Menu
Log in



Member Login

Convincing State Legislatures  


Excuse our Dust 

We are in transition to the new NESTA website.  We appreciate your patience as we go through this change


Preparation is Key

Advocacy/Legislative Committee—Advocates for quality ESS education by monitoring & engaging State legislators
Does your state ESTA and/or Science Association have one?  Suggest creating one

Legislator contacts—Create & maintain spreadsheet

Annual Legislative Platform—Create a one page platform distributed to each legislator at beginning of each session

Pertinent legislative siteseducation policy committee, education funding committee, etc—Subscribe for updates & meeting notes

Knowledgeable personnel in your organization—Prepare list those to testify on your organization’s behalf if called—can happen quickly & without much notice

Periodic updates to members—Send to your organization’s members to stay informed on the status of relevant legislation. This also aides soliciting membership in a letter or email campaign

Survey state membership to gauge feelings on:

      • standards
      • licensure
      • graduation requirements
      • pedagogy
      • professional development

Letter writing campaigns—Use survey data to garner support—share with legislators/staff, partner with State science associations on PD opportunities, etc

NSTA position statements—Starting point for your State organization position statements

Partnerships—Reach out form relationships with other State & National science associations / educator unions 

      • NESTA
      • NAGT
      • NSTA
      • AGI
      • NGWA

Letters to State legislators—Write advocating for change in statute, to request funding for PD, etc

- Be persistent and patient

Letter Writing Tips

- One page limit

- Preface letter with ‘ONE PAGER’ overview of your request—send two weeks before letter

- Create spreadsheet of legislators & use macros to address letters 

- Send letters via BOTH email & postal service

- Use educator union ‘advocacy days’ to meet with state legislators and/or staff—Prepare short statement—create relationships with staff —Follow up any meeting with BOTH Thank You email & card

- Find State industry partners—geoscience industries, associations, non-profits, recreational, agribusiness, education, etc) to partner on letter

 

  NOAA logo

American Geosciences Institute logo




 Stay Connected:

Powered by Wild Apricot Membership Software