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As school communications professionals, we are no strangers to the challenge of responding to misinformation and rumors. But today’s landscape is unprecedented, with false information impacting school districts to an alarming degree. Through member surveys, insights shared at conferences and webinars, and nationwide research in dozens of school districts, NSPRA has uncovered a pervasive challenge: the spread of false information is a significant and costly issue affecting us all.
Nearly all of our members (96 percent) consider the spread of false information a problem for school districts, up from 81 percent since our last survey on the topic in 2020.
The growing problem of false information is draining not just staff time but also our school districts’ relationships with their stakeholders. Eighty-three percent of survey respondents reported that it significantly increases the workload for communications staff. However, what is even more concerning is that most respondents (90 percent) report that the spread of false information is not just affecting their district’s reputation in the community but also eroding confidence in district leaders (76 percent).
To fulfill their mission of educating students, school districts must have a trusting relationship with parents/caregivers, school employees and the broader community. When false information breaks down that trust, it doesn’t just harm schools: It hurts students, too.
NSPRA is committed to identifying and supporting strategies that build bridges of trust between school districts and their communities. The rapid spread of false information cannot be solved by a single group alone, but this report contributes to a growing body of research on how to respond effectively.
NSPRA stands with education leaders and school communicators in working to overcome the spread of false information in school communities everywhere.
Sincerely,
Barbara M. Hunter, APR, NSPRA Executive Director
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Download Report With Table Top Exercises, Scenarios and Member Best Practices
Between January 1 and 21, 2024, the National School Public Relations Association surveyed members to understand whether and how the spread of false information challenges school communicators today. That survey expanded upon a previous survey from 2020 on the same topic. With both member surveys, NSPRA aimed to proactively support school communicators with relevant data on false information and professional development programs that address the survey findings.
A common understanding of terminology is helpful when reflecting on the 364 responses received to the 2024 survey. The term “false information” encompasses both misinformation, which is spread unintentionally, and disinformation, which is deliberately disseminated to deceive. Although the public frequently uses these terms interchangeably, NSPRA refers to both types under the umbrella term false information to simplify discussions around combating inaccuracies.
Survey questions were designed to gather insights to help NSPRA better understand how false information has affected public school districts in recent years.
NSPRA is the leader in school communication, and for this report, the association turned to the leaders in human psychology and social sciences to better understand false information. In recent years, numerous research studies have contributed to the national conversation on false information and its perils. This report provides a high-level summary of their top insights on dealing with false information.
For school public relations professionals, some of the most relevant insights shared by researchers on tackling false information are that:
False information will continue to impact schools. Among respondents, 77% are very concerned, somewhat concerned or concerned that their school system may face challenges related to false information in the future.
False information spreads in a variety of ways. By far, however, respondents identified Facebook (91%) and word of mouth (79%) as the two channels most often used to spread false information.
False information is having a negative impact on school districts in multiple ways. For 89% of respondents, it has affected the district’s reputation in the community, and for 76% of respondents, it has affected confidence in district leaders. Respondents also report that false information has an impact on student enrollment and teacher/staff recruitment and retention.
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