Creating a Year-Round Advocacy Program Marie Sullivan, Director of Governmental Relations NOVEMBER 21, 2013

Creating a Year-Round Advocacy ProgramMarie Sullivan, Director of Governmental RelationsNOVEMBER 21, 2013

INVEST IN OUR FUTURE THROUGH PUBLIC EDUCATION

Why Should You Advocate?• You make decisions that affect the education of

children in your community. But…• Decisions made in Olympia or Washington, DC

affect your district’s:– Level of service to school-age children– Programs to help children achieve success– Operations– Budget– Staffing


Advocacy, Not “Arm-Twisting”• Advocacy is about speaking up

– Share your district’s success stories– You know what works on the ground– Increase understanding about how their

decisions impact kids in the classroom• Advocacy is about relationships

– Get to know legislators and their staff– Understand the process, players, and issues


Getting Started• WSSDA opportunities:

– Legislative Committee – members elected at Annual conference

– Legislative Assembly – voting on positions– Legislative Conference in Olympia– Serve as your board’s Legislative Representative– Regional meetings in the Spring or Fall– Legislative Updates to members– Federal Relations Network (FRN) to interact with

Washington’s congressional delegation


Getting Started• Community Opportunities:

– Speaking to or becoming a member in service club organizations, associations, other boards

– Knowing the reporters with the education beat for local media

– Attending school-related events– Campaigning – for school director or on levy

campaigns– And so much more. Remember: you are the best

ambassador for your specific issues


Building a Year-Round Program• Create a plan with goals, objectives, strategies• Identify what you can do individually, what you need

others to do• Establish timing that reflects decision-making cycles –

what they need to know from you and when• Target legislators, community partners, natural allies,

potential opponents• Pick 2-3 key issues critical to the district• Develop messages, materials and a 30-second

“elevator” speech related to those issues


Plan: Goals, Objectives, Strategies• Be clear about what you want to happen• Keep objectives simple• Identify multiple strategies to speak up

and establish relationships• Add some milestones and measurements

to help track progress• Realize it will take time and is on-going


Plan: Who does What• Know what your strengths are; enlist others

to help with the plan• Make a list of decision makers you know,

and one who influences those decision makers – then build a matrix for contacts

• Do your own research – on the issues, the players, and how decisions affect your district


Plan: Timing is Everything• January – May

• Legislature is in session• Governor has 20 days to

sign bills after session ends• Best advocacy options:

• Calls, messages• Letters or emails (keep

them short, simple)• In-person • Town Halls

• June – December• Legislators in district• Task Forces, Work Groups,

Agencies preparing reports• Best advocacy options:

• Individual or small group meetings

• Education special events

• Community events• Updates via email or

calls


Plan: Create a Target List• Focus on all legislators in the school

district – some have overlapping borders– Read the bios on the web, know which

committees they serve on, what their education experience is

• Get to know legislative staff• Reach out to community partners, natural

allies


Plan: Pick Critical Issues• Funding for education tops the list for all

districts but if this is one of your issues …– Know how much state money you receive and

what it buys, and how much is local funding• Know if the issue is federal or state, and

what the state’s role is to make a change• Pick 2-3 issues to increase a level of

understanding with legislators


How a Bill Becomes Law• Bills are ideas that:

– Create new law– Add to existing law– Change existing law

• Bills must pass both the Senate and the House of Representatives during a legislative session



Learn the Players• Legislators from your district and staff

– Know committee assignments– Know issues of interest/expertise– Personal information

• Legislators in leadership• Legislators as committee chairs, ranking• Committee staff• Caucus (political) staff


Learn the Players• OSPI Superintendent (separately elected)

– OSPI leadership and staff• State Board of Education members/staff• Education advocate organizations and

associations (e.g., WASA, AWSP, WEA, PTA, PSEA, LEV, Stand for Children, PFL, etc.)

