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When policymakers are in session in the spring, they are actively putting forth bills (also known as 鈥渓egislation鈥�) that they hope to make law. During this time, that directly affects school and district transformation to personalized, competency-based education. It’s a time that鈥檚 ripe for advocacy efforts.

While听there are听a number of ways to express your support or concern about a piece of legislation, a phone call to policymakers is a safe, effective way to make your voice heard 鈥撎�especially now, when in-person visits may not be allowed or听perceived as safe due to COVID-19.

If you choose to call your policymaker during the legislative session, it is important to focus your conversation on specific issues that are pertinent to legislation currently being considered so that your message is not lost or irrelevant. For some, that could mean:听鈥淚鈥檓 calling today because a bill has been introduced to study the outcomes of personalized, competency-based education during the COVID-19 outbreak. I support this bill because I saw the impact the pandemic has had on my students and believe this is the right way forward.鈥�听听

If you听do not feel comfortable asking听your policymaker听to support or oppose a specific bill, you can听also advocate by听calling to听educate them on an issue related to a bill. For example, you might say, 鈥�I鈥檓 calling today because听a bill has been introduced to听study the outcomes of personalized, competency-based education during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a leader in a school that focuses on personalized learning, I would like to tell you about my positive experience with personalized practices during this time.鈥澨�听

You may even consider coordinating a group of learners, practitioners, parents or others, to call policymakers to emphasize the importance of an issue to your learning community. If you go this route, remember to ensure you have gathered well-rounded representation of your learning community. And don鈥檛 assume everyone is on the same page at the beginning. Outline for folks specific talking points you鈥檇 like them to use, or, better yet, decide as a group what your message will be and make individual calls from there.

What to听expect听when听you听call

It鈥檚 likely you鈥檒l speak with a听member of a legislator鈥檚听staff听or need to leave a message, but these calls will still be鈥痗ounted鈥痑nd your message heard.鈥�听

When you call, be concise鈥痑nd keep it brief: focus on a single issue and鈥痗onvey鈥痶wo or three key points鈥痠n鈥痽our call.鈥疷nless prompted by questions from the policymaker or their staff, expect the call to last fewer than five minutes, as you will see in the sample transcript below.鈥�To help you stay focused, refer to any notes you or others may have regarding the issue you are calling about.

If you鈥檙e asked a question you can鈥檛鈥痠mmediately鈥痑nswer,鈥痠nform the policymaker or their staff that鈥痽ou will find the answer and鈥痝et back to them听鈥撎�and follow through.鈥�

Regardless of whether听a legislature is in session, engaging with policymaker offices through phone call听is a great advocacy touch point听that will help you establish a relationship with your legislators.听In future articles, we will post about other strategies designed to听help you deepen relationships with decisionmakers and听stakeholders and make community voices heard.