Proof of Performance in Digital Signage for Schools | Top 5 Reasons to Invest

You can’t measure the ROI of digital signage for schools quantitatively; there are no marketing budgets to compare against revenue. Instead, the ROI of school-based digital signage is qualitative—meaning that it must be measured by assessing the entire range of benefits that digital signage brings to the school.

This is what we mean by the “real” ROI of digital signage for schools. Do the benefits of its inclusion outweigh its costs? Let’s take a look at what kind of power digital signage for schools has.

Enhanced Learning

Undoubtedly, digital signage is fast becoming part of the tech-integrated learning environment.

Think about the technology currently used in schools. Whiteboards. Overhead/digital projectors. Old TVs wheeled out from storage closets. These are obviously less than ideal for a fast-paced educational setting where students have been raised alongside technology.

Research indicates that removing technology, such as smartphones, from the educational setting may actually decrease performance due to the cognitive impact technology has on students. Clearly, there’s room in schools for a bit more tech.

Digital signage in the classroom can replace many of the outdated technologies that teachers use in the current academic environment. In fact, a simple signage installation is all that’s necessary to bring customizable digital screens into the classroom; this gives teachers far more flexibility in lesson planning and presenting than old-fashioned teaching methods, and creates a learning environment that is more agile and developed than its competitors in the district.

Food Safety and Nutrition Support

The value of digital signage for schools doesn’t end in the classroom. Schools can leverage digital screens in the cafeteria to give students health information they otherwise wouldn’t have easy access to.

Digital menu boards in the cafeteria can provide students with valuable information about how to make healthy choices:

• Listings of all available options to guarantee students know what’s available to them
• Nutritional information about each option, calorie counts, and USDA nutrition guidelines can all be included to keep students informed about their choices
• Food allergen information and warnings for students sensitive to certain items
• Positive messaging that supports healthy choices, like choosing milk over soda at the register

Plus, each of these communications can be customized with unique templates for each day that guarantee students will never get bored of what they see.

Emergency Preparedness

Digital signage for schools is the ideal way to deliver vital information during emergencies.

Students may ignore the bland information posted on traditional signage. However, the high engagement potential of digital signage makes it a great way to display important safety information when necessary. The engaging nature of digital screens is essential here, as time is of the essence when problems arise:

• Fires
• Tornados
• Floods
• Gas leaks
• Amber Alerts

The advantage comes from the flexibility of digital screens. Digital signage for schools can provide general safety tips during the day. If a crisis occurs, schools can adjust the screens to provide real-time messaging about what students should do to protect themselves.

The schools can also use the boards to showcase maps of the school and emergency escape routes that will keep students safe, even during times of crisis.

Additional Revenue

Empty school buildings don’t have much use during the off-season summer months. That is until they’re equipped with digital signage.

Facilities with advanced digital signage infrastructure are desirable locations for hosting business events, camps, and retreats. Even if the signage itself isn’t used, its presence shows coordinators that administration is invested in the facility and presents a polished image of quality.

This image, in turn, increases the number of businesses, clubs, or local groups that may be interested in renting the empty space. For budget-strapped schools looking for additional sources of revenue, there’s nothing better.

Analytic Reporting

On the administration side of things, digital signage for schools can make it simple for educators to keep track of performance metrics vital to the school’s success. When paired with data presentation software like PowerPoint, digital signage in administrative offices or teachers’ lounges can keep educators up to date on all relevant analytics that indicate how their students are faring:

• Recent test scores across each class
• Average SAT scores for college prep
• Class attendance rates
• Percentage of students participating in activities and organizations
• Ongoing efforts to raise funding for projects

And more. Digital signage provides a simple way for the administration to increase the visibility of these important statistics and monitor metrics in real-time.

Event Coordination

Both within the school itself and as part of the school’s outdoor signage, digital signage for schools raises awareness of upcoming events for students and the public alike. The highly engaging digital screens draw more eyes than typical signage, which guarantees that more people will note (and retain!) event information after each viewing.

This type of engagement can be powerful when sharing information about fundraisers and sponsored events that rely on community support.

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While administrators in K-12 schools may be stubborn about stretching their limited budgets even further, there’s no arguing that the benefits of digital signage for schools are substantial. So, those considering these benefits shouldn’t let the hard-to-measure ROI of school-based digital signage dissuade them from its use.

Across educational options, disaster preparedness, administrative efficiency, and revenue generation, nearly any educational initiative can be supported with quality digital signage solutions.