Transcript Slide 1

Influencing State Policy:
How You Can Make a Difference!
Myrna R. Mandlawitz, Esq.
LDA Public Policy Director
The “Why” of Advocacy
LDA’s Vision
LDA Visualizes a World in Which:
 All individuals with learning disabilities
are empowered to thrive and participate
fully in society
 The incidence of learning disabilities is
reduced
 And learning disabilities are universally
understood and effectively addressed
Facts about SLD
 About 2.7 million students with SLD receive special
education services. (30th Annual Report to Congress on
the Implementation of the IDEA, 2011)
 44.6% of all students receiving special education
services are identified as having SLD. (30th Annual
Report)
 64% of students with SLD graduate from HS with a
regular diploma; 75.5% of students generally (2009).
 22% of students with SLD dropped out of HS; 9.4% of
students generally (2009).
More Facts…
 2/3s of HS graduates with SLD were rated "not
qualified" to enter a 4-year college (37% of
grads without disabilities).
 9.7% of students with SLD attend 4-year
colleges (28% of students generally).
Even MORE facts….
 55% of adults with SLD are employed (76%
without SLD).
 6% of adults with SLD vs. 3% generally are
unemployed.
 Students with SLD are overrepresented in the
juvenile justice system -- 38.6% of all students
with disabilities in these settings.
Be an Advocate!
 Advocates = People in the
community who make their
voices heard
 Advocacy = Mobilization of
a network of activists for a
common goal
 Constituency = power!
Advocates are Change Agents
We can…..
Let current policies stand
OR
Work together to affect
change
“Advocacy is…Advocacy!”
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Local
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State
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Local governments
‘Regulatory’ agencies (School board, etc.)
State legislatures
State agencies
Federal
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Congress
Federal agencies
Find your advocacy
“comfort level!”
Six Steps to Effective Advocacy
 Determine the issue!
 Research the issue.
 Build a network.
 Communicate with your allies.
 Set clear goals and reasonable
expectations.
 Develop a plan and take action.
The Details!
 What do you want?
 Who can give it to you?
 What does the ‘policymaker’
need to hear?
 Who should deliver the message?
 How do you get them to hear it?
More Details!
 What resources do you have already?
 What do you need to develop?
 How do you begin? (short term vs.
long term goals)
 How do you know it’s working?
 Where do you go from here?
An Advocacy Exercise
 The ISSUE: Requiring general education
teachers to demonstrate knowledge of
SLD to receive state certification.
 Your TASK: Develop an “Action Plan.”
 With your group members, briefly
answer the 10 questions on the two
previous slides.
 Then we’ll share with the whole group.
The “Nitty Gritty”:
Influencing the State Legislative
Process
State Legislatures
 Unicameral vs. bicameral legislatures
 Nebraska: only “unicameral” state
 When does the legislature meet?
 “Citizen” legislators
 Only a few year-round
 http://www.ncsl.org/ - National
Conference of State Legislatures
Authorizing & Appropriating
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Authorization: Establishing a program
and setting funding limits
Appropriations: Providing funds for
authorized programs
Critical Points in Advocating
 When YOU have an issue to address
 How to get lawmakers to make it ‘their’ issue!
 When a lawmaker raises an issue
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Committee hearings
Research phase
Bill drafting
Floor action
Governor’s action (sign/veto)
 Authorizing & Appropriating!!!
Key Roles in Lawmaking
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Legislators
Personal Staff & Committee Staff
Constituents
Lobbyists
 professional or “volunteer”
 “Experts”
 Researchers
 Folks working in the field of interest
 Folks with personal experience
Legislative Testimony
 Know why you were asked to testify
 purpose of the hearing
 any proposed legislation
 Know your audience and who else is
testifying
 Choose facts & research to support
your analysis and recommendations
Testimony
 Briefly introduce yourself and give
credentials
 Give context of your knowledge base
 Express opinion
 Provide recommendations supported by
research
 Possibly write longer version for
hearing “record” with more
supporting research.
Is Anyone Listening?
Communicating Your Message!
Before making contacts…
 Know the member’s prior record.
 Know why the legislator’s
constituency wants his/her support.
 Know any personal info on the
legislator that might be helpful.
 Are there other legislators whose
support might influence his/her
decision?
ABCs: Emails and Letters
 Identify yourself as a constituent and
a member of LDA!
 Briefly describe the issue, with bill #
if possible.
 State what action you want: the
“ask”
 Share personal stories.
 offer to be a resource.
 Ask for a response..and say “thanks!”
ABCs: Phone Calls
 Same as the previous slide!
 In addition, be prepared to…
 Answer questions about your position or
offer to find the answers.
 Counter arguments politely, but don’t
argue back!
ABCs: Making Visits
 Define the purpose of your meeting.
 Limit your focus.
 Form your message concisely.
 Meet beforehand to discuss your
strategy.
 Review talking points in advance and
consider potential questions.
Visits, Part 2
 Assign roles
 Opener
 Recorder
 Commenter
 Closer
Visits, Part 3
 Be prompt. Be patient. Be flexible.
 Be sure to say
 “I am a constituent from ____________.”
 “I am a member of LDA of _______.”
 Talk about the issues, with personal
stories, if possible.
 Again: state your points clearly &
firmly, but don’t argue.
Visits, Part 4
 Deliver your “ASK” and try to get a
commitment.
 Leave materials, including contact info.
 Sign the guest book and leave your
business card.
 FOLLOW UP
 Thank you note (email is best).
 Call-backs or emails regularly.
Reminders
 Don’t be bamboozled by
“jargon”…and don’t use jargon!
 Admit you don’t know the answer –
but offer to find out.
 Remember that YOU are the EXPERT!
Visits, Part 5
 Thank the staff.
 Give the member visibility/publicity.
 BE A RESOURCE!
Extra Credit
Develop monthly activities:
 Immediately: Send follow-up letter
(email or snail mail) & any promised info
 Call to make sure info received
 Next month: Letter on “talking points”
 September: invite member to your
school
 October: Letter to the editor
KEEP IT GOING!
Exercise: “Elevator” Speeches
 Find a partner.
 Issue: Same as the 1st Exercise!
 Take turns doing the following:
Introduce yourself.
Give your “creds!”
Say why you’re there – in one sentence!
Make a 2-minute case with 3-5 key
talking points.
 Ask for something specific!
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Exercise: Team Visiting
 Issue: Increasing state funding for
special education.
 Develop talking points and assign
roles.
 Myrna will be the legislator!
 Any volunteers?
Using the Media:
How to Take Your Case to the Public
Before Contacting the Media…
 PLAN YOUR MESSAGE!
 Create a media list.
 TV and radio
 Newspapers, including community
papers and “free press.”
 Blogs and other social media
 YouTube
 Designate a spokesperson.
 Focus!
Using Traditional Media
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Press Releases
Letters to the Editor
Op-Eds
Editorial Board Meetings
Local TV/Radio Interviews
Media Events
Social Media
 Build a “friend” list.
 Use social networking sites to
promote action alerts.
 Ask your “friends” to post your alert
or other content on their profiles.
 TWEET!
 YouTube
Supporting the National
Organization:
Making “Friends” at Home
Developing Relationships
 Get to know district/state staff of
members of Congress.
 Work with LDA to deliver timely
messages.
 Be a resource for district- and statespecific information on SLD.
 Act on LDA Action Alerts.
 BUILD RELATIONSHIPS!
Thanks for your attention!
….and stay tuned for more resources
at http://www.ldaamerica.org!