FACTE and Legislative Advocacy

1. FACTE and Legislative Advocacy Orlando – February 28, 2019 Cathy Boehme, NBCT – Legislative Specialist, FEA Karen Morian, Ph.D. – President, United Faculty of Florida

2. Political Landscape in Tallahassee • Governor Ron DeSantis • Pro-charter, pro-parental “choice”, pro-voucher, pro-workforce • Transition team was made up of few practitioners, but with strong opinions • Commissioner of Education Richard Corcoran • Florida Senate • Partisan Split is 23-17 • Starting Vote Count is 0 • Florida House • Partisan Split is 73-47 • Starting Vote Count is 0

3. 1st blush of the Governor’s proposal • Performance Funding (total +60 million) • Colleges: completion rates, retention rates, wages, job placement and continuing education for recent graduates • Universities: 10 metrics including: percent of graduates employed or continuing education, average wages of employed graduates and graduation rates • No tuition increases • Pays for Bright Futures Expansions from 2018 • Workforce Initiatives (+4 million for colleges) • College Completion (Last Mile Completion Program) • Capital Outlay for Maintenance (80+ million)

4. Legislative Initiatives • Capital Outlay Carry-over Investigations • Performance Funding (Benchmark progress) • Teacher Certification Tests and Fee Changes • Intellectual Freedom and Viewpoint Diversity • Campus Carry

5. How a Bill Becomes a Law

6. How a Bill Really Becomes Law Lately… 20, 30, or even 40 separate ideas are rolled into one logrolled bill Legislators are forced to vote on one omnibus bill, taking the bad with the good, or vice versa

7. Are Others Telling Your Story? • “I had to take all those education classes, and they were no use to me as a teacher.” • “All we need to do is find the best teachers, videotape them and show the classes to students all over the state.” • “Who needs teachers anyway? We can just show them (insert You-tube lesson here) and the kids will get it.”

8. Truth or Myth? • Professors are so far removed from the classroom that they are no longer relevant, if they ever were. • Teacher Education should focus on classroom management. • Future teachers don’t need theory, they need practice.

9. Have you heard these? • “If a person knows their subject, they can teach students. We need more content experts in our classrooms.” • “You can’t teach how to teach; it’s a calling. You have it or you don’t.” • “Our test scores are terrible. (insert favorite country here) knows how to teach kids. We should copy what they do.”

10. Teacher Preparation • Why would a kindergarten teacher need to know Algebra? Everything an elementary teacher needs to know, they learned in elementary school. • Teacher Prep is not as rigorous as a real college major. • Why don’t higher education professors work with school districts? • Teacher Education majors are no better than alternatively certified teachers in the classroom.

11. About Those Certification Exams… • General Knowledge Pass Rates:

12. Subject Area Pass Rates • Majority of programs outperform non-program examinees • Concerns about low pass rates on new tests Middle Grades, subjects including • Math 5-9 MC 54.0% in programs 49.4% not in programs • English 5-9 MC 35.7% in programs 32.9% not in programs

13. What’s Your Answer? • Hint: “If you are explaining, you’re losing.” Ronald Reagan, The Reagan Diaries

14. Ways to Influence Legislative Process • What tactics do you think are most effective when trying to get a legislator to make a decision on policy? • What tactics do you think are least effective?

15. Ways to Influence Legislative Process Least Effective Visit by lobbyist – 13% Protests – 10% Petitions – 10% Local newspaper endorsement – 7% Op-Ed 7% Form emails – 5% • Most Effective • In-person visit from constituent – 55% • Personal call from constituent – 44% • Personal letter from constituent – 34% • Personal email from constituent – 34% • Contact from constituent representing group (US) – 26% • Social Media comments by constituents – 21%

16. Connecting with Your Legislator Legislator/aide school site visits Handwritten letters Calls Follow up, follow up, follow up! • In-district visits with legislator/aide • Meet and greet with aides • Delegation hearings • Town hall meetings • Capitol visits during session

17. LOBBYING Where did it come from? • Myth – political favor-seekers mobbing Ulysses S. Grant in the lobby of the Willard Hotel • Reality – dates back to the 1640s when the lobbies of the chambers of the British Parliament were used to wrangle politicians • Followed to the birth of the new American government where advocates for an issue/idea would meet with legislators in the lobby of the government building • First ever lobbyist was hired in 1792 by the Virginia veterans of the Continental Army to lobby the newly formed Congress for additional compensation

18. ADVOCACY Establishing Goals for Effective Advocacy GOAL 1: Build an on-going relationship with state legislators and legislative aides Goal 2: Become a resource for legislators and legislative aides to help them make decisions that benefit high education in the state Goal 3: To influence legislation by affecting the opinion of the general public

19. Who has Influence? 86%: Citizens and Personal Contacts are Highly Trustworthy 77% Professional Experience 76% Personal Experience 73%: Legislative Staff 52%: Business Groups 44%: State Economists 39%: Professional Lobbyists 39%: The Governor or Governor’s Staff 27%: Reporters 25%: Family Members of Lawmakers 23%: Political Groups (Tea Party, Dream Defenders, Americans for Prosperity) 13% Public opinion surveys/polls

20. What Information Influences Decision Makers? 85%: Fiscal Impact 84%: Localized District Impact 84%: Economic Benefits 71%: Legislative Staff Analysis 60%: Personal Stories 49%: Academic Study or Report 26%: Political Party Position

21. Who Represents You? • State Senator – www.flsenate.gov • State Representative – www.myfloridahouse.gov

22. Break out Activity • It’s your turn! • Identify an issue. • Using the worksheet provided, work in groups of no more than 4 people to map out a legislative visit • Take turns meeting with your “legislator” to advocate your position on policy or an issue

23. Homework • Map out YOUR Senator and Representative on the worksheet provided • Work with others in your organizational network to coordinate message and messengers • Sign up for local legislator’s email newsletter and follow them on social media • Share outcome of meetings with your network