What are the trends And how do you get ahead….

What should you be looking for in this presentation  Why is it that legislators don’t change when I give them good information?  How can I as a leader teach others how to make a difference?  How can I make a difference?

Can we make a difference?  Legislators, school board members respond to: –Voters –Solving a publicly perceived problem –Something that will make them unique  The political system is conflict based and the system makes agreement very hard

Trends  Changes in population –More children living in poverty now than in 2000 –More children needing health insurance –More children being identified with having ADHD, Autism, and other challenges –More children whose first language isn’t English

Policy Trends  More targeting –High need populations –Specific activities  Professional development  More accountability – AYP – school improvement  More sense of competitiveness  More Federal involvement

Convergences  Head Start – Early Reading First – Even Start – Title I  ELL and general population  RTI and general population –Response to Intervention  Change in learning disabilities definition  Seeks to change instruction before “identification”

 High School – Middle School Literacy programs –Literacy coaches – working with content areas  P – 20 Councils  Teacher education and reading instruction

Why is this important?  The problems are what politicians solve –Need = legislation  What they have done in the past is the greatest predictor of what will happen in the future.  What can you do?

Do?  Organize –So that one of you is in contact with every legislator who touches education bills (committees) –Provide information on what is going on to others –ASK to get on public committees, advisory groups, task forces  Make group decisions as to what is important.

But, how do I actually talk to these folks???  It is a negotiations –Like with your boss –Your spouse –Your kids –The person your returning the unwanted item to at any store  You already know how to do this.

Expectations  Authoritarian –Government –Hierarchy –Systems  Lassie Faire –Flat  Mixed

Personal Styles  Dominant  Submissive

Why?  Conflict avoidance  Painful experiences  Anger  Lack of a model – conflict partnership need.

How to negotiate  Identify the Relevant Parties  Clarify the Interests  Probe for Underlying Interests  Create Options to Meet Interests  Find Ways to Maximize Joint Gains

Key Questions  Have you identified what you want?  If you are trying to dominate then it is a competition.  Have you identified a mutual goal?  Are you reminding people of that goal?  Are you thinking about “fairness” - what they think is fair and what you think is fair?

Keep in mind  What is the alternative?  Are their sub goals?  Do you already know what is important to you?

Specifics  Do you know what words trigger an emotional response?  Do you know what issues trigger an emotional response?  Have you figured out the simplest explanation?

Next Steps  Is your agreement fair?  Is it better than what you would have had on your own?  Can it be implemented?  Who needs to move first?  Who is taking a risk?  Did you do what you said?