THE CENTER FOR STRENGTHENING THE TEACHING PROFESSION
“Teaching Quality IS the Answer”
from Mitchell 20, a film about teacher leaders and National Board Certification
“Teaching Quality IS the Answer”
from Mitchell 20, a film about teacher leaders and National Board Certification
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To find your senators' and representative's phone numbers, you may use the following link to Washington State legislators: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/Default.aspx.
Remember that if you contact them via telephone that calls are usually taken by a staff member, not the member of the legislature. Ask to speak with the aide who handles the educational issues.
The letter is the most popular choice of communication with a legislative office. If you decide to write a letter, this list of helpful suggestions will improve the effectiveness of the letter:
1. Your purpose for writing should be stated in the first paragraph of the letter. Specifically you are asking to either meet with the legislator, invite them to coffee, or invite him/her to visit your classroom. If you LIVE in the same district as you teach then be sure to include that information. If you do not live in the same district as you teach then also let the staffer know this.
2. Be courteous, to the point, and include key information, using the fact that you are a National Board Certified teacher. Explain that as a NBCT you want to speak, meet with, etc the policymaker to give them first hand knowledge of what is going on in public education.
3. Keep the letter to one page. Be sure and let them know how you want to be contacted in return: phone number, mailing address, email address or other.
Click here to view a sample letter to a policy maker.
To a State Senator:
The Honorable (full name)
Dear Senator:
To a State Representative:
The Honorable (full name)
Dear Representative:
Include your local address on the letter.
Limit the letter to one page.
Type the letter or write neatly.
Type/print your name below your signature.
Do not send a photocopy.
Generally, the same guidelines apply as with writing letters to legislators. You may find and e-mail your state senator and legislative representative directly from this Web site.
1. Share what IS working in your classroom
2. Remember to stay POSITIVE. We need to be the ones to propose the solutions NOT the problems
3. Don't forget that those that contact or meet with legislators are asking for money. Stand out and talk about those things that impact student learning.
4. Remember that you are contacting these legislators because of your expertise in education. As an NBCT you DO have the leadership credentials to be listened to.
Talking points from a recent discussion Betsy Cornell,NBCT from Moses Lake S.D. had with her Legislative District 13 State Legislator Rep. Judy Warnick
Betsy invited Rep. Warnick to her school for a 45 minute meeting. Below are the talking points she used at their meeting. You may want to use her ideas when you set up your meeting.
o Conscience, constituents, and party - in that order
o There will be 3000 bills brought to be read
o Dedication to profession via process
o Our actions can go on to change and create educational policy
NBCTs can have an influence in their district, their region, and their state.
Click here to view Policy Makers Connection.
What we need from you????
Please keep us informed as to your meetings/school visits/coffee times etc with your policymakers. We will use that info in our monthly newsletters which we will post on the CSTP web site. Any thoughts, positives, and photos would be greatly appreciated. Please send to: network@cstp-wa.org
| Attachment | Size |
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| sample_letter_to_policymakers.pdf | 32.13 KB |
| policy_makers_connection.pdf | 90.98 KB |