ADVOCACY AWARDS International Reading Association Governmental Relations Committee Advocacy Award Winners for 2008.

ADVOCACY AWARDS

International Reading Association

Governmental Relations Committee

Advocacy Award Winners for 2008

CONGRATULATIONS!

• California Reading Association• Connecticut Reading Association• Diamond State Reading Association• Illinois Reading Association• Kentucky Reading Association• State of Maryland IRA Reading Council• Massachusetts Reading Association• Michigan Reading Association• Montana State Reading Association• New Jersey Reading Association• New York State Reading Association• Oklahoma Reading Association• Virginia State Reading Association• Wisconsin State Reading Association

LEGISLATION CHAIRS:

• California Reading Association

• Connecticut Reading Association

• Diamond State Reading Association

• Illinois Reading Council

• Kentucky Reading Association

• State of Maryland IRA Council

• Massachusetts Reading Association

• Michigan Reading Association

• Montana state Reading Association

• New Jersey Reading Association

• New York State Reading Association

• Oklahoma Reading Association

• Virginia State Reading Association

• Wisconsin State Reading Association

• Marcia Mattson• Jean Klein• Dorothy S. Shelton• Mike Ellerman• Polly Page• Suzanne Clewell• Evelyn Wall• Cynthia Clingman• Bruce M. Whitehead• Natalie B. Smith• Francine Z. Stayter• Oweita Calvert and Betty Clifton• Marycarolyn France• Sue Schumann

ISSUES ADDRESED:

• Adolescent Literacy - Striving Readers• Certification - Alternate Route• Communications with Legislators• Funding of schools• Greater expertise in reading/literacy for all teachers• Network with other educational groups• No Child Left Behind reauthorization• Response to Intervention• Salaries of teachers

ADVOCACY AWARD

• The Advocacy Award annually recognizes state and provincial councils that demonstrate how they are working to effect educational policy and legislation through effective advocacy at the local, state/provincial, and or national levels.

INTERNATIONAL READING ASSOCIATION

• The International Reading Association supports and encourages its members to take an active role in educational advocacy on the part of its 1,250 councils and affiliates. Although the association neither supports nor rewards specific political positions, it does recognize that its membership is diverse, and that a variety of advocacy positions taken by members may be appropriate - even essential - for the effective influencing of public educational policy in all regions.

INSTRUCTIONS:

• State and provincial associations participating in the IRA Advocacy Award program, must qualify by completing the programs pre-requisites and five items in each of three categories: – Educate, Organize, Activate.

• The items must have been completed during the last academic year, and solid documentation providing concrete evidence must be provided. – Without duplication

ADVOCACY AWARD

• Pre-requisites:• Submit a list of names and addresses of

Legislative Committee members• Identify a specific issue the council has

addressed through legislative advocacy activities during the past year. – DESCRIBE the issue. – DETAIL its importance– EXPLAIN what effect these activities had on policy

EDUCATE:

• The council must demonstrate significant efforts to educate members and/or others about advocacy skills and specific legislative issues.

• To qualify for the award program, the council must complete five (5) items in this category.

ORGANIZE:

• The council must show evidence of an organizational plan that promotes a commitment to building advocacy skills within the community.

• To qualify for the award program, the council must complete five (5) items in this category

ACTIVATE:

• The council must show solid evidence of involving the membership and others in activities related to educational legislation.

• To qualify for the award program, the council must complete five (5) items in this category.

NETWORKING WORKS!

• Increased networking with other professional organizations was noted often in most of the applications.

• To accomplish their common goals, makes both groups stronger• To increase the number of members• To reach further and cover events around the state• To provide better services for the students in the state• How many professional groups were represented?• NJRA wrote the Adolescent Literacy position paper with NJCTE• We coordinated efforts on the Early Literacy one with 2 Kindergarten

associations• NJRA has an ELL paper in rough draft and the president of NJTESOL-

NJBE sits on our Legislation/Professional Standards Committee

NETWORKING and COALITIONS

• Illinois … Mike Ellerman, Leg. Chair• Maryland … Suzanne Clewell, Leg. Chair• Massachusetts … Lori DiGisi VP, MRA• Montana … Bruce Whitehead, Leg.

Chair• Wisconsin … Sue Schumann, Leg. Chair• Kentucky … Polly Page, Leg. Chair

Kentucky

• Great networking-• Adult Literacy Network• National State Boards of Education

– Adolescent Literacy• Kentucky Department of Education

– Grant was funded

Polly Page - Legislative Chair

Kentucky Reading Association

CONNECTICUT

• Alternate routes of certification for a literacy specialist:.  • The college that is currently doing the “alternative route” is on

probation and is being monitored closely by the State Department of Ed.

