OASSA Conference - David Warlick and the Role of Technology in Today's Learners

MPS Foto just finished our first educator's conference and trade show. Over 300 secondary school administrators learned about our company -- many for the first time -- and we learned a lot about them.

I also had the opportunity to listen to a keynote address by a gentleman named David Warlick. He's an educator who travels all over the place talking about the changing role of technology in the lives of our children. He talked about how classroom blogging, the idea of a flat classroom, cell phones, texting, video games, YouTube, and any number of other things -- ever hear of machinima? -- have made young people into dramatically different learners. His point, as I understood it, was that educators had to make a commitment to making today's schools relevant to tomorrow's learner. The educational community cannot afford to go the other way and try to force students who are now, in Warlick's view, genetically coded to learn differently than we are, into educational situations where they are just going to tune out.

Here's his links if you want to check him out. Fun stuff.

David Warlick
For Teachers: http://landmark-project.com/
For Clients: http://davidwarlick.com/
Blog http://2cents.davidwarlick.com/
Podcast http://connectedlearning.davidwarlick.com

Jay

Charter Schools a Growth Opportunity?

Charter schools have popped up all over the country in response to failing public school systems. They have absorbed thousands of students that formerly went to public schools. Now, assuming that the statistics showing falling public school enrollment have stayed steady, this means that many of the schools we are working in are seeing a decline in enrollment. Currently, Ohio has 328 charter schools, enrolling about 88,800 students at an estimated public price tag of $603.2 million this year.

That's a lot of students. For example, look at the stats from the AP / Cleveland Plain Dealer

CLEVELAND (AP) — Enrollment in Cleveland's public schools keeps shrinking.

The state's second-largest school system had more than 150,000 students in the late 1960s. Now, district chief academic officer Eric Gordon says the count has fallen below 49,000, after a recent accounting of students who never show up and have been confirmed gone.

Gordon thinks the figure could dip to 47,000 in early October, when Ohio schools take formal head counts.

The Cleveland school district trails only Columbus for enrollment. But many students have left Cleveland's public schools for privately run, publicly funded charter schools or attend private schools on state vouchers.

More than 25,000 Cleveland school children went to charter schools or used vouchers last year.

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Information from: The Plain Dealer, http://www.cleveland.com

What this means to us (and our competitors) is that we now photograph fewer students per public school on average than we did years ago. This fact, combined with declining school enrollment is a real challenge we have to overcome.

So how can we grow our photographic businesses with the charter school boom? Here's what we're finding as we photograph and process more charter schools.

1. Charter schools primarily pull students from failing urban school districts. In Ohio, that means Columbus City Schools, Cleveland City Schools, etc. The prevailing demographic that we have seen has been one where 70+% of students are on free and reduced lunch.

2. Charter schools are pretty well-funded and often operate in great facilities.

3. Charter schools are photographically under-served -- many never having seen a school photo rep as late as this past September.

4. Charter schools operate with a refreshing lack of traditional school bureaucracy and will make decisions quickly.

5. Charter schools will accept -- and understand -- that high commissions and giveaways are not realistic if they want top-notch photographic services.

Our studio division is betting that charter schools can be a big part of a rapid growth strategy.

The value proposition we put forward is basically this.

1. We remove risk from the parents by providing proofs of the portraits. Allow them to see what they are purchasing.

2. We keep prices competitive and allow parents to purchase whatever they want. There is no requirement that the parent purchase a package before adding single sheets.

3. We allow a variety of payment options. We allow payment via cash, check, credit, or debit cards. Credit or debit cards go through our online store.

Obviously, proofing entails a greater up front risk for us. In exchange for what we are offering, the school makes a couple of concessions.

1. They accept a very low commission, or no commission at all.

2. We work together to limit the number of service items that they receive free of charge.

We're gathering data now and will post it as soon as the photography season closes, but we're interested in what you have to say. How have charter schools impacted your area? What are you doing to capitalize on their emergence as an academic force?

Jay