KSBA has moved its annual legislative advocacy day to the first week of January to bring local school leaders to Frankfort to engage lawmakers in what is expected to be a historic session of the Kentucky General Assembly.
Consider these factors:
· The 2017 session will include Republican members holding a 64-seat supermajority in the state House. The Republican Party has not held a majority in that chamber in nearly a century. GOP members already have a super majority in the state Senate.
· Nearly a third of all House members will be first-time legislators.
· Legislative leaders and the Bevin administration have publicly listed several education issues – from charter schools and compliance with the federal Every Student Succeeds Act to prevailing wage on school construction projects and addressing pension fund shortfalls for public workers, including teachers and administrators – as focal points for the session.
Voices from the local districts will be a crucial part of KSBA’s efforts to support public schools. One way to take an active part in this week is to register and attend the KSBA LEAD – Legislative Education Advocacy Day – in Frankfort on Jan. 5. The registration form is attached below.
The day will begin with a 7:30 a.m. breakfast where attendees will be able to meet directly with legislators and begin telling our story to foster the relationships that will prove critical in public school efforts. Participants will then hear from key education leaders to get an update on pressing issues, and throughout the day will be meeting with their legislators to deliver a strong message of support for public schools.
All the information is on the KSBA Governmental Relations service web page here http://www.ksba.org/advocacy.aspx. Please complete and return the online form and become part of the campaign to tell your local stories to state policymakers.
For more information, please contact KSBA Director of Governmental Relations Eric Kennedy [email protected] at 800-372-2962.