Pub. 6 2016-2017 Issue 2

18 My Experience on the Hill with UAPCS in 2017 BY CYNTHIA PHILLIPS I was surprised and reassured by my experience on the Hill with UAPCS during the recent legislative session. I was amazed by some of the things that legislators don’t know about what we do, what we need, and even by what statutes we are already governed. A few legislators are still unaware, for instance, that charters are public schools subject to regular public school accountability and compliance. On the other hand, I was reassured by how willing legislators were to engage in honest, open-minded discussion about education and to be guided by the data, explanations, and requests that we intro- duced or advanced. I was also encouraged by how effective volunteer advocates can be in personal, focused discussions with legislators if they understand the language, processes, and protocols of the state legislative system. Although representative government assumes that those elected will attempt to make laws that benefit the whole community, how these representatives draw conclusions about what they will support or promote is complex. I learned that a legislative session is, above all, an intense educative process that requires all stakeholders to bring their views, concerns, and data to the table. Along with staff researchers, lobbyists, and other citizens, educators can raise the visibility of issues for legislative committees, act as noisy constituents to their own representatives, and con- nect with like-minded lobbyists to form influential alliances. Educators have an obligation to become involved in the policy-making process if they want legislators to make truly informed decisions about education. With a clear understanding of this process, the UAPCS spon- sored several “Educator Days on the Hill” during Febru- ary in which UAPCS staff, charter directors, teachers, and supporters met with legislative leaders in private meetings to