Legislative Policy Committee begins 2021-22 process

The OSBA Legislative Policy Committee has begun developing legislative priorities and a plan for 2021-22. The LPC held the first of two planned meetings for 2020 on Jan. 25-26.

The LPC comprises the OSBA Board of Directors voting members, 20 representatives nominated and elected by local boards from OSBA’s 14 governance regions, and a representative selected by the membership of the Oregon School Board Members of Color Caucus. The LPC’s primary responsibility is to recommend legislative policies for ratification by the OSBA general membership. Individual LPC members report to and are responsive to boards in their respective regions.

In 2019, OSBA legislative staff achieved many of the current priorities, including making gains in stable and adequate funding for school districts, containment of education cost drivers, and investment in capital and infrastructure bonding. Now legislative staff members are looking for new direction as they work the halls of the Capitol.

More than 40 elected members, plus OSBA executive and legislative department staff, attended the recent meeting. OSBA staff listened as the LPC members discussed continuing current priorities and potentially adding new ones to the list. OSBA Legislative Services Director Lori Sattenspiel also presented the LPC members with an opportunity to draft guiding principles instead of a list of priorities. These principles would be broad statements of a few sentences each that would help legislative staff navigate issues.

The next LPC meeting is in May, when the LPC will consider the proposed legislative priorities and principles.

We thank the LPC members for spending personal weekend time to consider the best ways to advocate for students and public education.

If you would like to contact your LPC representative directly, the list of LPC members is available on the OSBA website.

- Richard Donovan
Legislative Services specialist