• Our hope is they discontinue the program at that particular college. • As members of the committee previously, we had been able to

make some improvements, but overall the program was not the quality it should be.

• This is an important issue in Connecticut (and in other states), and alternate routes for such a needed position to close the achievement gap should be developed carefully and monitored closely.

Jean Klein, Legislative Chair, Connecticut Reading Association

DELAWARE

• PD Presentations with sign language interpreters• Sign during the conference• English and Spanish workshops for parents• Great pictures of committees and events throughout

the application• Good examples of documentation.

Dorothy S. Shelton, Advocacy Chair,

Diamond State Reading Association

MICHIGAN

• Legislative Advocacy - A great PowerPoint presentation• Michigan Advocacy 2007 • What? June Local Council Leadership Workshop –

• Legislative Advocacy session

• Purpose? To seek support of federal legislators for the – Striving Readers legislation.

• How? 1) Motivate and inform with ppt, • 2) guide immediate letter writing activity, and 3) offer • assistance in getting the communication delivered.• Result: Delivered communication and energized MI LAT!

Cynthia Clingman, Legislative Chair, Michigan Reading Assoc.

MONTANA

• Public Service Announcements• Free PSA’s are allowed by most station managers• Submit an audio tape or a typed script with a cover letter to each

station• Explain the importance of the announcement to your organization

and your community• Taped radio spots can be produces at very little cost• Spots are usually 10, 20, 30 or 60 seconds in length• These spots are used at the convenience of the station• Radio is good for reaching teens and working people• Thank the station for running the PSA

Dr. Bruce Whitehead, Legislative Chair, Montana State Reading Association

NEW YORK … Advocacy Objective:To Increase Recognition of NYSRA’s Expertise and Leadership

Within the Education Community

• Conducted informal survey research to learn why attendance at our conferences had decreased

• Identified a topic that was important to educators P -16 - Response to Intervention -that was consistent to our mission and served the needs of our members

• Made a commitment to invest in developing Professional Development on that topic, taking guidance from our survey research

• Found highly regarded presenters for the event• Found a much broader audience than we typically have for conferences• Highly successful, sold out event led to two additional repeat sessions

and a five-day institute• Expanded our recognition, developed partnerships and collaborations

with higher ed, NYSUT, and NYSED while serving the needs of our members

Francine Z. Stayter, NYSRA’s Advocacy Coordinator

OKLAHOMA

• Presentation of document - well done, easy to read• Advocacy Manual - • The Importance of Advocacy• Advocacy activities for YOUR council• How to contact members of Congress• Oklahoma Goals and Statements• Becoming a member of IRA’s Legislation Action Team• Summary of activities to win the Advocacy Award• Putting it all together: How a bill becomes a law, Legislative

terminology, WebsitesOweita Calvert and Betty Clifton, Legislative Co-Chairs

Oklahoma Reading Association

VIRGINIA

• Effective planning• Action plan - great!• Articulate charges for the committee• Duties of the Legislation Chairperson• Large Budget -

– Distributed how? – How many members?

Marycarolyn France, Legislation ChairVirginia State Reading Association

WISCONSIN

• Networking - Coalitions with 11 other organizations!• WSRA - Road Shows • NCLB Task Force and Assessment Task Force • Perspectives: The Paradigm Shift• FYI Update from IRA in Washington• NCLB in Wisconsin• Meets Teacher Standards• Travels around the state

Sue Schumann, Legislative Chair, Wisconsin State Reading Association

PLEASE APPLY NEXT YEAR

• The application is on the IRA website• Print it out and use it as a guideline for your events this year• Choose a specific issue(s) which will be addressed by your activities• Plan your objectives and activities for the year• Keep copies of documentation for every activity in folders• Take pictures, keep copies of Newsletters, letters, emails• Label the folders Educate, Organize, Activate• File documentation of each activity as it happens in the folders• Delegate 3 committee members to work on the 3 different sections• At the end of the school year, begin to put the application together• By September, you are ready to put the final copy together• It will be due the next October 31st

ANY QUESTIONS?

Thank-you for participating - Thanks to my committee!The next time is always easierEmails rather than letters were used more commonly

for many reasons, now.Delegate the sections to othersSubmit it earlyQuestions - write or email me …

Natalie B. Smith, ChairLegislation/Professional Standards CommitteeNew Jersey Reading [email protected]