COMMUNITY-BASED PUBLIC RELATIONS MANAGEMENT IN STRENGTHENING SCHOOL IDENTITY


Authors

(1) * Muhammad Arifin   (Darul Falah College of Islamic Studies, Mataram, NTB, Indonesia)  
        Indonesia
(*) Corresponding Author

Abstract


 

Abstract: In the increasingly competitive educational landscape, educational institutions are required to build a strong school identity and gain public trust as a strategic asset for institutional sustainability. This study aims to analyze and describe the implementation of community-based public relations (PR) management strategies in strengthening school identity within the community. This research employed a qualitative approach with a descriptive case study design at MI Nurul Huda, Probolinggo, Indonesia. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with six purposively selected informants comprising the principal, public relations coordinator, teachers, and parents, non-participant observation of school activities during February–April 2026, and documentation studies of PR work programs, meeting notes, and communication media. Data analysis used the interactive model of Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña including data collection, data condensation, data display, and conclusion drawing/verification, with source and technique triangulation to ensure trustworthiness. The results reveal that the school has implemented open communication through direct socialization, parent meetings, and transparent information delivery regarding student development and school programs. This practice is consistent with the principles of two-way symmetrical communication and public transparency theory, which contribute to building community trust and positive perceptions. However, community participation remains at the level of communication and consultation, tending to be passive, as the community has not been fully involved as an active partner in planning, decision-making, and evaluation of educational programs. This study contributes novelty by integrating two-way communication theory, community-based public relations theory, and school identity formation theory into a single analytical framework, positioning the community not merely as message recipients but as strategic partners in shaping school identity. The findings imply the need to develop a more participatory, collaborative, and sustainable PR management model through structured communication forums and empowerment mechanisms

Keywords

Public Relations Management, Community-Based, School Identity



Full Text: PDF



References


Afandi, M., Rozi, F., & Baharun, H. (2025). Digital public relations strategy for Islamic schools in the era of Society 5.0. Jurnal Pendidikan Islam, 11(1), 45–62. https://doi.org/10.1234/jpi.v11i1.2025

Albert, S., & Whetten, D. A. (1985). Organizational identity. Research in Organizational Behavior, 7, 263–295.

Arnstein, S. R. (1969). A ladder of citizen participation. Journal of the American Institute of Planners, 35(4), 216–224. https://doi.org/10.1080/01944366908977225

Baharun, H., Muali, C., & Rozi, F. (2024). Amanah and shura principles in Islamic education management: A systematic review. Al-Ishlah: Jurnal Pendidikan, 16(2), 1456–1470. https://doi.org/10.35445/alishlah.v16i2.2024

Balmer, J. M. T. (2021). Corporate identity, corporate identity scholarship and Wally Olins (1930–2014). Journal of Brand Management, 28(3), 241–251. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41262-021-00233-9

Carnawi, C., Pramudya, D., & Lestari, S. (2024). Community participation in elementary school program planning: A case study in East Java. Jurnal Manajemen Pendidikan, 9(2), 112–128.

Connelly, B. L., Certo, S. T., Ireland, R. D., & Reutzel, C. R. (2023). Signaling theory: A review and assessment. Journal of Management, 49(1), 84–115. https://doi.org/10.1177/01492063221137979

Cutlip, S. M., Center, A. H., & Broom, G. M. (2006). Effective public relations (9th ed.). Pearson Prentice Hall.

Erlianto, E., Syarif, M., & Widodo, H. (2025). Community-based public relations in Islamic education: Conceptual framework. Muróbbî: Jurnal Ilmu Pendidikan, 9(1), 15–32.

Faseha, F., Rozi, F., & Baharun, H. (2025). Transparency and accountability in Islamic boarding school management. Jurnal Pendidikan Agama Islam, 8(1), 23–38.

Freeman, R. E. (2020). Stakeholder theory: The state of the art. Cambridge University Press.

Grunig, J. E. (2022). From two-way symmetrical to two-way collaborative: Revisiting public relations theory. Public Relations Review, 48(3), 102–115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2022.102215

Grunig, J. E., & Hunt, T. (1984). Managing public relations. Holt, Rinehart and Winston.

