A guide for hosting legislative forums

Want to start a dialogue with your state legislators about local school money problems? Or show them that a stable, ample and equitable education funding system should be their first priority? How about raising awareness about the effects of state funding shortfalls on local students and schools?

Your community or school group can achieve all those goals and more with an effective legislative forum.

Summer is the perfect time to start planning for an event this fall, when school is back in session but before the legislative session convenes in January. Lawmakers appreciate opportunities to meet with their constituents - and maybe get some media coverage - when they're home and their schedules are more flexible.

But even out of session, their time is precious, so it's up to your group to make the meeting worth their while, and yours. Here are some tips to hosting a successful forum:

Communicate the importance: It will be easier to get good attendance at your forum if you've kept parents, teachers, students and community members informed about what's at stake through ongoing newsletters, e-mails, meeting presentations and other means.

Planning: Start planning the forum well in advance, starting with the date of the event (check for major conflicts first) and working backwards. Assign leaders or coordinators to different tasks including site selection (it should be centrally located, easy to get to and the right size for your expected attendance); publicity and media; forum content and format; and legislator/speaker invitations and confirmations. Have a plan or a check list and cross off tasks as you complete them.

Get the word out: Get members or subcommittees to commit to inviting specific numbers and types of people and groups. Then, start spreading the word early and often through word-of-mouth, school board and PTA meetings, community events, websites, blogs, social media, newsletters and church bulletins. Closer to the event, send a press release announcing the forum to the local media (newspapers, television and radio). Designate a spokesperson to follow up by phone and invite editors/reporters to attend and cover the event.

Make it easy and fun to attend: Provide snacks and beverages, ample parking and free child care.

Sign people in: Have attendees put their names and email addresses on a sign-in sheet. This makes it possible for your group to follow up with them later and possibly broaden your support base as well.

Prep your audience: Provide them with information about their legislators and encourage stakeholders to come up with questions and/or brief personal stories related to education funding (back up anecdotes with facts and data, if possible).

Be courteous, not confrontational: Legislators are going to be much more receptive if they feel like you're willing to work with them, not against them.

Put it in writing: Hand out one-page position papers at the forum that clearly state your group's concerns and goals.

Follow up: Encourage audience members to stay in touch with their legislators during the session. Provide contact information, including the names and phone numbers of the lawmakers' staff in Olympia. And, be sure to include an article about the event in your next newsletter.

Don't forget to say "Thank you": Always send a thank you letter to those who took the time to participate in your forum. Thank them publicly as well in your group's newsletter or on the website.
 
Here are a few questions you may wish to consider asking legislators:
 
* Do you believe that today, the State is complying with the provision of our State Constitution that mandates "It is the paramount duty of the State to make ample provision for the education of all children residing within its borders...."? Why or why not?

* Do you believe that today, State funding provides each school district in your legislative district with the resources it needs to provide every student a realistic and effective opportunity to meet our State's high academic standards (the State's Essential Academic Learning Requirements)? Why or why not?

* Following a seven-week trial earlier this year, a Superior Court judge ruled the State was violating that constitutional mandate. As an elected official, you pledge an oath to support the State Constitution. What specifically will you do to ensure that the State makes public education its paramount or number one priority above all other issues, as the Constitution and court order require?
 
* What will be your first action to improve public education if and when you take office?

* Since the 1990s, when the State established the Essential Academic Learning Requirements as the education standard for all students, basic education funding has not even kept up with inflation. Washington now ranks 43rd in the nation in per-pupil spending. As large numbers of our kids continue to fail to meet those state standards, how do you propose to increase school funding to help them succeed?
 
Finally, you may wish to provide your audience with a summary of the NEWS court case.