10 advocacy: engaging the public · module 10 advocacy: engaging the public association des...

Module 10 Advocacy: Engaging the Public

Association des conseils scolaires des écoles publiques de l’Ontario (ACÉPO) Association franco-ontarienne des conseils scolaires catholiques (AFOCSC) Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association (OCSTA) Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA) Council of Ontario Directors of Education (CODE)

Advocacy: Engaging the Public

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•  The components of effec.ve board advocacy

•  The types and forms of board advocacy

•  The rela.onship between board advocacy and government policy direc.ves

•  The rela.onship between board advocacy and student achievement and wellness

•  School board advocacy as local democracy in ac.on

•  Effec.ve advocacy processes as demonstra.on of board engagement

In this module, Trustees will explore:

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Desired Outcomes

•  Clarity on the importance of advocacy in se=ng board direc.on in long-‐term strategic planning

•  Stronger understanding of the process of board advocacy •  Stronger understanding of various purposes of board advocacy •  Stronger understanding of the power of a school board, through its

advocacy, to be deeply engaged with its community

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Advocacy

Constituents Government General Public Families

The Advocacy Role of Trustees

School Operations

Board Procedures Staffing

School Curriculum

Allocation

of Funds

Student Performance

Building Services

Transportation Services

Board Policies

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What is Advocacy?

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Advocacy That Benefits All: Co-Creation of Value

Prac.cal areas of mutual concern:

•  Adult educa.on classes •  Use of schools – recrea.on •  The importance of a school – economy

•  The school as a loca.on for various services

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Why Engage in Advocacy?

Engage in Communities

Know Constituents

Interests Establish

Communication Lines

Know Barriers & Difficulties

Know Potential Solutions

Have Knowledge &

Expertise

Trustees

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When Do You Use Advocacy?

The trustee advocates daily when:

•  Offering informa.on or arguments – influencing policies

•  Wri.ng to the government – amendment

•  Speaking out – impact of a regula.on

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Advocacy Issues in Education: Educational Funding

Funding Formula for Educa.on •  Fair •  Equitable

Monitored by the Trustee •  Adequacy •  Equity •  Flexibility •  Accountability •  Autonomy

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Advocacy Concerns for Most Boards •  Special Educa.on programming •  English as a Second Language •  Student transporta.on •  Full-‐day Early Learning •  French Language Instruc.ons •  Children’s Mental Health issues •  Legisla.on or regula.ons that impact school board governance •  Renewable energy technologies •  The use of standardized test scores •  Adult educa.on classes •  Use of schools – recrea.on •  The importance of a school – economy •  The school as a loca.on for various services

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Common Advocacy Focus Areas

Special Educa.on programming English as a Second Language Student transporta.on Full-‐day Early Learning French Language Instruc.ons Children’s Mental Health issues Legisla.on or regula.ons that impact school

board governance

Renewable energy technologies The use of standardized test scores The importance of a school – economy The school as a loca.on for various services

Geographic challenges

Succession planning and employee reten.on

Double mission of schools

Challenge for students – high level of bilingualism

Scarcity of learning resources

Providing seamless and equitable service to new immigrants

Renewable energy technologies

The use of standardized test scores

Adult educa.on classes

Use of schools – recrea.on

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Steps in the Advocacy Process

•  Discuss with cons.tuents – how educa.on is funded

•  Contribute to debate at the board table

•  Discuss with community partners and local poli.cians the impact of educa.onal funding

•  Work through the board or provincial school board associa.ons – higher level advocacy

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Relationship-Building for Better Advocacy

Effec.ve Advocacy is: •  Developed over a long .me •  Should be a con.nuous process •  Depends on building good rela.onships

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Relationship-Building: The Municipality

Common interests

•  A cons.tuency base •  Community resources

Areas of common interest

•  Shared recrea.onal facili.es and libraries •  Alterna.ve use of school space •  Use of green space

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Relationship-Building: Provincial Politicians

•  Why your local MPP?

•  More likely to listen to and act on the concerns of cons.tuents

•  More likely to understand the issue

•  Has a local perspec.ve on the issue •  Build an advocacy component into the communica.on plan -‐ list of

poli.cians

•  Be a source of reliable and valuable informa.on

•  AWend organized events – poli.cal fundraisers, all –candidates mee.ngs

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Relationship-Building: Approaching Your Local MPP in an Advocacy Role

Before Contac.ng Your MPP

•  Tell the scheduler the purpose of the mee.ng

•  Make sure you have done your homework

•  Research the issue •  Bring to the mee.ng relevant, fact-‐based informa.on

•  Prepare a package of informa.on to leave

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Relationship-Building: Media Relations

Informa.on to present a balanced picture

What will be of interest to a reporter? •  Is it new? •  Is it current? •  Is it superla.ve? •  How is your event .ed to a major news story? •  Are there interes.ng visuals?

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Tips for Successful Advocacy

•  Research the issue •  Know your audience •  Develop a strategy •  Employ a problem-solution approach •  Use your best advocate •  Articulate the issue clearly •  Network with your message •  Measure your success

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Strengthening the Advocacy Role

•  No single right way to advocate – situa.ons and contexts vary

•  Need to move issues up the priority list – centre advocacy around student achievement and well-‐being

•  Build networks

•  Be engaged in communi.es

•  Use your resources – i.e. trustee associa.ons

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10 advocacy: engaging the public · module 10 advocacy: engaging the public association des...

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