What is ADVOCACY?

The application of pressure and influence on the people and institutions

that have the power to give you

what you want.

Encounters of a Public Policy Kind

Have you or a member of your familyhave ever talked with a public official about a stupid policy?

Have you or a member of your family have ever been involved in any kind of “politics”.

Have your you or your family have ever been involved in any organization that was working to change a policy?

What Is Policy Anyway?

A policy is a rule made up and enforced by people in authority to control the behaviors of other people in their:

- Family (Family policy)- Private Places (School or Work

Policy)- City, State or Country (Public

policy – laws, regulations)

The Policy Making Process

1. Recognition of problem

2. Analysis of options for action

3. Choice of most effective and affordable option

4. Action and Implementation

What is Politics?

Politics is the process* people in authority use to make policy and decide who gets what, where and when without resorting to physical violence.

* Sometimes people in authority look at all the information about a problem and talk to other people before they decide on a solution, sometimes they decide all by themselves.

Generic Policy Influencing Process

1. Define a sympathetic compelling problem

2. Develop strategic effective solutions

3. Promote most effective and affordable solution

4. Monitor Implementation

What is a Hero Opportunity?

A compelling problem or crisis that

provides policymakers with publicoccasions to be the champion of

a solution that makes a positive difference in the lives of a criticalmass of their

constituents/customers.

Potential Heroes

Senator Jack Hart S. Boston and Dorchester

State Rep Linda Dorcia Forry

Mattapan

Felix Arroyo At Large City Council

Frank Baker Dorchester City Council

Tito Jackson Roxbury City Council

Potential Heroes

Community leaders pledge to help curb Dorchester gun violence

• http://www.thebostonpilot.com/article.asp?ID=11694

What is ADVOCACY?

The application of pressure and influence on the people and institutions

that have the power to give you

what you want.

Where to begin?Key Considerations

• What do you want?• Why do you want it?• What person or institution has the

POWER to give it to you?• How will you build credibility with

and get access to those POWER brokers who have the power to give you what you want?

What do we want?

1. Our children to have an effective English Language Learners program

in high performing schools.

2. What do we mean by “our” children?

3. What do we mean by “effective”?

4. What do we mean by “high performing”?

Who has the power to give us what we want?

• Boston Public Schools • Mayor• School Committee• City Council

Mayor

City Council School Committee (7) 13131

Superintendant

ELL

Boston School Committee

Rear Row: (L to R): Claudio Martinez; John F. Barros; Alfreda Harris; Mary Tamer; Meg Campbell

Front row (L to R): Michael O'Neill; Superintendent Carol R. Johnson; Rev. Gregory G. Groover, Sr., D.Min

Superintendent appoints new Assistant Superintendent for English Language

Learning

Dr. Johnson names Dr. Eileen de los Reyes to reform education of English Language Learners in the Boston Public Schools“Eileen de los Reyes has precisely the vision and expertise needed to help lead the Boston Public Schools in a new direction for accelerating the performance of English Language Learners,” said Dr. Johnson. “Her wealth of knowledge and commitment to students whose first language is not English are a critical part of our plan to ensure that all students acquire English and achieve proficiency across subject areas.”

Boston City Council

City Council• Salvatore LaMattina - District 1:

North End, East Boston and Charlestown (took office Jan. 2006)

• Bill Linehan - District 2: South End and South Boston (took office May 2007)

• Frank Baker - District 3: Dorchester (took office Jan. 2012)

• Charles Yancey - District 4: Mattapan (took office Jan. 1984)

• Robert Consalvo District 5: Hyde Park and Roslindale (took office June 2002)

• Matt O'Malley - District 6: Jamaica Plain and West Roxbury (took office Nov. 2010)

• Tito Jackson - District 7: Roxbury (took office March 2011)

• Michael P. Ross - District 8: Beacon Hill, Back Bay, Fenway/Kenmore, Mission Hill and West End (took office Jan. 2000)

• Mark Ciommo - District 9: Allston and Brighton (took office in Jan. 2008)

• Felix G. Arroyo (at-large) (took office Jan. 2010)

• John R. Connolly (at-large) (took office in Jan. 2008)

• Stephen J. Murphy (at-large) (took office in Jan. 1998)

• Ayanna S. Pressley (at-large) (took office Jan. 2010)

City Council Districts

What do we want?

1. Our children to have an effective English Language Learners program

in high performing schools.

2. What do we mean by “our” children?

3. What do we mean by “effective”?

4. What do we mean by “high performing”?

The School Budget Process • The budget development process begins in the early fall of

each year when school administrators communicate to the Office of Enrollment Services any anticipated programmatic changes (expansion of a bilingual program for example).

• While compiling this information, the Office of Enrollment Services begins to project school enrollments for the following year, based in part on October 1st actual enrollments. Projections are then reviewed and approved by the school administrators.

• The Superintendent is required by law to submit a proposed budget to the School Committee by the first Wednesday in February. While the School Committee reviews the proposal and deliberates, information sessions and public hearings inform the public of the specifics of the proposed budget and solicit feedback.

The School Budget Process• Once approved, the budget is submitted by the School

Committee to the Mayor. The Mayor can either reduce or approve the total budget amount, but cannot change or reduce individual budget items. The Mayor is required by law to submit the budget to the City Council for appropriation by the second Wednesday in May.

• The City Council usually holds public hearings on the budget before voting on it. The Council votes on the entire budget submitted by the Mayor and cannot change or reduce individual budget items. The Council approves the budget before the new fiscal year that begins July 1st.

Your All Purpose Fill-In-The-Blanks Rap Guide to Asking Anybody for Anything

• I know you agree that _______________________ . (The shared values)

• _______ are in crisis because_____. (The problem)

• You care because _________. (The link between shared values and personal experience).

• We know that_______________ would begin to fix it. (The solution)

• You can help by ________________. (The action request)