• Other lobbying organizations and lobbyists• Other state agencies (DEL, DOH, DSHS)


Example of Existing Activities• One-on-One meetings with

legislators in district• Small group meetings

between School Directors and legislators

• Meal “events” with legislators and community leaders

• Director Area meetings with legislators

• Candidate forums

• Events that bring together legislators, school directors and community partners

• Coalitions that bring together business, labor, education, community to support education

• WSSDA Task Forces on focused topics

• Weekly calls during session


Tips: Calling your legislator• During session, call Olympia; during

interim, legislators may have a district #• Ask for the legislators or specific assistant• Give your name, title, school district• Focus on one issue/bill


Tips: Calling your legislator• State your position, include the “why” or

rationale for the position• Ask for your legislator’s position• Ask for your legislator if you can count on

their support or if they need additional information


Tips: Writing your legislator• Stick to one subject• Be brief – one page letter or one screen

email• Be positive and polite – thank them for

prior support and say “thank you” at end• Ask for action – and a response


Tips: Writing your legislator• Avoid form letters – make it compelling to

the district• Get others to write too – more voices get

more attention – there is strength in numbers!

• On emails, use when timing is crucial and include your postal address to show constituency


Tips: Meeting with your legislator• Schedule the meeting well in advance• Note the subject matter and other

attendees• Do your homework on the legislator and the

issue• Prepare the presentation• If more than one person attending, pick a

spokesperson to lead the conversation


Tips: Meeting with your legislator• Introduce yourself and/or team• Briefly present your case (2-3 minutes)

– Provide “the facts”; avoid emotion or inflammatory words– Note the local impacts of the decision or consequences– Use visuals or compelling stories– Allow for questions, legislators to state their position

• Leave a one-page summary or statement• Follow up with a written “thank you”

– Restate your position– Provide answers to questions


Advocacy Year-Round CalendarAdvocacy Year-Round Calendar

January/February/March

Follow legislative session; keep in contact with local elected legislative representatives. Provide support for

passage of new legislation responding to district legislative priorities. Begin thinking about proposals for

Fall Legislative Assembly.

April/May/June

Still in session? Continue to advocate for priorities. Invite legislators to attend graduation ceremonies or watch

classrooms and evaluations in action. Begin informal meetings. Draft and submit proposals to WSSDA for

consideration at the Legislative Assembly.

November/December

Schedule a district or regional meeting with legislators to share district, county or regional priorities. Encourage

drafting of new legislation aligned with WSSDA adopted legislative priorities or district priorities (if different).

Attend WSSDA annual conference.

June/July/August

Meet with local elected legislators to (1) Review progress from the previous legislative session, and

(2) Preview and strategize for upcoming legislative session. Track work groups of interest; submit comments

on proposed rules.

September/October

Attend and support district proposals at the WSSDA Legislative Assembly. Create final draft of

District Legislative Priorities.


Advocacy Resources - WSSDA• Advocacy Manual• Legislative Updates during session• Daily E-clips Web site: www.wssda.org• Legislature Web site: www.leg.wa.gov• Hotline: 800-562-6000• Legislative info Center: 360-786-7573

http://www.leg.wa.gov/


Advocacy Resources• Printed Materials

– Citizen’s Guide to K-12 Finance• http://www.leg.wa.gov/Senate/Committees/WM/Doc

uments/Publications/BudgetGuides/2009/K1209.pdf

– Washington School Finance Primer• www.k12.wa.us/safs/PUB/PRI/primer99.pdf

– Organization and Financing of Washington Public Schools• http://www.k12.wa.us/safs/PUB/ORG/09/2009OrgFi

n_Final%20Copy.pdf

http://www.leg.wa.gov/Senate/Committees/WM/Documents/Publications/BudgetGuides/2009/K1209.pdf



http://www.k12.wa.us/safs/PUB/PRI/primer99.pdf

http://www.k12.wa.us/safs/PUB/ORG/09/2009OrgFin_Final%20Copy.pdf

http://www.k12.wa.us/safs/PUB/ORG/09/2009OrgFin_Final%20Copy.pdf


WSSDA Advocacy Contacts• Marie Sullivan, Governmental Relations

Director– [email protected]– 360.742-7647 cell; 360.252.3010 desk

• Nan Laughton, Administrative Assistant– [email protected]– 360.252-3011 desk


Save the Date!January 26-27, 2014

Legislative Conference Day on the Hill

Registration Open Now!

Sponsored by: WSSDA/WASA/WASBO