CREATING EFFECTIVE COALITIONS JERRY HIME CALIFORNIA CAN COORDINATOR CEC National Legislative Conference ▪ June 7, 2014

What is a coalition?  have a stated or similar position  share a mutual concern  are interested in working together toward an action- oriented goal  can be individuals or organizations  combine efforts, resources, and skills  may be permanent, ongoing, or temporary  may be disbanded once goals reached or abandoned

What are the characteristics of an effective coalition member?  willing and able to give the time required  reflect self-confidence  believe in the tasks at hand  project positive attitudes  demonstrate effective communication skills  be open-minded rather than judgmental  work well under pressure  refrain from arguing with adversaries  willing to share personal expertise  appreciate the talents of other members

What are the advantages of belonging to a coalition?  create clout  build ongoing power base  maximize number of people and organizations to advocate  share information  coordinate strategies  divide up the labor  pool resources  share different points of view to solve problems  safety in numbers

What are the chief obstacles in developing a coalition?  takes commitment  turf issues and hidden agendas  conflicts due to main issue inconsistent with a member’s agenda  effort to reach consensus slows process  need procedures to resolve differences

What are the key steps in creating an effective coalition?  determine who can help  develop structure and rules  build capacity for planning and action  set strategies  evaluate

What are the key skills to needed to lead a successful coalition?  leadership  facilitation  communication and internet  media  funding and resource development

What makes the coalition successful?  establishing a process to identify mutual goals  ensuring that each group maintains own identity and autonomy  understanding that total consensus in every area is not a requirement  recognizing that internal group conflict is inevitable

What makes the coalition successful?  striking a balance of an atmosphere of openness, a sense of inclusiveness, equal participation, and preventing one group’s domination over another  accepting and dealing with differences in values, attitudes, and styles of communication  realizing that appropriate negotiating and bargaining are basic to success

TIPS FOR SUCCESS  plan for meetings and discussions  be sure everyone understands what each organization represents and the purpose for the proposed coalition  encourage each organization to share goals and philosophy, and its capabilities for assuming fair share of workload  jointly prepare an “action plan”

COALITION LEADERS SHOULD  keep a low profile and recognize needs and resources of participants  analyze and appreciate difference personality types and leadership styles  help discourage divisive competition and instead encourage creative competition and collaboration  sustain the spirit of members by keeping interest high during periods when “nothing is happening”  help group determine the organizational style most comfortable and best suited for achieving purpose set forth

KEY COMPONENTS  COOPERATION  COLLABORATION  CONSIDERATION

THE CALIFORNIA COALITION CALIFORNIA STATEWIDE SPECIAL EDUCATION TASK FORCE  Established November 2013 at request of State Board of Education and Commission on Teacher Credentialing  Purpose: to examine California’s complex systems for serving students with disabilities  33 members including school and district administrators, parents, teachers, university professors, members of the policy community, and other groups  Funded by the Schwab Foundation and the Stuart Foundation

QUESTIONS  What should be the state’s vision/mission for students with disabilities?  With the implementation of Common Core State Standards (CCSS), how do we ensure access to and success in the CCSS and other core academic subjects for students with disabilities?  What types of changes in teacher preparation and credentialing are necessary to ensure all teachers are prepared to meet the array of learning needs of their students in the LRE.  How should special education services be funded and organized?  What are current policy barriers to implementation of multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS), response to intervention (RTI), response to instruction and intervention (RTII) and other inclusive and effective school practices

The Year’s Calendar  December 17, Full Task Force Meeting, San Mateo County Office of Education, Redwood City, CA  February 10, Public Forum, Southwest SELPA Auditorium, Redondo Beach, CA  March 3, Public Forum, San Mateo County Office of Education, Redwood City, CA  March 17, Full Task Force Meeting, California School for the Deaf, Riverside, CA  March 17, Public Forum, California School for the Deaf  March 18, Public Forum, California School for the Deaf  March 18, Public Forum, San Diego County Office of Education, San Diego, CA  March 19, Public Forum, San Diego County Office of Education  March 20, Public Forum, California Department of Education, State Board of Education Hearing Room, Sacramento, CA  May 5 – Full Task Force Meeting, Commission on Teacher Credentialing, Sacramento, CA.  Sept. 30 – Full Task Force Meeting, State Board of Education Hearing Room, Sacramento, CA.  Oct. 28 – Full Task Force Meeting, State Board of Education Hearing Room, Sacramento, CA.  Final report to State Board of Education in November

Thank You! Jerry Hime CEC CAN Coordinator, California