Advocacy 101
December 5, 2019
A big thank you to the Culinary Arts students of SWBOCES who prepared an amazing meal, and provided table service to the gathered board members and Superintendents. It was delicious!
Advocacy 101 kicked off with
Evan Sullivan and
Kathleen Digan from Ostroff Associates, a leading Albany government relations firm that works with the Lower Hudson Education Coalition (LHEC).
FYI: The LHEC is an advocacy group sponsored by WPSBA, Dutchess County SBA, Rockland County SBA and the Lower Hudson Council of School Superintendents.
Our own
Dr. Ray Sanchez and
Frank Schnecker (Ossining Superintendent and Board Member) followed up with examples of their advocacy efforts on behalf of the students of Ossining UFSD.
A successful advocacy effort requires developing relationships and being prepared with good information. Tips for successful advocacy are:
Create and use networks:
- Find and make contacts with people who can help
- Look to regional organizations such as WPSBA and LHEC
- Capitalize on personal contacts between board members and elected officials
- Leverage members of your community with “superpowers”: in public relations, in data gathering, in organizing rallies, in social media, etc.
- There is power in numbers, and even if your local official is on board, he/she will need the support of numbers as well.
Building relationships can take only 30 seconds:
- Invite your elected official to read a story to schoolchildren
- Mail them your school newspaper
- Make a phone call
- Send a thank you email
- Like and retweet the positive efforts of your Senator or Assemblymember
… and relationships are built
year round through “30 second” efforts.
Become a reliable source:
- When meeting with elected officials or their staff, know your audience
- As a board member, you can report the tangible day-to-day examples of how policies and legislation affect your local school district
- Always ensure your data is accurate – your reputation and relationship depend on being a trusted source of solid information
Have an ask…and a proposed solution:
- When approaching an elected official or staff member, be clear about your “ask”
- Prepare an argument that acknowledges the other side of the issue
- Provide a proposed solution
·
For further information, please go to
our website and see the presentations from Ostroff and Ossining. You will also find a brief summary of WPSBA Advocacy priorities for 2020.
