Your community coalition – Education Works – that is organizing to increase support for public education is still active! You have made your pitch to community organizations and now you are taking your cause to the State Capitol.
A bill was recently introduced in the state legislature that creates the Invest In Excellence Education Reform Act. This Act contains three components, 1) provide adequate resources to all pre-K – 12 public schools, 2) break the strong correlation between individuals' addresses and the quality of their schools, and 3) provide adequate resources to all public higher education entities.
This bill is the culmination of the work of your community organizing efforts and public awareness campaign that has been in place for more than a year. Your coalition has planned a lobby day at the State Capitol and members of your coalition are eager to meet with legislators.
Your task is to introduce yourself, discern the legislator’s position, present your case, demonstrate why the legislator should be interested, and develop a strategic response based upon their position. Your goals are to neutralize the opposition, persuade the undecided and make champions of your supporters.
You have 30 minutes to develop your arguments, anticipate your legislator’s questions or concerns and figure out how best to conduct the meeting.
Evaluate your lobbying according to the following criteria:
- Constituent base – does the legislator feel the pressure from those who vote for him/her?
- Directly asking where the legislator stands
- Message and human face – clear, concise, compelling message with personal stories
- Strategic response – Can you convert supporters to champions and those who are undecided to supporters? Are you able to gracefully engage/disengage with an opponent, without wasting your time?
You will need four legislators roles – support the legislation, oppose the legislation and undecided on the legislation, and one who is not even interested in talking with you because they are just too busy.