Citizen Advocacy: How to Get Involved

Parents and citizens play an important role in the legislative process. When legislators are considering legislation that affects education, it is critical that they understand how each piece of legislation affects local school districts. It is also important for them to know how their decisions may affect people who they represent.

Parents can help legislators understand the real-world impact of their votes. Legislators are bombarded with facts and figures, but do not always hear how individuals are affected. By getting involved in the legislative process, parents can help share the “personal” side of education policy issues.

Here are three simple steps that will help you get involved in advocating for public education and issues that affect District 279 – Osseo Area Schools:

␣ Build relationships with local legislators – It is important that local citizens know wh0 represents them in the Minnesota Senate and House of Representatives. Once you know who represents you, introduce yourself by attending a local event, calling their office, sending an email or visiting them in their office. The process of working with legislators is much less intimidating if legislators know you.

␣ Get informed and stay informed – Issues that affect public education can be complicated. Even though you probably know a great deal about the school district, more information is always available. You can call the school district with questions about issues or check the district’s Web site.

␣ Take action – When an issue arises that concerns you, it is important to let your legislators know your position. Sharing your thoughts with a legislator by a phone call, email, letter or in person is a great way to connect.

Staying Informed on Legislative Issues

District 279 PLN’s website  is one source of information about issues important to the district. The Web site, www.district279pln.org  includes the following:

␣ Information on the District 279 Parent Legislative Network  including contact information for legislators

␣ Updates on important K-12 developments at the Legislature

␣ Links to important news items in the district

␣ Regular updates from the PLN

The best sources of information about what is happening at the Legislature are the House and Senate Web sites. Information on these sites, www.house.leg.state.mn.us and www.senate.leg.state.mn.us, includes the following:

␣ Agendas and schedules for education-related committees

␣ Complete contact information for all legislators

␣ Summary information on bills introduced in the Legislature

␣ Daily and weekly summaries of legislative activity

␣ Answers to frequently-asked questions

␣ Directions to the Capitol

Through the Web site, you can also sign up for email updates including committee schedules.

If you do not have access to the Web site, legislative information is available by telephone, mail or in person at the Capitol.

␣ To find out more about these resources in the House of Representatives, contact the House

Public Information Office at 651-296-2146

␣ To find out more about these resources in the Senate, contact the Senate Public Information

Office at 651-296-0504

Tips for Contacting Legislators

Letters, e-mails, and telephone calls – especially from voters in a legislator’s own district – really count. Every legislator has a story of how a seemingly small number of calls or letters – sometimes only one – made the difference on an issue.

Legislators are people too. While it is important for you to advocate strongly for your position, don’t forget to be polite and reasonable at the same time. And remember to say “thank you,” even when a legislator disagrees with you.

When communicating in general:

␣ State your purpose at the outset. Be constructive and suggest solutions or better alternatives.

␣ Use specific facts and examples to illustrate your point. You are an expert on what is happening with your child and your local schools. Legislators want to know how their votes affect constituents.

␣ Don’t assume that legislators are as well informed as you are about a problem, issue, or bill. Legislators keep track of many subjects in addition to K-12 education. Explain the situation, what you think and why.

␣ Letters or calls about a specific piece of legislation should include the bill number. If your legislator is an author of the bill, acknowledge it.

When communicating in writing (letter or e-mail):

␣ Be brief, but do not sacrifice clarity and completeness. A one-page letter or three or four paragraph email on a single topic is best.

␣ Be certain that your name and address are on the envelope and letter. Type or write legibly. In e-mail, also include your full name, address, and telephone number.

␣ Addressing correspondence to legislators requires particular etiquette. Address them as “Representative” or “Senator” on the envelope, the inside address, and in the salutation.

When calling on the telephone:

␣ Identify yourself to the person who answers the phone. Be sure to say that you are a Wayzata Public Schools resident and a constituent in the legislator’s district.

␣ If the legislator is unavailable, give the staff member your message. The legislator will know that you called.

When communicating in person:

␣ You can schedule an appointment to talk to a legislator by calling his or her office. Be sure to identify yourself as someone who lives in the legislator’s district.

␣ As the season goes on, legislators get busier and have less time to spend in their offices. Another way of connecting face-to-face is to catch your legislator before or after a committee hearing.

␣ If you attend a committee hearing, never attempt to speak to a legislator who is sitting at the committee table while the meeting is in progress. Also, remember to turn your pagers and cell phones to “silent” mode while in the committee room.

This information was adapted from the Wayzata LAC with permission for use by District 279PLN.