Advocacy Training for Influence and Impact

Arkansas ASCDJanuary 6, 2011

ASCD Public Policy

ASCD– Founded in 1943– Reputation for educational leadership dedicated to

best practices and policies for the success of each learner.

Public Policy– Established 2003-04– Advocating for educators and students

No Child Left Behind Act

Dramatic alteration of federal role– Direct involvement in schools– Prescriptive policies– “What happened?”

ASCD Public Policy

Influence and advocacy

Relatively new and growing– 160,000 members– 13,000 Educator Advocates

Overcoming pushback

ASCD Public Policy

“The genteel age when school leaders need not involve themselves with the politics and policies of education are over…if it ever existed at all.”

ASCD Public Policy

Policy Team– David Griffith – Director of Public Policy,

dgriffith@ascd.org– Tina Dove – Legislative Advocate, tdove@ascd.org– Melissa Mellor – Advocacy Outreach Manager,

mmellor@ascd.org– Sumi Vishnu – Program Coordinator,

svishnu@ascd.org

policy@ascd.org

ASCD Advocacy

Annual Legislative Agenda– Member developed– Transparent

Legislative Committee– Mary Gunter– Marsha Jones

Special focus– Whole Child– Professional development

ASCD Advocacy

Opportunities– Legislation

ESEA IDEA

– Regulations– Budget/funding/appropriations– Committee hearings

ASCD Advocacy

Advocate on behalf of educators & students Teacher and Principal Improvement Act – Sen. Reed Race to the Top grant criteria Comprehensive, well-rounded curriculum Whole child resolution Whole child hearing testimony

ASCD Advocacy

Resource to policymakers– Schools’ fiscal status

$10 billion EduJobs bill– What works in PD

Emerging state work– Whole child state policy recommendations

Work with affiliates Information to members

ASCD Advocacy

Educator Advocates– Weekly newsletter

Tailored to educator leaders Legislative & Policy Updates

– Congress, Department, White House, national news, reports

– ESEA– Status of the Common Core– Funding– Children’s issues

– www.educatoradvocates.org

Leadership Institute for Legislative Advocacy (LILA)

Legislative Conference, January 22-24, 2012– Policy briefings

Secretary Arne Duncan ESEA reauthorization FY12 funding and fiscal outlook

– Advocacy training– Take your message to federal policymakers– Continue policy discussions & advocacy at the

state and local levels

ASCD Advocacy

Action Center– www.ascd.org/actioncenter– Action alerts– Legislative research– Priority bills– Talking points– Communication tools

Email Facebook Twitter #ascdpolicy

Why Advocate?

“Lobbyist”

Why Advocate?

NCLB Share expertise Support children Direct effect on professional role/responsibilities Exposure/visibility Others are doing it Member service (Arkansas ASCD)

– Empower members Politics of education

U.S. K-12 Education Funding

Federal; 7%

State; 48%

Local; 45%

Federal Role in Education

Research, evaluation, information dissemination– Best practices, Regional labs, What Works

Clearinghouse Data collection

– NCES & NAEP National priorities and solutions

– Closing the achievement gap, college access Equity and special populations

– Students with disabilities, LEP, socio-economically disadvantaged students

2001-02

Federal; 0.07

No Child Left Behind Act

Expanded testing Grades 3-8 (once in high school) Reading and math

Stricter accountability Set goals, timeline Specific interventions

No Child Left Behind Act

Highly-qualified” teacher definition 100% in all core subjects Bachelor’s degree State licensure 2005-06 deadline

No Child Left Behind Act

Sweeping reforms– Dramatic shift in federal role– Huge change for advocacy

Lessons from NCLB– Input from educators needed– Rank & file distrust of education committees– National education groups minimized/maximized

Why Advocacy Matters

Obligation Educational leader

Altruism Children’s advocate

Self-interest Teacher qualifications School reforms Accountability Classroom impact

Why Not Advocate

Not my job Too busy Don’t know how Issues don’t matter/affect me Won’t make a difference

Why Advocate

National Issues

Need to be engaged and aware Expertise/experience to offer Ensure coordination with state/local/school

policies/practices Harbinger of state and local reforms

Why Advocate

Members of Congress– Want to hear from you– Need to hear from you

ASCD– Wants you to speak– Needs you to speak

“When the eagles are silent, the parrots begin to jabber.” - - Winston Churchill

Get Involved

Get Involved

2010 Elections & the New Political Landscape

House of RepresentativesBefore & After

Democrats – 255 Republicans – 178

218 = Majority

111th Congress

112th Congress

Democrats – 193 Republicans – 242

House of Representatives Before & After

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)

Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D–MD)

Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D–SC)

Education Committee

Chairman George Miller (D–CA)

111th Congress 112th Congress

House Speaker John Boehner (R–OH)

Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R–VA)

Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R–CA)

Education Committee

Chairman John Kline (R–MN)

House Republican Leaders

Rep. John Boehner (OH) Speaker of the House Education Chair during NCLB

House Republican Leaders

Rep. John Kline (MN) Education reform priorities for 112th

Congress– restore local control– empower parents– let teachers teach– protect taxpayers

Advocate for IDEA full funding

House of RepresentativesBefore & After

Republicans – More conservative- Tea party candidates

Democrats – More liberal- Half of “Blue Dogs” lost- Half of votes against health care lost- Out – Hill (IN), Kanjorski, Murphy and Dahlkemper,(PA),

Etheridge (NC)

Senate Before & After

Democrats – 59 Republicans - 41

111th Congress

112th Congress

Democrats – 53 Republicans - 47

Senate Before & After

Majority Leader Harry Reid (D–NV)

Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D–IL)

Education Committee

Chairman Tom Harkin (D–IA)

Majority Minority

Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R–KY)

Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R–AZ)

Education Committee

Ranking Member Mike Enzi (R–WY)

Senate Majority Leaders

Sen. Reid (NV) Majority Leader Recipient of ASCD’s Whole Child

Leadership Award Supporter of addressing the dropout

crisis, high school reform, STEM. Wants NCLB to address student

growth and include middle and high school improvement.

Senate Majority Leaders

Sen. Harkin (IA) Education Committee Chairman and

Education Appropriations Chairman Winner of ASCD’s first Whole Child

Leadership Award Supports increased funding for

NCLB and IDEA.

Senate Minority Leaders

Sen. Mike Enzi (WY) Ranking Member on

HELP Committee Concerned about rural

schools– Opposes idea of competitive

funding found in ESEA Blueprint.

Senate Minority Leaders

Sen. Lamar Alexander (TN) Former Secretary of Education (Bush 41) Supportive of Teacher Incentive Fund

(TIF), charters, state-led common standards,

and RttT.

Senate Republican Wild Cards

Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (KY) Legislative priority

- Make Obama 1-term president

Sen. Jim DeMint (SC) “Self appointed” leader of Tea Party Could make it difficult for McConnell

to compromise with Democrats and

President on many issues.

Senate Before & After

Republicans – More conservative- Out - Specter (PA), Bennett (UT), LeMieux (FL)- In - Paul (KY), Rubio (FL), Lee (UT), Toomey (PA)

Democrats – More liberal- Out - Bayh (IN), Lincoln (AR), Feingold (WI)- In - Chris Coons (DE), Joe Manchin (WV)

Elections & Education

Campaign Issues– Economy– Obama– Health care– Big Government/Spending

Elections & Education

Education was not a campaign issue Four Reform Priorities

Higher standards Effective teachers Data management School turnaround

Main programs Race to the Top grants i3 grants Race to the Top assessment grants

ARRA $100 billion for education

Governors

37 Elections:

• Republicans 23• Democrats 13• Independents 1

GOP gained 11 states

State Legislatures

• Republicans 25

• Democrats 16• Split 7

GOP gained control of

11 legislatures

Source: National Conference of State Legislatures, 2010

Chief State School Officers

Elections were held in seven states Arizona, California, Georgia, Idaho, Oklahoma, South

Carolina, Wyoming All but Tom Torlakson (CA) are Republicans

Meanwhile, six new governors will be appointing new chiefs

All of those governors are Republicans

What all this change means… Chiefs’ platforms:

School choice Local control More $ into the classroom School safety/classroom discipline Career & technical education Rethinking teacher tenure

Potentially significant implications for efforts like Race to the Top and the Common Core State Standards Initiative.

Common Core State Standards Initiative

38 states and DC have signed on to the common core; nine of these states and DC will have entirely new leadership implementing the standards

New leadership opinion on the initiative is mixed:

Georgia: New governor Nathan Deal has commended common core for cost-saving and flexibility; new chief John Barge has criticized it for leading to more federal control.

