Advocacy Institute sharpens school board members’ legislative efforts

Members of OSBA’s staff, Board, Legislative Policy Committee and Oregon School Board Members of Color Caucus will join education advocates from around the country for the 2019 Advocacy Institute in Washington, D.C.

The Jan. 27-29 National School Boards Association event offers tools and techniques to improve school board members’ advocacy effectiveness and influence legislative agendas. The event connects school board members and other education leaders with members of Congress, legal experts, policy influencers and their school board colleagues.

This year, NSBA is leading a lobbying push to update the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The law protects the rights of more than 6 million U.S. students and provides roughly 15 percent of the funding per student per year. NSBA would like to see IDEA fully funded at the promised 40 percent rate.

NSBA’s legislative priorities include improving school safety and infrastructure, protecting students’ rights and data, and preserving education funding.

The Oregon delegation will also be focused on the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act, which provides funding for rural counties and schools affected by the decline in timber revenue. Oregon is the main beneficiary of the act.

OSBA members will attend an equity symposium Saturday. OSBA Board members are scheduled to meet with all seven members of Oregon’s congressional delegation on Tuesday.