Schools

Parkland Officials Consider Ads To Balance Budgets

The Parkland School District is exploring whether to put ads inside buses, cafeterias, stadiums and other school property.

The , feeling the pressure of state funding cuts and lower property assessments, is looking to sell advertisements inside its buses and on school properties as a way to balance budgets.

District officials are exploring opportunities to contract with a company to develop ads that would be geared toward health, nutrition, higher education and safety, said district spokeswoman Nicole McGalla. 

The district already sells ad space on its newsletters and school calendar to cover the costs of those publications, Assistant Superintendent Rod Troutman pointed out to the school board at its meeting Tuesday night.

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He told the board "there's a market" for internal ads on schools buses, stadiums and cafeterias. "It's an opportunity to possibly raise some funds,"  he said.

McGalla said later the board's building and grounds committee recently looked at a sample magnetic ad that would be placed at the inside roof line of school buses, if the initiative should move forward. She said board members will further discuss advertising at future meetings.

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"Everything would have to be looked at on a case-by-case basis," McGalla said, adding that the district would likely set up a committee to review and approve any potential ads.  

The Parkland School District, which has more than 9,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade, is not alone in exploring advertisements as a way to boost revenue instead of raising taxes, cutting programs or furloughing employees. While adverstising in schools is not new, districts elsewhere in Pennsylvania and across the country are allowing more and more ads on school property as well as pursuing corporate naming-rights. 

According to a recent article in The Philadelphia Inquirer, advertisements started going up in September at 16 elementary, middle and high schools in Bucks County's Pennsbury School District. A total of 218 ads are expected to eventually be in place, boosting the district's budget by as much as $424,000, the report says. Those ads also relate to health, education and nutrition.

But as advertising expands, debates have surfaced over the potential impact on students and whether advertisements are appropriate in school settings.

McGalla said anyone with concerns can contact her at 610-351-5630 or other school officials to further discuss the initiative. She said the ads would be an alternative way to raise revenue.

Like school districts elsewhere, Parkland School District has been feeling the pinch of state funding cuts and lower commercial property assessments. It 3.8 percent for the 2011-2012 school year, eliminated 60 positions, about half through attrition, and cut its behind-the-wheel driver education program to balance the budget. (School officials have been able to call back many of the furloughed employees, however, because of additional attrition). Parkland administrators also took a  for the current school year.

Also this year, as a way to create new revenue streams for the district, the  established an .

McGalla said she is currently reviewing proposals but welcomes any businesses with ideas to contact her. By focusing first on inside ads for its fleet of 140 buses, the district would be breaking new ground in school advertising, she said. 


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