C reating E ffective C oalitions Jerry Hime California CAN Coordinator

1. CreatingEffective CoalitionsJerry HimeCalifornia CAN Coordinator CEC National Legislative Conference ▪ June 7, 2014

2. What is a coalition? • have a stated or similar position • share a mutual concern • are interested in working together toward an action-oriented goal • can be individuals or organizations • combine efforts, resources, and skills • may be permanent, ongoing, or temporary • may be disbanded once goals reached or abandoned

3. What are the characteristics of an effective coalition member? • willing and able to give the time required • reflect self-confidence • believe in the tasks at hand • project positive attitudes • demonstrate effective communication skills • be open-minded rather than judgmental • work well under pressure • refrain from arguing with adversaries • willing to share personal expertise • appreciate the talents of other members

4. What are the advantages of belonging to a coalition? • create clout • build ongoing power base • maximize number of people and organizations to advocate • share information • coordinate strategies • divide up the labor • pool resources • share different points of view to solve problems • safety in numbers

5. What are the chief obstacles in developing a coalition? • takes commitment • turf issues and hidden agendas • conflicts due to main issue inconsistent with a member’s agenda • effort to reach consensus slows process • need procedures to resolve differences

6. What are the key steps in creating an effective coalition? • determine who can help • develop structure and rules • build capacity for planning and action • set strategies • evaluate

7. What are the key skills to needed to lead a successful coalition? • leadership • facilitation • communication and internet • media • funding and resource development

8. What makes the coalition successful? • establishing a process to identify mutual goals • ensuring that each group maintains own identity and autonomy • understanding that total consensus in every area is not a requirement • recognizing that internal group conflict is inevitable

9. What makes the coalition successful? • striking a balance of an atmosphere of openness, a sense of inclusiveness, equal participation, and preventing one group’s domination over another • accepting and dealing with differences in values, attitudes, and styles of communication • realizing that appropriate negotiating and bargaining are basic to success

10. TIPS FOR SUCCESS • plan for meetings and discussions • be sure everyone understands what each organization represents and the purpose for the proposed coalition • encourage each organization to share goals and philosophy, and its capabilities for assuming fair share of workload • jointly prepare an “action plan”

11. COALITION LEADERS SHOULD • keep a low profile and recognize needs and resources of participants • analyze and appreciate difference personality types and leadership styles • help discourage divisive competition and instead encourage creative competition and collaboration • sustain the spirit of members by keeping interest high during periods when “nothing is happening” • help group determine the organizational style most comfortable and best suited for achieving purpose set forth

12. KEY COMPONENTS • COOPERATION • COLLABORATION • CONSIDERATION

13. THE CALIFORNIA COALITION CALIFORNIA STATEWIDE SPECIAL EDUCATION TASK FORCE  • Established November 2013 at request of State Board of Education and Commission on Teacher Credentialing • Purpose: to examine California’s complex systems for serving students with disabilities • 33 members including school and district administrators, parents, teachers, university professors, members of the policy community, and other groups • Funded by the Schwab Foundation and the Stuart Foundation

14. QUESTIONS •  What should be the state’s vision/mission for students with disabilities? • With the implementation of Common Core State Standards (CCSS), how do we ensure access to and success in the CCSS and other core academic subjects for students with disabilities? • What types of changes in teacher preparation and credentialing are necessary to ensure all teachers are prepared to meet the array of learning needs of their students in the LRE. • How should special education services be funded and organized? • What are current policy barriers to implementation of multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS), response to intervention (RTI), response to instruction and intervention (RTII) and other inclusive and effective school practices

15. The Year’s Calendar • December 17, 2013 - Full Task Force Meeting, San Mateo County Office of Education, Redwood City, CA 94065 • February 10, 2014 - Public Forum, Southwest SELPA Auditorium, Redondo Beach, CA 90277 • March 3, 2014 - Public Forum, San Mateo County Office of Education, Redwood City, CA 94065 • March 17, 2014 - Full Task Force Meeting, California School for the Deaf, Riverside, CA 92506 • March 17, 2014 - Public Forum, California School for the Deaf • March 18, 2014 - Public Forum, California School for the Deaf • March 18, 2014 - Public Forum, San Diego County Office of Education, San Diego, CA 92111 • March 19, 2014 - Public Forum, San Diego County Office of Education • March 20, 2014 - Public Forum, California Department of Education, State Board of Education Hearing Room, Sacramento, CA 95814 • May 5 – Full Task Force Meeting, Commission on Teacher Credentialing, Sacramento, CA. • Sept. 30 – Full Task Force Meeting, State Board of Education Hearing Room, Sacramento, CA. • Oct. 28 – Full Task Force Meeting, State Board of Education Hearing Room, Sacramento, CA. • Final report to State Board of Education in November

16. Thank You! Jerry Hime CEC CAN Coordinator, California gjhime@earthlink.net