So you've registered for RAC-TX's Austin Advocacy Days (March 25-26) ... now what?
There are many strategic ways to prepare for our gathering at the state capitol in late March. This list, though not exhaustive, should help you start the conversation in your community about how to build relationships and collaborative power, identify leaders with stories to share around this issue, and educate your community about this complex set of issues.
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Join an upcoming webinar with statewide school finance reform experts:
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Dedicate a Shabbat in February or early March as an "Education Shabbat" or schedule a series of programs at your congregation to raise awareness of school finance reform through sermons and study sessions. Check out this source sheet for text study and sermon ideas. Make sure to let Rabbi David Segal know about what your congregation or community is doing!
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Advertise Austin Advocacy Days at your congregation and recruit more people to register with you. Check out our graphics, newsletter language, and other recruitment resources.
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Host listening sessions for congregants to share their personal stories of the Texas public education system. Use prompts like:
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How have your family and friends been directly affected by the public education system?
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Ask your teen and young adult leaders: How has public education, and especially school funding, affected you directly?
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Ask the teachers in your community: How has public education funding affected your ability to do your job?
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Schedule In-district meetings with your legislators when they return from Austin each week (usually on Fridays). You can find your TX state legislators here. See the members serving on key committees with a role in school finance reform: Senate Education, Senate Budget, House Public Education, House Appropriations, and House Calendars. For help in planning and scheduling these meetings, contact Rabbi David Segal.
- Engage your teen leaders in learning and conversation. Use your confirmation and post-confirmation classes as a forum. How do they see public education affecting their lives? Where do they see inadequacy and inequity in funding and quality of public schools? Here are some helpful resources:
- School Finance Reform resources - especially the info sheets from the CPPP
- L’Taken resources and text studies from the RAC to teach your students about advocacy and civic engagement
- Dissecting our Zip Codes & Recognizing our Privilege, a lesson plan by Mindy Lee, NFTY-TOR Director and Greene Family Camp Assistant Director
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Bring educated local voices into your congregation to teach about the issues and inspire interest, for example:
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Leadership ISD alumni: Dallas, Ft. Worth, Houston (you may have alums within your congregation!)
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Commit Partnership: Dallas
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Raise Your Hand Texas: various communities
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Pastors for Texas Children: Ft. Worth and Austin, but will travel
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CPPP, Chandra Villanueva: Austin but will travel
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Your local Industrial Areas Foundation affiliate (Austin Interfaith, Dallas Area Interfaith, The Metropolitan Organization of Houston, The Sponsoring Committee of San Antonio)
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Your local NCJW leaders (we will be at the capitol at the same time on March 26)
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