led external relations for the National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA) and the Philadelphia School Partnership. She began her career in education at YouthBuild Philadelphia Charter School, where she gained a deep belief in the power of great schools to change lives. Kristen has also worked in corporate media relations and on political campaigns, and she is a graduate of Villanova University and the University of Pennsylvania.
CEO
Good Points Communications
Josh McCarty is an accomplished communications strategist with over two decades of diverse experience spanning multiple cities and organizations. His expertise has been honed through engagements with foundations, advocacy groups, and school communities from New Orleans to Los Angeles, Texas to Milwaukee, and Idaho. Josh firmly believes that understanding the unique nuances of each city and organization is crucial for crafting effective communication strategies.
Director of Communications
Charter School Growth Fund
Jeff is responsible for implementing CSGF’s communications and public relations strategy, advising and supporting our internal teams and our portfolio of charter school networks, and also managing external communications functions at CSGF. Prior to joining us, Jeff was the director of communications for a Texas-based college and career readiness nonprofit and a high school English teacher with Uplift Education in Dallas, Texas. Jeff also previously served as an Infantryman in the U.S. Army, deploying with the 1st Infantry Division in the Iraq War. He has a BA from the University of Oklahoma and an MS from both Johns Hopkins University and George Mason University.