CHAPTER 8

 

ADVOCACY

Make Your Voice Heard

 

SHARING AT STATE AND LOCAL LEVELS

            While public schools are a key function of state government, education happens locally.  Board members must be visible and proactive community leaders for education, and must make their voice heard by those who make decisions that affect education at the state level, as well.  Board members must be willing to express their views and those of their constituents to key policy makers in the political arena, including the Kentucky General Assembly, the Kentucky Board of Education, and the governor and staff in the executive branch.

            Board members also must be willing to listen to their constituents and to provide honest information about education through personal contact and through board meetings. All knowledge about education or the school system belongs to everyone and should be shared. If community members lack the knowledge of how their tax dollars are spent and how decisions are made in the school district, they risk being disenfranchised. Board members must see that this information is provided. The board meeting is where boards are most visible and most able to make information available.

 

THE BOARD MEETING

            The strongest support for local boards of education will come from board members being exemplary leaders within their own districts. Board meetings should be forums for reporting to the community, for highlighting the successes of schools and students, and for focusing the operations of the district on what best serves students. Shortcomings of the district should be reported honestly and straightforwardly. (The board should have strategies developed to work toward correcting the shortcomings.)

 

THE KENTUCKY BOARD OF EDUCATION

            It is important for local school board members to communicate with members of the Kentucky Board of Education from their area. The state board is a critical policymaker of education initiatives. The state board should have the opportunity to meet local board members and to hear about their efforts and challenges in implementing education reforms and state regulations. They need a perspective on the effects of their actions that is broader than the assessment provided only by the staff of the Department of Education (a comparable situation would exist if local board members gained a perspective only from the superintendent and his/her staff). Groups of board members are encouraged to meet with state board members from their areas, and KSBA Governmental Relations staff can assist in arranging these meetings. 

            Agendas for KBE meetings and corresponding materials are available on the Kentucky Department of Education’s Web site at www.education.ky.gov, under the “Administrative Resources” tab. KSBA Governmental Relations staff attend KBE meetings and monitor its work.  They also attend meetings of the Local Superintendents Advisory Council, which is a statutorily established committee that advises the KBE on the impact of regulations on local school districts.

            If the Kentucky Board of Education is considering a controversial regulation, KSBA staff will notify board members and superintendents about the pending action so they can communicate their position to KBE members in their area of the state. Local board members also may want to place discussion of the regulation on their board agenda, possibly taking an official position of support or opposition.

            To contact the members of the Kentucky Board of Education, please go to the Kentucky Department of Education’s Web site, www.education.ky.us/KDE and use the “quick link” menu pull-down menu at the top to go to the “state board of education” page.

 

 THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

            Legislators make decisions affecting public education in unlimited ways. Legislators must make courageous decisions to raise revenue or reallocate dollars away from other priorities in order to adequately fund public education. In turn, they need support from board members and superintendents in their local communities. The needs of children must be articulated in public policy debates, but legislators primarily hear about employee needs and priorities. School board members can ensure that public policy decisions remain focused on children.

            Legislators are most directly influenced by their local constituents, which is where school board members come in as legislative advocates. Board members can serve as Legislative Liaisons in their local district, host regional receptions for House/Senate Caucus members, meet with legislators in Frankfort, and attend KSBA’s Advocacy Day at the Capitol in February of each year to make sure the presence of education leaders is felt in Frankfort.

            Board members also can get involved in the election process by encouraging current or former school leaders to run for state elected offices and/or actively supporting candidates whose voting records and/or positions further academic achievement and opportunities for students.

            KSBA has a Legislative Advocacy Plan to assist school board members in the critical work of being advocates for children with the policy makers who affect public schools the most. Our Governmental Relations staff helps individual school board members, board teams, and superintendents in leading policy discussions about public education with legislators in local communities.

            The outcome of elections has an important impact on public policy decisions affecting education, collective bargaining, budget and tax policy, and other critical issues.  It is for this reason that in 2004, the KSBA Board of Directors established the Kids First Political Action Committee. Kids First is governed by a bipartisan board of board members and superintendents.  The PAC contributes only to political parties and NOT to individual candidates. KSBA’s Governmental Relations staff can provide more information about contributing to the political process in a bipartisan way.

            It is important that board members establish effective communication with their legislators.  The expressed opinions of concerned constituents are important to the outcome of most legislative issues. Grassroots lobbying is a powerful tool in making government responsive to the governed and also backs up the positions of lobbyist advocates for education. Grassroots lobbying means local board members are sharing these concerns and effectively communicating them to their legislators who value their constituents’ opinions. Lobbying tips are presented at the end of this chapter in Attachment 8-1.  To identify and contact your local state legislators, as well as Kentucky’s congressional delegation, go to KSBA’s Web site: http://capwiz.com/ksba/state/main/?state=KY

LOCAL RESIDENTS

            The most important advocacy role a school board member has is to maintain a relationship with his/her constituents.  To have credibility with constituents, a board member must be completely open, honest, and have a commitment to serving the children of his/her district.  Remember that all taxpayers have the right, through their elected school board, to have a voice in their schools.

 

Dos and Don’ts of dealing with legislators

Do know the proper way to address a member of the legislature. In written correspondence, members of the House and Senate should be referred to as The Honorable John Smith and the letter should begin with either Dear Senator Smith or Dear Representative Smith, whichever the case may be.

Do volunteer to provide additional data about the subject matter. When your cause or issue comes up, you want the legislator to think of you.  Legislators want to be well-versed on all sides of your issue.  The opportunity to provide continuing support material is not only in your best interest, but their best interest as well.

Do ask for an appointment when you want a personal visit. Most members of the Kentucky General Assembly try to balance their time.  They are more than willing to meet with constituents, but appreciate the courtesy of scheduling an appointment in advance.

Do get straight to the point of the meeting. State your case clearly and concisely and be prepared to respond to any questions the legislator may have.

Do know your subject matter inside and out. If you are going to be a spokesperson for an issue or a cause, then you had better be prepared to not only define it, but explain and defend it as well.

Don’t expect results from form letters. This is the least personal, least effective way to communicate with an elected official. Most mailings of this type are filed away—usually in the trash.

Don’t be the source of inaccurate or misleading information. There is no substitute for truthfulness and candor in dealing with elected officials. Most of them abide by the old maxim, “Lie to me once, shame on you; lie to me twice, shame on me.”

Don’t overstay your welcome. If you say you need 15 minutes, then speak your piece, check the clock, and be on your way. Meetings of a complicated nature often require more time. Should this be the case, then make sure the legislator knows before the meeting starts, not after.

Don’t bring volumes of written material with you. Unless the subject is extremely complex, a brief written summary, folder or fact sheet is preferable and more likely to be read.