Inform & Influence Advocating for Service-Learning February 2005

Session Overview  Why We Cannot Wait: 2005 Legislative Update  What You Can and Can’t Do  Effective Strategies to Advocate for Service- Learning Timing & Targets Message, Materials & Media Coalitions & Contacts  Next Steps: Mobilizing Service-Learning Advocates

Learn and Serve America A program of the Corporation for National and Community Service Learn and Serve America supports service-learning programs in schools and community organizations that help nearly one million students from kindergarten through college meet community needs, while improving their academic skills and learning the habits of good citizenship. Learn and Serve grants are used to create new programs or replicate existing programs, as well as to provide training and development to staff, faculty, and volunteers. Learn and Serve America is funded by the Labor, Health and Human Services appropriations bill. This program falls within the jurisdiction of the House and Senate Education Committees.

Recent Policy Developments…  Corporation scheduled to begin formal rulemaking process to develop new rules that govern Learn and Serve America programs  President proposes $3 million cut to Learn and Serve America’s funding  Forty-eight (48) education programs –some of which used to support service-learning in local schools and communities – are proposed for elimination in fiscal year 2006.

Implications of the President’s FY06 Budget Request … Education Programs Proposed for Elimination All $ totals in millions: Civic Education ($29.4) Close Up Fellowships ($1.5) Elementary and Secondary School Counseling ($34.7) Even Start ($225.1) Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs ($306.5) Literacy Programs for Prisoners ($5) Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities State Grants ($437.4) School Dropout Prevention ($4.9) State Grants for Incarcerated Youth Offenders ($21.8) Teacher Quality Enhancement Grants ($68.3) TRIO, Talent Search ($144.9) TRIO, Upward Bound ($312.6) Vocational Educational National Programs ($11.8) Vocational Education State Grants ($1,194.3) Rationale for the Proposed Eliminations: “…consistent with the Administration’s policy of terminating small programs that have limited impact and for which there is little or no evidence of effectiveness…” In another case, Safe and Drug Free Schools: “The program has not demonstrated effectiveness and grant funds are spread to thinly to support quality interventions.”

Understand What You CAN Do  Educate elected officials  Inform the media  Publicize results of your work  Create partnerships with government agencies  Provide technical assistance to policymakers or legislative committees

Safe Advocacy Strategies  1. Direct communications with legislators or their staff about a general issue of concern where there is either: (a) no reference to specific legislation or (b) no view expressed on such legislation.  2. Most grassroots communications to the public about a general issue of concern where there is either: (a) no reference to specific legislation, (b) no position taken on the legislation or (c) no call to action.  3. Communications with executive officials (i.e., president, governors, mayors) or their staff about a general concern where there is either: (a) no reference to specific legislation, (b) no position taken on the legislation or (c) the official or staff person will not participate in forming the legislation.

Safe Ways to Affect Public Policy  4. Actions to affect regulations or other acts implementing existing laws that are performed by administrative bodies.  5. Class action lawsuits or similar public interest litigation in attempts to influence judicial bodies.  6. Self-defense lobbying activities directed at legislators or their staff (but not to the general public) on matters that might affect the organization's existence, powers, duties, exempt status, etc.  7. Responding to written request from a legislative body (not a single legislator) for technical assistance on pending legislation.  9. Discussion of broad social, economic and similar policy issues requiring legislative solution so long as the discussion does not address the merits of specific legislation.  10. Communications to members of an electing public charity (not applicable to members of a private foundation) that discuss specific legislation but do not urge action by the members.  11. Private lobbying activity taken by foundation managers on their own time and at their own expense. (Reprinted from Foundations and Lobbying: Council on Foundations)

Understand What You CANNOT Do Prohibited Political Activities  Lobbying an elected officials on a specific bill  Engaging in partisan political activity by endorsing a candidate for public office  Asking elected officials to vote a certain way

Examples of Prohibited Activities  organizing a letter writing campaign to Congress;  printing politically charged articles in a Corporation-funded newsletter;  taking part in political demonstrations or rallies  activities related to protests, petitions, boycotts, or strikes. (excerpted from CNCS/Wofford memo January 29, 1996)

