08.26.09: QEIA Lobby Day Called by ACSA, SES and TSS
QEIA Lobby Day – Wednesday, September 2, 2009
*** HIGH PRIORITY ***
The following high priority message contains information regarding a proposed lobby day at the State Capitol for all Quality Education Investment Act (QEIA) school districts on Wednesday, September 2, 2009. This event is co-sponsored by ACSA, Strategic Education Services (SES), and Total School Solutions (TSS).
Lobby day information
We normally plan legislative action days weeks in advance, so details on this one are still coming together. Nevertheless, we believe it is critical that policy makers and staff hear first-hand from QEIA districts regarding the impact of the recently adopted budget provision de-funding the program for 2009-10. This needs to happen before they end the legislative session and the issue gets lost in the next crisis.
Here are rough details – additional information and instructions to follow:
- Be prepared to meet in the vicinity of the State Capitol by 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, September 2. Location TBA – based on size of group.
- Recommend you send the following representatives: superintendent, board president/member, union president/representative. Some variation of this type of group will be fine.
- Recommend no more than 3 or 4 representatives per district – we want to keep the event manageable.
- RSVPs – Please provide the names and titles of those attending to the following ASAP:
Shellie Willetts, Strategic Education Services
916-441-3909
Shellie@strategicadvocates.com
The schedule for the day remains in the works, but it will likely look something like this:
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- 9:30 a.m. – 10:00 – Briefing and Update
- 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 – Group meeting with legislative leadership
- 12 noon – rest of day – Meetings with your Legislators and staff
- 3:30 p.m. – finish meetings, head home
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Districts are responsible for arranging meetings with their own state legislative offices in the afternoon. For assistance, please contact us.
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Background materials and talking points are being developed and will be emailed later this week. We strongly recommend you put together one-pagers on district letterhead that describe the impacts the policy will have on your district.
Purpose of the day
The more we try to understand the 2009-10 budget proposal for QEIA districts, the more complicated it becomes. But state officials have assured us they intend to make all QEIA districts completely “whole” in 2009-10. While we appreciate their intent, we think we need to “help them along” by communicating the severity of this matter and the need to address it as soon as possible.
It is likely that state officials will not completely address all aspects of this issue prior to the September 11 end of session date. Additional legislation and/or regulations will have to be adopted when they return in January, 2010. Our intent is to work closely with legislative leaders while, at the same time, applying continued legislative pressure to restore complete funding to QEIA districts in the 2009-10 FY.
We will provide additional information regarding the final meeting location, background materials, and event agenda. In the meantime you are welcome to contact any of us per the following:
Adonai Mack, ACSA Legislative Advocate
916-444-3216
Brett McFadden, ACSA Management Services
916-444-3216
Stephen Rhoads, Strategic Education Services
916-441-3902
srhoads@strategicadvocates.com