Arkansas Election Results

Federal Results for Arkansas

Senate – John Boozman (R) defeated incumbent Blanche Lincoln (D)

House – three Republican wins in four districts

State Results for Arkansas

One of only 13 states to elect a Democratic Governor this year (incumbent Mike Beebe)

One of only 16 states with a Democratic state legislature

One of only 11 states with both a Democratic state legislature and governor

Election Trends Parental involvement/empowerment

Local control

Frugality

Vouchers/ “School Choice”

Abolish Department of Education

2011 Education Issues & Policies

National Standards/Common Core

Federal involvement/role versus local control Adoption versus implementation Assessments Professional development

Accountability

2013-14 deadline for 100% proficiency Growth model College and career readiness standards

– Reading and math– Other core subjects

Lowest 5%

Teacher Effectiveness

Merit pay Race to the Top Highly qualified versus highly effective

School Choice

Vouchers Opportunity scholarships Parental empowerment

Funding

Return to FY08 levels Education cuts Competitive funding/incentive funding

ESEA Reauthorization

ESEA Blueprint– College & career-ready standards (i.e., Common

Core)– Student growth accountability– Teacher effectiveness– Complete education– Safe, healthy, successful students

ESEA Reauthorization

Will it happen in 2011?

If not, what happens?

Deal or No Deal? Accomplishment Political talking points

ASCD’s Whole Child Recommendations

Establish a state commission to ensure whole child policies and practices.

Align and coordinate services, resources, and data across state agencies that serve children.

Publish an annual state report card that measures the health, safety, and education of children and families.

Arkansas Policy Issues

Common core Adequate and equitable funding for public schools School consolidation/busing Middle and high school improvement/reducing

college remediation rates Teacher and principal evaluation

What state policy issues are you most concerned about and want Arkansas

ASCD to influence this year?

Advocacy 101

Advocacy Tools & Strategies

Letters/emails/calls Meetings

– In Washington– In the District

School visits Templates/alerts for others Media

Advocacy Do’s & Don’ts

Do’s– Your homework– Take the first step– Share your expertise– Focus on your elected officials– Keep it simple

Who, what, when, where, how, why The “Ask” Be mindful of space and time

Advocacy Do’s & Don’ts

Do’s– Be specific

Provide examples Use data

– Communicate early and often– Establish relationships– Follow up– Be persistent– Become a resource

Advocacy Do’s & Don’ts

Don’ts– Go one and done– Be pushy– Be rude– Negative– Burn bridges– Give up– Lie

Advocacy Do’s & Don’ts

Don’ts– Be vague with your message/ask– Be unfocused

Mr. Cohen Goes to Washington

Part 1

Advanced Advocacy

Framing & Refining Your Message

Words matter Accentuate the positive Eliminate the negative

– Politically– Public

Establish rapport Use shorthand Make it memorable

Framing & Refining Your Message

Spin Doctor Frank Luntz:

It’s not what you say, it’s what people hear.

Framing & Refining Your Message

Estate tax Campaign promise Spending Abortion End of life counseling

Death tax Contract with America Investments Pro-life/Pro-choice Death panels

Framing & Refining Your Message

Elementary and Secondary Education Act

Vouchers

No Child Left Behind Act

School choice or Opportunity scholarships

Framing & Refining Your Message

National standards

Schools in need of improvement

Common core

Failing schools

Framing & Refining Your Message

Highlight results over process Use action words Avoid acronyms Avoid jargon Don’t try too hard Make it believable

Anticipate Tough Questions

What tough questions might be asked related to your policy issue?

Organizational Advocacy

Education– Explain the “why”– Highlight successes

Model it/live it– Make it a regular agenda item– Cultivate advocacy ambassadors

Communication– Internal and external

Collaboration– Develop partnerships/coalitions

Organizational Advocacy

Engagement strategies– Action alerts– Events

State Capitol Days Rallies Policy briefings Meet and greets

– Newsletters– Social networking– Media

What is your POLICY New Year’s Resolution?

ESEA Reauthorization

Mr. Cohen Goes to Washington

Part 2

Advocacy Training for Influence and Impact

Arkansas ASCD Conference

January 6, 2011

David Griffith, dgriffith@ascd.org

Melissa Mellor, mmellor@ascd.org