Invest In Excellence Recess Blizzard
April 2-13, 2007
Your organization is ready to fight for School Funding Reform, but your participation is the key to whether IEA succeeds and continues to be the leading advocacy organization for students and public education employees. Include in your plan of action for Invest in Excellence:
- Meeting with your State Representative and Senator during the legislative recess: April 2-13, 2007.
- Taking advantage of the General Assembly’s spring break by setting up meetings with legislators in their home districts.
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Sending a significant number of e-mails/letters/faxes to the lawmaker’s office with the constituent’s name, address, phone number, school and job duties.
Success will be measured by the number of IEA members who contact their State Legislator during the two week legislative recess.
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Region chairs can coordinate actions with their Region Council, Grassroots Political Activist (GPA) and UniServ Director.
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Local presidents can coordinate with their local executive committee or building and/or association representative council.
1. Face time with your State Legislator.
The most effective form of communication is face-to-face. You can invite your local lawmakers to:
2. Mass calling to legislator’s office.
Organize all members to call your State Legislator on designated days or week to talk about School Funding Reform during the two-week recess.
3. Mass writing/e-mailing to legislator’s office.
Follow the same procedure for writing or e-mailing. Make sure the legislator hears from as many members as possible during the two-week recess.
What are some of the issues we will be talking about?
Focus on the fact that the State must fix its funding problem now.
If you encounter a legislator or elected official who expresses opposition to any of the funding proposals that have been introduced (gross receipts tax or income tax increase or other taxes under consideration), ask them the reasons for their opposition. After acknowledging their concerns, ask them what they propose to use to deal with the school funding inequity and unfunded pension liability. Furthermore, ask them to share whatever solutions they might have with their legislative leaders and fellow caucus members. Close by telling them that now is the time to act and the detail of which revenue stream should not be an impediment to action.
Face-to-face meetings
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Relate your issues or concerns. Help the legislator understand why your position is important to you (a voter) and to the school district located in the legislator’s district. Include specific facts about how this issue will impact educators, students, or schools in the legislator’s district. It’s most powerful to include a local anecdote illustrating the problem you are seeking to address.
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Be positive. Always make your case without being critical of others. Be credible and honest.
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If you are asked a question you don’t know the answer to, offer to get the information and get back to the legislator. A second contact is a second opportunity to lobby.
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Allow for follow-up. Allow the legislator to discuss the issue or his/her position or concerns. Also, provide contact information and offer to act as a resource should there be more questions or if additional information is requested.
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Remember, you are the expert. You have a compelling, energizing reason to keep fighting for what you need.
Thank the legislator for meeting with you.
Write down the pertinent information from your conversation with the legislator(s) and communicate this information to your IEA Government Relations contact. (If you do not know who this is, ask your IEA Uniserv Director).
F R E Q U E N T L Y A S K E D Q U E S T I O N S
What is a Recess Blizzard?
This is a collective action meant to send a strong signal to your State Legislator that he/she should pay special attention to Funding Reform. During Recess Blizzard, IEA members are urged to overwhelm their State Legislator’s office with calls, faxes and e-mails.
Who should participate?
Recess Blizzard is an opportunity for IEA members to participate in collective action from home and have their voices heard by legislators making decisions.
Can we use district equipment (phones, fax, etc.) to participate?
You need to check your local policies on this. Unless your district has a policy/practice that permits groups to use, for free or at cost, its facilities for such purposes, the district is under no legal requirement to do so.
Who pays for expenses?
You and your region or local are responsible for any expenses related to these actions. IEA regions can use region rebate funds to cover associated costs, and locals can use local funds or local IPACE rebate funds for this purpose or may qualify for Invest In Excellence funds.
Tips for writing an effective letter:
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Identify yourself. Lawmakers will listen to their constituents. Begin with a simple statement, such as “I am a school employee at ______ Elementary School” or “We are members of (your local), that is part of the Illinois Education Association.”
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Get to the point. Follow your introduction with a brief statement of your issue or concern. Include a concise explanation of why you support Funding Reform. A few strong, well-prepared arguments are much more effective than a laundry list of reasons to support or oppose a bill. Whenever possible, use bullet points to outline your arguments.
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Relate it to home. Help the legislator understand why your position is important to the voters back home. Include facts about how a bill will impact educators, students, or schools in the legislator’s district. If possible, include a local anecdote illustrating the problem you are seeking to address.
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Avoid the use of form letters or generic postcards. Use your own knowledge and experience to inform the legislator.
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Allow for follow-up. Include specific contact information and offer to act as a resource should the legislator or staff have questions or need additional information. Where appropriate, state in the letter that you will follow up with a telephone call.
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Keep it brief. The shorter the letter, the easier to have your point understood. Keep letters to a single page and discuss only the Funding Reform issue on which the IEA is focusing during this legislative session.
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Address your letter correctly.
The Honorable Jane Doe
State Representative or State Senator
Address
City, IL Zip code
Dear Representative/Senator Doe:
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Fax your letter to the legislator’s Springfield office if the legislature is in session.
Tips for writing an effective e-mail:
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Avoid informal language. E-mail to a legislator should be as formal as a written letter. Resist the temptation to use the informal language and symbols often associated with e-mail communications. Avoid using impolite language or making “demands.”
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Include your full address and zip code. Make sure the text of your e-mail includes your full name and street address, including zip code. Many legislative offices screen e-mails for address information identifying the sender as a constituent. E-mails that appear to come from outside the district are unlikely to be read and may be blocked by filtering programs.
Legislative contact information:
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Click on Legislative.
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Select “Find & Contact Your Legislators.”
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Scroll down to “My Elected Officials” and click “View.”
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Type in your address and zip code and select “GO” to get contact information for your legislators.