The Power of Deliberation

Public deliberation is a powerful force.  Throughout my 25-year-career of working with nearly 300 Ohio school districts, I’ve observed how effectively implemented public deliberation strategies routinely double the passage rate for proposed school tax increases from 35 cent to 70 per cent.  Today, these deliberation strategies are being employed in the movement being led by the Ohio Public School Advocacy Network to help Ohio’s citizens shape statewide education policy.  For an in-depth look at the characteristics and benefits of public deliberation, I recommend an article published by the University of Houston’s College of Humanities & Social Sciences titled, “What Is Deliberation.”