Register today for Board Member Action Day, May 10
By CSBA President Cindy Marks
Participating in last year’s Board Member Action Day was a very positive and team building experience. It was so easy to do. CSBA sent me the information and topics to discuss. I let them know I could attend, and they provided me with the time and location of the meeting. In my area, we met with our Assemblywoman.
Many other school board members and superintendents participated in 2012 that hadn’t done so in the past when CSBA coordinated Legislative Action Day in Sacramento. Visiting legislators in their local district offices allows more CSBA members to attend and is more convenient to most members’ schedules. Our advocacy team included a record number of participants—more than 10. Because CSBA did all the work and because these meetings were located in our local community, we had improved participation. Best of all, the return on our time investment was just as valuable as if we had dedicated the entire day to flying or driving to Sacramento for meetings at the Capitol.
One school district that participated in my group even came prepared with specific charts and graphs to share with the Assemblywoman to demonstrate how the projected budget cuts would impact their district. Because this district boasted a nationally recognized school, their information was all the more valuable to the Assemblywoman. She listened, asked questions of all of us and truly wanted to get all the facts so she could use the information to share with her colleagues in Sacramento. It was such a positive and productive meeting.
I believe this new advocacy strategy—enabling all CSBA members to meet on the same day with their legislators in local district offices—is an important endeavor for all members. CSBA makes it easy by readying us for success. They host a one-hour webinar leading into the Board Member Action Day to equip members with the information they need to carry on thoughtful conversations. The webcast includes a valuable Q&A session where members can ask questions of CSBA’s Governmental Relations experts. This year’s webcast is on May 3. The association also provides talking points and other useful tools.
Board Member Action Day opens up a greater opportunity for more CSBA members to participate and build relationships with locally elected legislators. I am looking forward to this year’s Board Member Action Day on May 10, and I hope you will join us! Learn more and register here.
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