State of Louisiana Seeks Marketing Agency

The State of Louisiana is seeking an agency for a Marketing Campaign for Louisiana Department of Education. They need an agency to design, oversee, and implement a marketing campaign that elevates the value of the teaching profession in Louisiana, particularly with recent high school graduates and current college students in the state.

Background

The Louisiana State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) and the Louisiana Department of Education (Department) are committed to ensuring that every student is on track to be successful in post-secondary education and the workforce through their comprehensive plan – Louisiana Believes. Louisiana Believes is built on the premise that Louisiana students are just as capable as any students in America, and that those closest to children – parents and teachers – are best positioned to help students achieve those expectations.

Based on this belief, the Department is focused raising expectation and educational outcomes for students for Louisiana students in five major focus areas:

1. Unification of child care, Head Start and Pre-Kindergarten to ensure that all students are ready for Kindergarten
2. Alignment of standards, curriculum, assessments, and professional development to provide students and teachers with the tools they need to meet new standards
3. Preparation of every aspiring educator under the guidance of an effective mentor, in the classroom, on the job
4. Creation of opportunities for every graduate through Jump Start career education  and college-level Advanced Placement or dual enrollment coursework
5. Focus on students in persistently struggling schools by transforming those schools and creating new options for their families

Within the area of educator preparation, the Department focuses on three main aspects:

• Preparation: Through the Believe and Prepare program, teacher preparation providers and school districts are partnering to recruit and prepare Louisiana’s next generation educators.
• Certification: Effective educators are at the heart of every school and classroom.
• Workforce: Through support and recognition programs, Louisiana is elevating the education profession and supporting school districts in meeting Louisiana’s educator workforce needs. This includes ensuring that all students have access to excellent educators.

BESE has also recognized the need for effective educators entering the classroom on day one of teaching, and thus adopted new regulations in October 2016 concerning preparation of aspiring teachers. BESE adopted new regulations that require teacher preparation programs to provide teacher candidates with a full-year classroom residency alongside a mentor teacher and a competency-based curriculum that provides knowledge and skills needed to be prepared on their first day of teaching.

Goals and Objectives

The campaign will accomplish the following goals, with particular focus on areas of the state participating in the federal Teacher Incentive Fund (TIF) grant:

1. build prestige of the teaching profession in Louisiana;
2. increase the number of Louisiana high school graduates and current college students who are pursuing education degrees;
3. create awareness of the Believe and Prepare program and new education preparation approaches that provide aspiring teachers with more on-the-job learning opportunities and support from veteran, high-quality teachers; and
4. create awareness of the quality of Louisiana educator preparation programs and the value of a degree in education.

In order to accomplish these goals, the Contractor will conduct initial research through focus groups, surveys and one-on-one conversations to determine the campaign’s overall communication strategy. The Contractor will then use the data from the research analysis to design and oversee a comprehensive, statewide marketing campaign, in coordination with Department staff that includes branding and marketing materials; social, digital and paid media, stakeholder engagement and special events planning.

Proposal due by MAY 19, 2017 to:

State of Louisiana
Louisiana Department of Education
Louisiana Department of Education
1201 N. Third Street Suite 5-242
Baton Rouge, LA 70802 (225) 342-3828
E-mail: Karen.Evans@la.gov