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Legislative Policy Committee member duties and eligibility

About the Legislative Policy Committee (LPC)

The Oregon School Boards Association’s primary legislative goal is to serve as the collective voice for all Oregon public school boards. LPC members play an invaluable role in this process by building relationships with their legislators and lending an effective voice in public policy that impacts education. Legislators want to hear from school boards because they know education is such a vital function of state and local governments and recognize that their decisions may impact the schools in their districts. LPC members also serve as a resource, promote legislative advocacy among member boards in their regions, and assist at regional meetings. The LPC members report to and represent the member boards in thier LPC region.

Composition of the LPC

The LPC consists of the voting members of the OSBA board of directors, 20 representatives regionally nominated and elected by local boards (school district, ESD or community college), and a representative selected by the membership of the Oregon School Board Members of Color Caucus (OSBMCC). The vice president of the OSBA board serves as the chair of the LPC and directs its activities in conjunction with OSBA's membership. 

Essential duties of LPC members

Attend LPC Meetings

The LPC committee meets in even numbered years to develop OSBA's legislative agenda.

In odd-numbered years, the LPC committee will meet as directed by the LPC chair to discuss legislative issues and the association's position.

Participate in Legislative Activities and Trainings

LPC members should participate in and promote legislative advocacy and boardsmanship training activities, including:

  • OSBA/COSA Legislative Conference in February of odd-numbered years;   
  • OSBA fall regional meetings in the LPC region;   
  • OSBA annual convention;   
  • Annual membership meeting each November;   
  • Other OSBA conferences and training sessions, as possible.   

    Be Informed

    LPC members should follow legislative session action closely by regularly checking OSBA’s website and reading OSBA Legislative Highlights. The following are some useful resources for staying informed:

    Serve as a Resource

    LPC members should initiate contact with and serve as a resource to legislative representatives and senators within the LPC region on public education issues. As requested by OSBA legislative staff, initiate contact with key legislators about specific issues and respond to OSBA legislative alerts by contacting the appropriate legislator when critical issues need a voice during the legislative session.

    LPC members should demonstrate leadership by promoting legislative advocacy among member boards within the LPC region in support of public education and the OSBA legislative priorities and principles. Periodically, OSBA sends LPC members announcements for meeting opportunities with legislators within the LPC region, calls-to-action, and other advocacy notifications. These are excellent opportunities to promote legislative advocacy among the OSBA members in the LPC region.

    The following are some useful resources for community engagement and legislative relationships:

    Develop the Legislative Agenda

    To help achieve OSBA’s goal to serve as a collective voice for all Oregon public school boards, each biennium the LPC will develop the legislative agenda. The agenda will encompass the overarching guidelines for OSBA’s lobbying and advocacy activities. The agenda will consist of the OSBA Legislative Priorities and Principles, action statements for LPC member’s interaction with regional legislators, and regional community engagement plans.

    The agenda will be developed in even-numbered years and in conjunction with OSBA Legislative Services department staff. LPC members will be expected to study current public-school issues and review the existing OSBA Legislative Priorities and Principles in preparation of this task. As part of the committee, the LPC will update any necessary priorities in the existing Legislative Priories and Principles. The LPC will then approve the next biennium’s Legislative Priorities and Principles, that are then reviewed by the membership at regional meetings for feedback, then adopted by OSBA members through resolution in November of even-numbered years.

    In addition, the LPC will develop a course of action to build relationships with the legislators that represent their LPC region, and develop and maintain channels of communication within their regions that promote legislative advocacy among member boards.

    The LPC holds an incredible opportunity for board members to look deeply at education issues in Oregon and work through the process of guiding OSBA's legislative work.

    Eligibility

    To serve on the Legislative Policy Committee, you must:

    • Be an active member of your local board within the region nominating you to the LPC.

    • Be a member of a local board that is a dues-paying member of OSBA.

    • Be nominated by a local board in the region electing you to the LPC.

    Term of office

    The term of office for Legislative Policy Committee members is two calendar years. There is no limit to the number of terms to which you may be re-elected. Elections are held in the fall in odd-numbered years, at the same time as OSBA board elections.

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