Capitol Hill Visit Preparation Joshua Westfall Lindsay Kubatzky

Capitol Hill Visit Preparation Joshua Westfall Lindsay Kubatzky Jacki Ball Director of Government Affairs Manager Government Affairs Coordinator National PTA

Agenda 1. Navigating DC 2. Quick tips for a successful hill meeting 3. Hill meeting logistics 4. PTA’s Hill visit ask 5. Practice the Hill ask 6. Network with other states on education issues affecting your state

NAVIGATING DC

Metro Map

On Capitol Hill Senate Office Buildings FACT: The Capitol dome is made of 8, 909, 200 pounds of cast iron. House Office Buildings

On Capitol Hill House Office Buildings • Cannon • Longworth • Rayburn Example: 123 Cannon 1234 Longworth 2345 Rayburn Senate Office Buildings • Russell • Dirksen • Hart

QUICK TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL HILL MEETING

Quick Tips for a Successful Hill Meeting 1. Prepare thoroughly for your meeting 2. Be on time 3. Make a connection 4. Stay focused 5. Keep it local 6. Make a specific request or “ask” 7. Follow-up

HILL MEETING LOGISTICS

Plan Out Each Hill Meeting At Your Table • Review your meetings for Thursday • Assign Hill meeting roles at your table: q Spokesperson q Supporting lines q Note-taker

Spokesperson Responsibilities (FLC or State President) • Start introductions • Name, city, PTA position • State the mission of the PTA: “The overall purpose of PTA is to make every child’s potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children. ”

Spokesperson Responsibilities (FLC or State President) • State the Hill ask at the beginning and end of the meeting: ü Fund Statewide Family Engagement Centers at $10 million in FY 2017 ü Sign on to the Dear Colleague • Provide a closing to the meeting

Supporting Lines Responsibilities (this can be multiple people) • Choose a few bullet points to say during the meeting from the “Talking Points: Statewide Family Engagement Centers” document ü Make sure at least one person mentions the state data on the last page • Tell a personal story • Explain why family engagement is important from a parent perspective

Note-Taker Responsibilities • Take notes for the meeting and fill out the Hill day evaluation form afterwards at: www. pta. org/Takes. Action. • Help provide supporting information during the meeting • Present the leave behind folder to the Member of Congress or staffer during the meeting

THE HILL ASK

Ask Your Members of Congress ü Fund Statewide Family Engagement Centers at $10 million in FY 2017 ü Sign on to the Dear Colleague Letter • House: Mark De. Saulnier (D-CA) • Senate: Chris Coons (D-DE) and Jack Reed (D-RI)

Ask Your Members of Congress ü Sign on to the Dear Colleague Letter House Letter Signatories • Rep. Mark De. Saulnier (D-CA) • Rep. Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) • Rep. Lou Barletta (R-PA Senate Letter Signatories • Sens. Chris Coons (DDE) & Jack Reed (D-RI) • Sen. Michael Bennet (D -CO) • Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI)

Why Fund SFECs • Over 40 years of research shows that family engagement is critical for student success • • Attend school more regularly Earn better grades Enroll in advanced-level courses Have higher graduation rates • Ensure that our nation’s students are fully prepared for higher education, workforce and career opportunities in the 21 st century

Make Your Ask Local • How would funding SFECs help your state, district and school? • How much funding did your state receive for PIRCs in FY 10? • How many families and students will be affected? • Where is the gap in family engagement in your community? How will SFECs help?

Review Hill Day Leave Behind 1. Statewide Family Engagement Centers (one pager) 1. Executive Summary of the Public Policy Agenda 2. Senate Dear Colleague 2. National PTA Letter Legislative Endorsements 3. House Dear Colleague Letter

PRACTICE, PRACTICE

Practice At Your Table • Practice your introduction (30 second elevator speech) • Tell me a personal story about family engagement • How will Statewide Family Engagement Centers help our state? • What is the economic impact of Statewide Family Engagement Centers? • Why should I care about your issue? • What is the demographics of your child’s school? Your PTA? The community?

Practice Scenarios • Does family engagement help improve student outcomes? How do you know? • Are federal investments in education even helpful for local school districts? • I am not in support of Statewide Family Engagement Centers • How would a SFEC improve our state education system? • Why does the PTA care about funding SFECs in FY 2017 and beyond?

After the Meeting: Keep the Pressure On • Thank you @Congressman for meeting with @State. PTA to discuss funding Statewide Family Engagement Centers in FY 2017 #PTALeg. Con • . @State. PTA hopes @Congressman will sign on to the Dear Colleague letter to fund SFECs in FY 17 • Post a photo with a staffer and/or Member of Congress

After the Meeting: Keep the Pressure On Send a follow up email to your Member of Congress Tell your Member of Congress to fund SFECs by sending a letter through the PTA Takes Action Center

After the Meeting: Keep the Pressure On Invite your Member of Congress to visit or attend a PTA meeting and/or event Schedule to meet with the state or district office when you get back to follow up

QUESTIONS

NETWORK WITH OTHER STATES ON ADVOCACY EFFORTS

Network with other States on Advocacy Efforts • What advocacy issues are you working on at the local level? State level? • What advocacy strategies have worked to pass legislation? Which strategies did not work and why? • What are your state advocacy goals this year? • What can National PTA do to help you reach your advocacy goals?

Please Fill Out the Session Evaluation Form • www. PTA. org/Leg. Con. Eval • National PTA Event App