1. Advocating for Adult Education: How to Advance State and Federal Policies that Support Your Learners COABE webinar February 15, 2017

2. Amanda Bergson-Shilcock Director of Upskilling
Introduction
Amanda Bergson-Shilcock
Director of Upskilling

3. Goals for today’s discussion
Our hope is that you will gain:
An understanding of the current status of policies that can affect your learners’ and your organization’s success
Ideas for how you can engage in advocacy on behalf of adult education and adult learners
Access to policy advocacy tools and resources -- you’re not alone!

4. The policy landscape

5. The policy landscape: What's going on?
Federal policy:
Budget
WIOA
Implementation continues
Perkins Career & Tech Ed Act reauthorization this year?
Higher Education Act reauthorization?
“Welfare reform” (TANF) forthcoming?

6. The policy landscape: What's going on?
State policy:
WIOA
Local/regional WIOA planning
New competition for Title II funds
Governors’ budget proposals
State legislative leadership

7. The big unknowns
Photo credit: Jamen Percy, copyright 123rf.com

8. What we don’t know FY 2017 budget – another extension?
FY 2018 budget – proposals from the President?
How will executive orders (EOs) affect adult learners?
Future status of DACA program

9. What we do know
Advocacy works! Speaking up for adult education reminds policymakers that their constituents care about these issues
Your voice can amplify the voices of your learners
Gives the policies a face.

10. A reminder: What is true for adult learners…
Self-efficacy: A learner’s belief about his/her ability in a particular domain; the belief that one can be successful when attempting a specific task.
Attribution theory: We “attribute” success or failure to certain factors, and those factors may be internal or external, controllable or uncontrollable, and/or stable or unstable.  Beliefs about internal and external factors can be either adaptive (positive) or maladaptive (negative).
Source: Self-Efficacy and Adult Student Motivation (LINCS community posting by Gail Cope, 2016)

11. Your options for advocacy

12. So…how can I advocate?
No specific experience or education is required.
Different circumstances offer opportunity for light, medium, or heavy “lifts” for advocacy opportunities.
With any lift there is room for big wins.

13. Choose your level of advocacy
Light
Medium
Heavier

14. A light lift: What does it look like?
Everyone can participate
Most likely is a short-term action – very easy to accomplish
Both large and small organizations can have an impact

15. Light lift: Example #1
Make sure your elected officials are receiving your organization’s e-newsletter or other publications
Include offices in home district and state capital/DC
Resources: How to find your legislators’ contact info

16. Light lift: Example #2
Write a letter to the editor or op-ed about your own story – about your students – or about the challenges your students face
Use Adult Education Week or International Literacy Day as the “news hook” to encourage your local paper to publish the letter
Resources: The Op-Ed Project

17. Photo credit: Casa de Maryland
Light lift: Example #3
Add an activity to your curriculum that allows students to practice telling the story of how adult education helps them
Resource: The Change Agent (adult education publication accepting student submissions):
Photo credit: Casa de Maryland

18. A medium lift: What does it look like?
Requires some ownership on your part
Opportunity to speak directly with elected officials
Your time to show off!

19. Medium lift: Example #1
Hosting a site visit: An opportunity for your Congressperson to visit your classrooms, interact with your learners, and see your programs in action
Helps to have introduced yourself to state legislator’s staff first, but not required
If there is a timely “hook” make sure to let them know

20. Medium lift: Example #2
Constituent calls - A phone call with your Senator or Congressperson in addition to other adult education stakeholders – educators, employers, labor representatives.
Represent your learners and tell their stories to your elected officials
Draw connections to explain why the topic (policy proposal, etc.) is relevant to your work in the elected official’s district
Resource: National Skills Coalition blog post on constituent calls

21. Medium lift: Example #3 Learners’ civic engagement
Build comfort with public speaking by having learners practice telling their stories to each other
De-mystify policy by making a field trip to a City Council meeting or similar opportunity
Look for (or create!) real-life opportunities for learners to tell their stories to policymakers
Resource: In-depth slides on adult learner civic engagement from Networks for Integrating New Americans initiative:

22. Keys to a Successful Meeting
1. Research the policymaker’s positions and committee assignments
2. Have a speaking agenda
3. Be pleasant, flexible, succinct, strategic
4. Have and make your ask
5. Use a personal story/district-specific information
Include data to support your story
6. Offer yourself as a resource

23. Upon reflection…
How can you connect your story with a state or federal policy discussion going on right now?
Who else needs to be part of the story?
Do they help elevate your voice and bring about change?

24. Let’s talk policy advocacy

25. Are you ready for a heavy lift?
Compilation of many advocacy steps over time
Multi-stakeholder and long- term policy campaigns
Can lead to statewide wins!

26. Heavier lift: Example #1
Join your state adult education & workforce coalition
What is a state coalition?
Advocates for local, state and federal investments that help adult learners, workers and jobseekers, especially those who are low-income or low-skilled, to advance in the workforce
Resource: NSC’s In the States map

27. Heavier lift: Example #1 (continued)
Joining a coalition can give you access to:
Mailing list/invitations to events
Sharing of best practices
Joint op-eds and editorial board meetings
Social media – photo, video sharing; key messages through posts/tweets

28. Heavier lift: Example #2
Work with state policymakers to advance a state skills equity policy that can support adult learners
NSC members helped identify 5 proven policies that can increase skills equity (see right)

29. Heavier lift: Example #2 continued
NSC’s 50-state scans show where your state stands on each policy
Our skills equity policy toolkits showcase states with strong policies & provide a legislative template for you to use

30. Tools you can use: Advocacy resources

31. Regardless of the size of your lift…
Make strategic use of “leave-behinds” for contacts with legislators
Keep it short! 1-2 pages is best
Use NSC’s free materials
Resources:

32. Additional fact sheets
NSC has 7 new federal policy fact sheets for 2017
Check out topics such as:
Upskilling adult learners
Funding adult education and workforce programs
Investing in TANF to expand access to career pathways

33. New data: Service-sector workers with basic skills needs
NSC’s new Foundational Skills report is being released this week
Join us for a March 16 webinar to learn more

34. Summing it all up: Key takeaways
This is not scary
There is a different levels of advocacy for every situation and comfort level
You are not alone – use National Skills Coalition as a resource or to just get connected.

35. One last reminder…
Photo credit: Sergey Nivens, copyright 123rf.com

36. What would you like to know?
Your questions!
What would you like to know?

37. Stay Connected Visit our website. Sign up for our member email list.
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38. Contact
Amanda Bergson-Shilcock Director of Upskilling Policy