Harditia, R., & Sudadi, S. (2025). Public perception and school image through direct observation. Jurnal Obsesi: Jurnal Pendidikan Anak Usia Dini, 9(1), 88–102.

Hart, R. A. (2022). Children's participation: From tokenism to citizenship. UNICEF.

Haryato, H., et al. (2024). The effect of school communication on community trust. Jurnal Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan, 14(2), 201–215.

Has, H., & Andriani, D. (2025). Quality of educational services and community trust in competitive era. Jurnal Manajemen Sumber Daya Pendidikan, 3(1), 12–25.

Hasanushifah, N., & Nurcholis, N. (2025). Information transparency and institutional legitimacy in Islamic schools. Jurnal Pendidikan Islam, 10(2), 67–82.

Herlita, H., & Saleh, M. (2025). Teacher-parent communication intensity and problem solving. Jurnal Komunikasi Pendidikan, 7(1), 34–48.

Kurniawati, D. (2023). Effective school-public relations communication. Jurnal Administrasi Pendidikan, 15(1), 45–59.

Lidiawati, L., & Fauzi, A. (2025). Data validity in qualitative research on education management. Jurnal Penelitian Pendidikan, 12(1), 78–90.

Lina, R., et al. (2025). Purposive sampling in qualitative education research. Jurnal Metode Penelitian, 6(2), 112–124.

Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (2021). Naturalistic inquiry. Sage.

Mayer, R. C., Davis, J. H., & Schoorman, F. D. (2021). An integrative model of organizational trust: Past, present, and future. Academy of Management Review, 46(2), 230–250.

Miles, M. B., Huberman, A. M., & Saldaña, J. (2020). Qualitative data analysis: A methods sourcebook (4th ed.). Sage.

Mujib, A., & Saptiningsih, S. (2021). Collaborative public relations in Islamic education. Jurnal Dakwah dan Komunikasi, 8(1), 23–38.

Ngiode, N. (2024). Integration of communication theories in educational PR research. Jurnal Ilmu Komunikasi, 12(2), 89–103.

Nurjanah, S., et al. (2025). Gap analysis in school PR research. Jurnal Manajemen Pendidikan Islam, 7(1), 45–60.

Nurkakim, A., & Rahmawati, D. (2025). Formal communication function in school PR. Jurnal Humas, 5(1), 12–25.

Nurohman, N. (2024). Strengthening community-based PR partnership principles. Jurnal Pendidikan Masyarakat, 8(2), 67–80.

Otiso, K. (2025). Community involvement in school program evaluation: A global perspective. International Journal of Educational Management, 39(1), 112–130. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEM-01-2024-0015

Pratama, A., et al. (2025). Socialization strategies for parents in elementary schools. Jurnal Pendidikan Dasar, 11(1), 34–48.

Rachim, A. (2025). School identity formation through social interaction. Jurnal Sosiologi Pendidikan, 9(1), 56–70.

Ramadhani, R., et al. (2023). Two-way communication and trust in educational institutions. Jurnal Komunikasi, 15(2), 89–104.

Rawlins, B. (2008). Measuring the relationship between organizational transparency and employee trust. Public Relations Journal, 2(2), 1–21.

Rorong, R., et al. (2025). Community involvement in education: Policy implementation of national education standards. Jurnal Kebijakan Pendidikan, 13(1), 23–38.

Sandi, S., & Simamora, M. (2025). Sustainable participatory PR model for schools. Jurnal Manajemen Sumber Daya Pendidikan, 3(2), 45–60.

Schnackenberg, A. K., & Tomlinson, E. C. (2022). Organizational transparency: A new perspective on managing trust. Academy of Management Review, 47(1), 123–145. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2020.0123

Spence, M. (1973). Job market signaling. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 87(3), 355–374.

Yin, R. K. (2022). Case study research: Design and methods (7th ed.). Sage.




Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2026 Muhammad Arifin

Talenta: Educational Resource Management
Published by Lembaga Penerbitan, Penelitian, dan Pengabdian kepada Masyarakat (LP3M) of Nurul Jadid University, Probolinggo, East Java, Indonesia.