Focus on Advocacy
Your voice matters!
We need your stories, we need your voice, and we need you! PTA’s legacy is strong because of passionate advocates just like you building our legislative platform, one resolution at a time.
Join us for Focus on Advocacy Week, January 17-21, 2022, as we share this platform with our legislators in Olympia. Subscribe to the WSPTA Action Network and be part of #WSPTAOneVoice.
In the grassroots spirit of the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., on Monday, January 17, we will kick off the week by meeting with state representatives and senators. We will provide you with the tools and information you need to ensure that PTA is loud and proud that day.
Throughout Focus on Advocacy Week, we will send you calls to action to help you share your opinion and your story with your legislators. Subscribe to the WSPTA Action Network today to engage in the calls to action.
Focus on Advocacy Engagement
Focus on Advocacy Day
What is Focus on Advocacy Day? This day kicks off a full week of member advocacy! We need WSPTA leaders and members to meet with their state representatives and senators to share the PTA mission and priorities. Let’s make sure the PTA voice is loud and proud on this day! You will be provided with everything you need to know in order to schedule and hold a successful meeting with your legislators. While these meetings would ideally be on Monday (Focus on Advocacy Day), they may need to be scheduled throughout the week to accommodate your legislators’ schedules.
Focus on Advocacy Week
Your actions throughout this week will be quick and easy but will make a tremendous impact. It will be so easy that you can take action from home, while waiting for a coffee order, or sitting in your child’s pick-up line!
WSPTA will be asking members to act virtually throughout Focus on Advocacy Week. Each day will focus on an important part of the WSPTA platform. The best way to participate is by subscribing to the WSPTA Action Network so that you receive the daily calls to action for this week and periodically throughout the legislative session. You will be provided with easily customizable messages that the action alert system will automatically send to your legislators. It is easy to do and only takes a few minutes! We also encourage you to share your advocacy work on your personal and PTA social media accounts throughout the week using the hashtag #WSPTAOneVoice.
Schedule for Engagement:
(topics are subject to change as the date gets closer)
- Monday, January 17 – Call to Action: Focus on dismantling racism
- Tuesday, January 18 – Call to Action: Focus on equity
- Wednesday, January 19 – Call to Action: Focus on mental health & wellness
- Thursday, January 20 – Call to Action: Focus on preserving funding
- Friday, January 21 – Call to Action: Focus on safety and emergency preparedness
Focus on Advocacy Day/Week Toolkit
Here are all of the resources you will need for a successful Focus on Advocacy Day and Week:
- School District x Legislative District 2022 spreadsheet – Many school districts are represented by legislators from more than one legislative district, and they all need to hear your concerns and stories. Use this spreadsheet to find their names and contact information.
- How To Find Your Legislators
- Subscribe to WSPTA Action Network
- How To Make Appointments With Legislators
- How to Have a Successful Meeting with Legislators
- Zoom Background – For legislator meetings and testifying.
- Talking Points for Focus on Advocacy Meetings
- Virtual Focus on Advocacy Day Checklist
- WSPTA Legislator Meeting Summary Form– Use this form to tell us how things went in your meetings during the Focus on Advocacy week as well as throughout the legislative session.
- Focus on Advocacy Newsletter – This is a weekly newsletter. It runs through the legislative session and provides tips and ideas for advocacy as well as a quick overview of what is happening in Olympia each week. To subscribe please contact support@wastatepta.org.
WSPTA Legislative Priorities
To learn more about the WSPTA legislative priorities:
- WSPTA Advocacy page – where you can find one-pagers about all of our 2022 issues
- 2020-22 Legislative Priorities
- WSPTA Legislative Priorities Graphic
- WSPTA Resolutions
- WSPTA Legislative Principles
- WSPTA Federal Legislation
Additional Information and Links
Here are additional resources you can use for successful year-round advocacy:
- Tips for Testifying Virtually on Bills
- Remote Testimony, Written Testimony & Positions – Screen shots walk members through the process of participating in public hearings during committee proceedings.
- WSPTA Blog – The WSPTA blog has helpful information about everything from PTA leadership and governance, advocacy, membership, events, news, and much more! Throughout the legislative session, PTA advocates testify to the legislature on bills that align with our legislative priorities. Information about the testimony is posted in the WSPTA blog, search on the tag “testimony” to see the full list of posts.
- Understanding the Legislative Process – English version | Spanish version
- WSPTA Understanding the Legislative Process in Olympia video
- Citizen’s Guide to Effective Legislative Participation
- Guide to Reading a Bill
- Legislative Hotline 1-800-562-6000 – You can ask questions or send a message to a legislator via the legislative hotline.
- Subscribe to individual bill and bill topic feeds
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