OSBA and its partners in the School Finance Project are concentrating efforts where they are needed most - enlarging the grassroots efforts and educating players on where we are.

"Before we create a solution to school funding we need to build a stronger vessel for it - which means local networks of support that will carry the momentum and shift the public's priorities for change," says OSBA Executive Director Chris Dudley. "This isn't just a school issue. It's an Oregon issue."

In pursuit of this agenda OSBA has:

• Created an Annual Convention School Funding workshop track to help educate members.
• Worked with key partners to create a coalition of education and business partners committed to school funding reform.
• Focused discussion at 17 Fall Regional Meetings on the state of school funding in Oregon.
• Funded a legislative candidate outreach project through the Coalition of School Funding Now! and continued efforts to create new grassroots chapters in more communities.
• Held meetings with 18 newspaper editorial writers throughout Oregon to discuss school funding in Oregon and the impacts of education funding on local economies.
• Helped fund the "K-12 Spending and the Oregon Economy" and the "Oregon Values and Beliefs" reports.
• Funded the "Comprehensive Analysis of K-12 Education Finance in Oregon" report.
• Coordinated and funded member-board challenge to the PERS rate increase now under way.
• Created OSBA's community/agency liason staff position to work with grassroots efforts.

Resources to use

OSBA's School Funding Toolkit includes resources for boards and educators to use in communicating the type of data that will help Oregonians understand that elusive WIIFM (What's In It For Me) factor of the current school funding debate as well as help voters understand the link between good schools and healthy communities.

This online kit includes:

• Information to explain how Oregon schools are accountable for student performance and how districts are using resources wisely.
• A "budget game" to engage your community in helping you decide spending priorities.
• Guidelines for organizing your community to support public education.
• Presentation materials and talking points to show how schools impact the local economy, how they use resources wisely and how student achievement has improved.
• Presentation materials to explain Oregon's tax structure, including school funding and the impact of funding trends.

What else can you do?

• Join other district, ESD and community college boards in challenging the January PERS employer rate increase. 
• Remember, while the Legislature controls education funding levels, YOU still have a say at the bargaining table. Because 80 percent of your money goes to salaries and benefits, use OSBA's collective bargaining resources to research ways to hold the line on employee costs. We've added several new online tools to help lower your costs, from instant salary comparison software (SPOT) to new budget crisis workshops.
• Use OSBA's new Legislative Advocacy Handbook, mailed to all board members, to hone your lobbying skills. Then join OSBA and others in making public education's voice heard during the 2003 Legislative Session.
• Join OSBA's Legislative News and Action Network and watch for updates on the LEGNAN Web page. Share the information you receive with key communicators in your community and enlist their support in responding to OSBA's legislative "Calls to Action."

Above all - communicate!

Communicate "early and often" with staff and community, including those you might not normally reach. Put a strategy in place to focus on involving and enlightening your community NOW! Use community engagement strategies to help you communicate effectively.

• Keep your staff informed first!
• Don't depend on local news media to explain the challenges you face. Are folks sharing "the real truth" about your schools or do they simply repeat gossip about waste or failure? Help the public understand through your Key Communicator Network, or start one if you haven't already. OSBA can show you how; check online resources under Community Relations.
• Use Back to School Week - April 28 to May 2 - to share what's happening in schools. Focus on showing student achievement and how budget cuts are affecting schools.
• Include information about how your schools will be affected by funding cuts in the School and District Report Cards to be released Jan. 23. Check OSBA's Report Card Toolkit for assistance.
• Promote volunteer and business partnership opportunities.