1. How to Have Successful Hill Meetings
August 2016

2. Capitol Hill Day: Tuesday, September 13

3. Scheduling Your Meetings Hill Meeting Myths
Agenda
Scheduling Your Meetings
Hill Meeting Myths
How to Maximize Your Influence
Additional Advocacy Resources

4. Assume that your meeting will last at least 30 minutes
Scheduling Your Meetings
Assume that your meeting will last at least 30 minutes
You should also ensure at least 15 minutes to travel between each meeting, especially if you are going from the House to the Senate or vice versa

5. Scheduling Your Meetings
Let NASSP know your Hill meeting times via the NASSP Principal of the Year Hill Meeting Schedule Google Document:
Amanda Karhuse with any questions or concerns.

6. House side Senate side Scheduling Your Meetings -Rayburn -Russell
House side
Office Buildings
-Rayburn
-Longworth
-Cannon
Senate side
Office Buildings
-Russell
-Dirksen
-Hart

7. Hill Meeting Myths
Myth #1:
Practitioners’ voices like mine don’t really matter in crafting federal policy
Myth #2:
Meeting with a staff member is not nearly as important as meeting with my legislator

8. How to maximize your influence

9. Review NASSP materials on the Legislative Advocacy page
Before Your Meeting
Do some “homework”
Review NASSP materials on the Legislative Advocacy page
Prepare examples, personal stories and data/statistics
Find background information on the legislators or staffers
Prioritize your top 3 issues

10. Before Your Meeting
Do more “homework”
Find a piece of legislation, a resolution or something that the legislator has worked on in Committee that relates to the issue you are discussing (Based on your passion for ______, I thought this issue would be of particular interest to you)

11. Draft talking points for each issue
Before Your Meeting
Practice your “pitch”
Draft talking points for each issue
Don’t assume the legislator or staff knows the issue well
Prepare your “ask” (e.g. cosponsoring a bill, supporting funding for a particular program)

12. Before Your Meeting Continued
Keep in mind that on some days, staffers take between 5-10 meetings so think about how to be memorable
Make sure you are familiar with everything in the folder as some staffers like to discuss all of the issues with you

13. Arrive a few minutes before your scheduled appointment time
During Your Meeting
Arrive a few minutes before your scheduled appointment time
Introduce yourself to the staff at the front desk and tell them with whom you are meeting
Give your business card to the MOC & staff

14. Have a conversation that allows for questions from all parties
During Your Meeting
Make a connection with the MOC & staff (Do they have a family member who attended your school? College? etc.)
First thank them for the meeting, and then go into your first “pitch” and “ask”
Have a conversation that allows for questions from all parties

15. During Your Meeting
Try to think of specific examples of how the issue you are discussing impacts your life as a school leader (Unable to fund specific programs because of budget shortfalls, understaffed, etc.)
Be prepared to answer difficult questions on the issues you are discussing; some staffers may ask very technical questions

16. Monitor your time and adjust accordingly to cover all of your issues
During Your Meeting
Monitor your time and adjust accordingly to cover all of your issues
Leave the NASSP folder of materials with the MOC or staff
Thank them for their time and ask if they would like any follow-up information
Ask to take a picture with the legislator or staffer with whom you met

17. Send a thank you email that reiterates your key points and “asks”
After Your Meeting
Immediately after:
Post photos & information about your meeting on Twitter & Facebook and use the #POY16
As soon as possible:
Send a thank you that reiterates your key points and “asks”
Offer to be a resource and tell them to contact you whenever needed

18. Complete NASSP Hill Day Meeting Report
After Your Meeting
In the next few days:
Share your experience & photos with your local media and school community
Reach out to the district or state office and invite the MOC or staff to visit your school
Complete NASSP Hill Day Meeting Report

19. Principals Institute Materials
Advocacy Resources
NASSP Website
Principals Institute Materials
School of Thought Blog

20. Principal’s Legislative Action Center (PLAC) www.nassp.org/PLAC
Advocacy Resources
Principal’s Legislative Action Center (PLAC)
Twitter
@NASSP #POY16
Congress
and

21. Federal Grassroots Network
Advocacy Resources
Federal Grassroots Network
Commit to regularly meeting with your member of Congress & staff
Stay informed by receiving the monthly FGN newsletter
Participate in future trainings and 2017 advocacy conference

22. NASSP Director of Advocacy karhusea@nassp.org 703-860-7241
Contact Information
Amanda Karhuse
NASSP Director of Advocacy
David Chodak
NASSP Associate Director of Advocacy

23. THANK YOU!
DISCUSSION
Comments & Questions