ERIC Number: EJ1216116
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019-May
Pages: 3
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0164-775X
EISSN: N/A
No Lobbyist Needed: Grassroots Advocacy in the Other Washington
Suchy, Carrie
Communique, v47 n7 p8, 10-11 May 2019
The author became involved with the Washington State Association of School Psychologists' (WSASP) legislative advocacy work in 2013. At the time, WSASP was not actively engaged in legislative advocacy work, and was the smallest of many clients of a lobbyist paid to represent their interests. In that year, the Washington State Legislature proposed a law that would mandate retention of third grade students who failed the state English and language arts assessment. She received an e-mail from the WSASP president and the WSASP area representative asking if any local school psychologists could attend the hearing at the Capitol to testify against this bill. She hesitantly volunteered and attended her first legislative public hearing. She was immediately bitten by the "advocacy bug." The third-grade retention bill did not ultimately pass, and she was part of a process that prevented the policy. The experience of the retention bill demonstrated the need for WSASP to be more active in advocating. In late 2013, the WSASP board voted to no longer pay the professional lobbyist and to endeavor to represent themselves. Soon after, she became an area representative for WSASP, and volunteered to revive the Government and Public Relations Committee for the association. In the article, the author reflects on the five domains they have directed intentional and focused effort that have led to the success of the committee: (1) Support from the state association board; (2) Fostering and cultivating strong committee leadership; (3) Fostering and cultivating strong committee membership; (4) Maintaining meaningful relationships with stakeholders and decision makers; and (5) Engaging our general membership in advocacy work.
Descriptors: School Psychologists, Professional Associations, Advocacy, State Legislation, Social Action, Lobbying, Hearings, Educational Legislation, Leadership, Committees
National Association of School Psychologists. 4340 East West Highway Suite 402, Bethesda, MD 20814. Tel: 301-657-0270; Fax: 301-657-0275; e-mail: publications@naspweb.org; Web site: http://www.nasponline.org/publications/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Washington
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A