DEPARTMENT: Pre-K 4 SA
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Sarah Baray, Ph.D.
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
CY2016 Communications Research Briefing
SUMMARY:
This item includes a staff briefing of quantitative awareness findings and qualitative learnings to be utilized in the development of communications strategies and messaging.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
In 2016, Pre-K 4 SA conducted two waves of market research designed to ascertain informational needs of the San Antonio consumer and to inform communications activity and messaging.
In February of 2016, Pre-K 4 SA contracted Galloway Research to conduct a public opinion survey of San Antonio residents in order to establish benchmark measures of public awareness of and perceptions about the program. The specific information objectives of this survey were to do the following.
• Measure public brand awareness and image of Pre-K 4 SA, advertising awareness and recall, usage intent and voter support
• Establish benchmark metrics against which future assessments can be compared and changes tracked
• Evaluate the brand equity, brand associations, and perceptions of quality of Pre-K 4 SA
• Assess public concern and interest levels in early childhood development and education
• Explore motivational drivers associated with public support of and interest in early childhood development initiatives
In October of 2016, Pre-K 4 SA’s Agency of Record, Creative Noggin, contracted Epiphany Research to conduct qualitative exploratory research among Pre-K 4 SA’s three primary consumer audiences: Parents, Voters and Educators. The specific objectives of this research were as follows.
• Explore perceptions of the need for and value of pre-kindergarten
• Identify current perceptions of the Pre-K 4 SA program relative to other programs
• Explore the decision-making process, identifying attributes that are most important to parents when choosing a pre-kindergarten program
• Gather reaction to messaging to see what, if anything, has the most potential to drive perception of the program
• Develop consumer understanding of educator target
• Identify and evaluate available professional learning/development resources
• Explore how educators learn about and select professional development opportunities
• Discover unmet professional development needs
In January of 2016, Pre-K 4 SA contracted University of Texas at San Antonio Demography Department to estimate the number of 1,2,3, and 4-year-olds living within San Antonio by Census Tract and by Independent School District. Additionally this research will identify if the children are attending public school, private school, a child development center, or not attending a learning institution. The aims identified by Pre-K 4 SA and our partnering ISDs include the following.
• Aim 1: Perform an expedited estimation of the numbers of three and four-year-old children in the Northside ISD, by census tract within the district
• Aim 2: Estimating how many one, two, three, and four-year-olds reside in Bexar County by Census Tract
• Aim 3: Identify where there has been substantial increases or decreases in one-two, three, and four-year old populations since the 2010 census
• Aim 4: Estimate the levels of educational program enrollment amount one, two, three, and four-year-old children, including estimating the number of children enrolled in public schools, charter schools, private schools, child development centers, and not attending any program in public use microdata areas
ISSUE:
This briefing will include a PowerPoint briefing of the following.
• Overall quantitative findings
• Findings by consumer audience (parents, voters, educators); as well as
• Implications for communications efforts moving forward
• Summary of UTSA Demographic study
ALTERNATIVES:
This item is a briefing for informational purposes only.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This item is a briefing for informational purposes only.
RECOMMENDATION:
This item is a briefing for informational purposes only.