Fourth, stress benefits. Few people act on altruism these days. They need to see how what you are proposing will make their jobs easier, their lives better. This means you first need to understand where the listener is coming from, what his hot buttons are. Parents need to see that their kids are getting the basics, are learning in a safe and orderly environment and that education experiments will not jeopardize their child's chance of getting into a good college or finding a good job.
Kids are perhaps the most skeptical audience of all.
Everyone understands the art of the deal. Fortunately, there are good examples of reformers who have made the connection between their work and the concerns of the public. David Hornbeck's side when the going gets tough. Talk about your work in terms that your audiences can relate to. Plain English is essential.