Just as a “one size fits all” approach doesn’t work well for educating today’s students, neither does a standardized approach to winning school finance elections. A comprehensive plan­ning model that incorporates the use of research and data is essential. Don Lifto and Barbara Nicol present such a model in the third edition of their book, School Tax Elections: Planning for Suc­cess in the New Normal. How the model is applied — both the science and art of it — can be the ultimate determining factor in an election outcome.

School Administrator

I highly recommend this book to all school leaders that are looking for a roadmap to complete a successful school tax election. Our school district followed the clear strategies outlined in this book, and we have been successful in passing every tax election request put in front of our voters during my time as superintendent. I especially liked the clear, step by step, approach to communicate effectively with all stakeholders in our community. It helps us to build stronger community trust and vision, and this support put our school district on a better trajectory for the future.

Dave Webb, Superintendent, South St. Paul MN Public Schools

As a Superintendent, I have learned so much from Dr. Lifto and Barb Nicol. After a failed referendum campaign, I sought their expertise to help us better understand the perspectives and priorities of our community while strategizing our messaging. After 12 years without an increase to our operating levy, we were finally able to pass an increase with the help of Don Lifto and Barb Nicol. Not only were we able to pass this operating levy, but we did so amidst a volatile political season of the presidential election of 2016!

Christine Osorio, Superintendent, North St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale MN Public Schools

Every school leader needs to build strong and ongoing community connections, and at no time are these relationships tested more than when school districts are faced with the challenge of executing a school tax election. A citizenry with increased expectations for its schools, in an era of turbulent politics, financial uncertainty and easy access to social media, creates an election environment that increasingly places needed funding at risk. I was fortunate to use the 2nd edition of this book for a graduate class I taught designed to prepare our future leaders for this important work. This 3rd edition adds both breadth and depth and is a perfect blend of solid, research proven strategies and practical best practices. The authors have decades of experience and have helped guide hundreds of school districts to overcome significant challenges to achieve success at the polls on Election Day.

Ted Blaesing, Ph.D., retired superintendent and educational consultant, Cape Coral, FL