Organizing Service-Learning Advocates Around the Country… The 2005 Call to Action Our Legislative Appeal  Restore the $3 million cut to Learn and Serve America  Invest an additional $2 million in pre-service teacher education to equip the next generation of educators  Invest an additional $1 million to support rigorous, scientifically-based service- learning research TOTAL REQUEST: $46 million in fiscal year 2006 Snapshot of Service-Learning Advocates Across the Country

What Service-Learning Advocates Must Do Right Now … Specific Advocacy Action Steps  Share your best stories that illustrate how service-learning and Learn and Serve America impact the lives of young people, schools and communities  Invite Michigan Representatives to join the House National Service Congressional Caucus  Organize opportunities to showcase service-learning at your state capitol or state department of education Resources:

What Service-Learning Advocates Must Do Right Now … Specific Advocacy Action Steps  What You Can Do in Your Own Backyard Invite federal, state and local elected officials to visit your service-learning site Meet with staff from the local offices of your Members of Congress or state legislators Join online forums of service- learning advocates to receive regular news and updates about policy that impacts service-learning Resource:

Effective Strategies to Advocate for Service-Learning… The “T’s” of Mobilizing  Targets – Be specific about who to influence and why. Who do you want to reach at the Federal level? Who do you want to reach at the State or Local level? What do we know about what works and doesn’t work?

Effective Strategies to Advocate for Service-Learning… The “T’s” of Mobilizing  Timing – Be strategic about when to activate your allies and supporters. Are there key times during the legislative cycle? Are there strategic holidays or special events? When should you activate your base? What have you tried that works or doesn’t work?

Effective Strategies to Advocate for Service-Learning… The “M’s” of Mobilizing  Message – Position what you want. What is your policy agenda? What message resonates with Federal policymakers? What message resonates with State or Local policymakers? What have you tried that works or doesn’t work?

Effective Strategies to Advocate for Service-Learning… The “M’s” of Mobilizing  Materials – Package your message. Develop and distribute City/Town, Campus, Regional, or State Profiles of Service-Learning Develop your Legislative Message and Appeal (Talking Points/The “Ask”) Designed Especially for Your Legislators Compile Politically-Relevant, Succinct Research Summaries What have you tried that works or doesn’t work?

Effective Strategies to Advocate for Service-Learning… The “M’s” of Mobilizing  Media – Get the most out of “service-learning in the news.” How can you leverage national print media to bring attention to SL in your state or local community? Leverage Campus Presidents’ Speeches. Consider holidays as opportunities to place op-ed pieces or letters to the editor. What have you tried that works or doesn’t work?

Effective Strategies to Advocate for Service-Learning… The “C’s” of Mobilizing  Coalitions – Find strength in numbers. With whom in your state (or at the national level) should you form coalitions? Who gives you added voice or credibility and in what areas? How can you leverage student involvement? How can they express support through collective sign-on letters or promotion through their networks? What have you tried that works or doesn’t work?

Effective Strategies to Advocate for Service-Learning… The “C’s” of Mobilizing  Contact – Make contact with key officials and/or their staff in effective ways. Capitol Hill/Statehouse Days to Showcase Your Work. Targeted Campaigns to Send Faxed Messages to Select Members of Congress and their Staff Virtual March on Washington/the Statehouse. Collective “Sign-On” Statements from Michigan Supporters Individual Appointments and Visits to District/State Staff What have you tried that works or doesn’t work?

Next Steps Think about the T-M-C approach to grassroots mobilization.  What are your policy goals and how and when will you mobilize?  What pieces do you already have in place?  What could you easily start or implement in your state or local community?  How are you collectively going to organize to take action considering recent developments in Washington DC?  What additional information or support to you need state or national organizations?

One Last Word…  Additional Tools & Resources: Campus Compact Education Commission of the States (Nat’l Center for Learning and Citizenship) National Service-Learning Partnership Service-Learning United SEANet Youth Service America

Contact Information: Nelda Brown State Education Agency K-12 Service-Learning Network National Service-Learning Partnership One Massachusetts Avenue, NW ~ Suite 700 Washington, DC ~