Commercialism in Schools (continued)

• Fruit juice, bottled water, and food items with nutritional value must compose a certain proportion of the products offered for sale. 
• Fruit juice, bottled water, and nutritious food items must be sold at attractive prices. 
• Soft-drink serving sizes must be moderate. 
• The vendor must help sponsor promotional materials and events to encourage healthful eating habits.

NASBE provides detailed policy guidelines in Fit, Healthy, and Ready To Learn (Bogden and Vega-Matos 2000).

How Can Schools Negotiate Better Sponsorships?

As more businesses compete for access to children, schools and districts may be in a better position to negotiate arrangements that respect their educational values and goals. Schools may be able to demand less controversial sponsorships in exchange for higher quality resources. In return, businesses could expect to gain tax breaks for their donations and a positive image in the community.

Following are some strategies for cultivating sponsorship arrangements that meet school needs and standards:

• Set specific educational goals, together with a time line, for the sponsorship. 
• Design a school policy on commercial activities in schools in advance and include parents and the larger community in the process: "Drawing the line between the public and private interest before the first marketer targets your school or district, and involving your community in this important discussion, can prevent community dissension, parental protest, and possible litigation after the fact (Fege and Hagelshaw). 
• Consider a variety of potential sponsors. 
• Research each company's past interactions with schools, including community, teacher, and student response; impact on the educational environment; whether students were approached as learners or as consumers; percentage of profits shared with schools (if appropriate); and past lobbying efforts that may have had an impact on educational programs and funding. 
• Network and share information with other schools, districts, and states, as well as national education organizations. If possible, adopt a shared set of guidelines for interactions with businesses. 
• Seek contracts that guarantee your school's or district's satisfaction and that do not penalize your school for withdrawing for any reason or at any time. 
• To avoid the possibility of over dependence on funds from the business community, clearly delineate a phasing-out process. Schools might even consider enlisting active support for adequate public funding from local businesses.
• Never force a child to participate in a sponsorship-related activity. 
• Once the sponsorship is under way, frequently assess activities, taking into account responses from teachers, students, parents, and the larger community. 
• Publicly acknowledge businesses' efforts that are respectful of the values and standards of the school or district.

Many foundations and organizations do not require "the commercial quid pro quo" (Fege and Hagelshaw). Schools might, moreover, consider fund development, "an approach long practiced by colleges and universities... but seldom attempted by elementary and middle schools," write Stephens and others (2000). They explain planned giving, grants, and creative fundraising, and provide resources that can help principals locate funding sources.