Taking Action Through the Legislative Process

1. Taking Action Through the Legislative Process DCCPTA Fall Leadership Conference September 27, 2014

2. Advocacy and the PTA • Advocacy is to support and speak up for children • In schools • In communities • Before government bodies and other organizations that make decisions affecting children • Anyone can advocate and everyone should.

3. Advocacy and the PTA • Advocacy takes time and effort • Advocacy may not be successful overnight • Don’t get discouraged – everything you do matters • Advocacy should not just happen during the legislative session, but year round • Often there is a greater impact to meet your legislators in their home district office • Advocacy doesn’t just happen in Tallahassee • School board, School Administration, District Personnel, Decision Makers

4. Advocacy and the PTA • http://www.coj.net/departments/duval-legislative-delegation.aspx • Delegation Members Jacksonville Information • Bill information • Tallahassee Tours and Information • FAQs, etc.

5. Advocacy and the PTA • http://dcps.duvalschools.org//Domain/4440 • List of school board members, their schools, and contact information • Board Meeting Calendar • Upcoming Meeting Calendar • Agendas and Meeting Notices • Legislative Agenda

6. How Do I Advocate? • Attend the DCCPTA Leadership Training on Advocacy!! • Decide on the decision maker • If your decision maker is an elected representative (school board or state legislator) the process you use for advocating is also known as lobbying. • Lobbying is not a dirty word • Lobbying is taking your case directly to an elected official • Lobbying is an important form of advocacy called “grassroots advocacy”

7. How Do I Advocate? • Be Truthful – do not jeopardize your credibility • Do not embellish the materials you present or exaggerate any facts you may have • Understanding the Rules • Methods of procedure adopted by each body • Tell you how things are done • If you know the rules, you will function with more confidence and work more comfortably • Know the Network • Become familiar the roles and responsibilities of the leaders • Become familiar with roles and responsibilities of the key staff • Become familiar with the individual members and their interests/ voting records

8. How Do I Advocate? • Be Polite • Do not be too aggressive, too forward or too pushy • Do be confident and knowledgeable • Remember that doors can be opened to you as easily as they can be closed

9. Meeting with a Decision Maker • Personal visits are often the most effective • Allows you to read the reaction to you request and allows you to respond immediately • Allows you to get acquainted, start to build a relationship, and may be helpful in the future. • If you can’t meet in person, emails and phone calls can be effective as well • Make an appointment in advance • Attempt to make your visit timely • Prior to a vote • Introduce yourself – include PTA • Remember that you can only speak on behalf of PTA on items we have resolutions on • Remain Focused – your time will be limited • Give a reason for your visit • Remind person of current status of topic – what votes have taken place, etc.

10. Meeting with a Decision Maker • Explain your Support or Opposition • Used both anecdotal information and data • Convey your knowledge and level of commitment • Relate personal experiences if possible • If you a visiting with someone, decide in advance who will say what • Allow Time for Questions • If you don’t know the answer, that is ok. Let them know you will follow up. • Ask the decision maker their stance on the issue • Offer additional information if needed

11. Meeting with a Decision Maker • Conclude and extend your appreciation • Always end of friendly terms • This issue’s opponents may be the next issue’s supporters • Follow up with a Thanks You Letter

12. Other Advocacy Ideas • Host a Meet and Greet – • Legislative Representatives • School Board Members • Remember PTA is non-partisan and can not show partiality to any one candidate • Hold a Candidates Forum • Invite PTA and community member to participate by preparing questions in advance • Reach out to local media as a possible forum host • Tape the forum and post it on your website • If you don’t want to host, take a PTA field trip to another scheduled forum • Example – JPEF and PTA

13. Other Advocacy Ideas • Create a Questionnaire • Send a list of questions (usually no more than 10) to all nominees running for an elected office • Questions should be those of special interest to your PTA – future of public education, funding, parental involvement, etc. • Include a deadline for their written responses • Post responses (or lack of) on your PTA website. You may also re-post other questionnaires from other non-partisan organizations • Example – JPEF and PTA • Invite your legislators to visit your school and experience a day in the life.

14. Local Programs • Sandalwood High School • Invited Ashley Smith-Juarez to February Student meeting • Students had prepared questions • Standardized Testing • School lunches • Lack of electives • Graduation requirements • Two student suggestions were taken by Mrs. Smith –Juarez to Dr. Vitti

15. Local Programs • Sandalwood High School • Invited Chartwells to school to address student lunch concerns • Checked oven temperatures and retrained food preparers • Held follow up meeting with Chartwells • Food Service Manager, Marketing Director, Dietician, and other team members • Students and Chartwells generated creative solutions • PTSA and Junior Class President joined to host a table introducing new foods to the students and allowing them to vote on what they liked • Students wrote down the Chartwells Director’s email address to contact him with future concerns • Post legislative bills and hot topics on highly visible bulletin board • Have applied to be a 3rd party Voter Registration site

16. Local Programs • San Pablo Elementary • Awarded the Elementary Advocacy Award for the Florida PTA • Cost of program - $0 • Issues of concerns by parents – lack of recess, excessive amount of testing, over-crowding • PTA and SAC (inclusive of school administrations) invited Fel Lee and Kelly Coker-Daniels to a joint meeting. Parents were educated and embowered to ask questions • What can we do to increase the amount of recess, hopefully to daily? • What can be done about the amount of testing? • What can we do about overcrowding at the school which is currently 136% utilization?

17. Local Programs • San Pablo Elementary • Follow up was promised from both the school board and district and PTA communicated minutes/follow up items. • Results: • District gave the school flexibility to adjust the schedule to allow a minimum of 15 minutes of daily recess • District pulled back on testing for the early elementary grades (not a direct result of this meeting, but as a result of district wide parent involvement) • San Pablo Elementary was awarded 2 portable buildings to be installed for the 2014-2015 school year • Program was an example of collaboration, parent education and advocacy.

18. Resources • www.dccpta.org • www.floridapta.org • Advocacy Tab • Legislative Priorities • Cap Wiz • www.pta.org • www.flsenate.gov • www.myfloridahouse.gov • www.duvalschools.org • mmdaniel1972@yahoo.com or 904-314-4514

19. Questions?