Often educators receive emails requesting support of CTE funding legislation or other legislative items related to education.>#0160; I believe many people are unsure of how to contact their member of Congress and how their advocacy can make a difference.>#0160; The following are steps for creating beneficial contacts.
- Find contact information for your Members of Congress using the CTE Action Center.
- Click on the “issues” tab at the top of the Action Center to send an email to your Member of Congress – you can use one of ACTE’s pre-written advocacy messages, or compose your own! If you plan to write your own message, be sure to:
- Introduce yourself and include your title.
- Include a specific request or call to action.
- Support your request with research findings and a personal story of CTE success story.
- Conclude your email by thanking them for their past and future support of
- CTE funding.
- After you receive a reply from the office, follow up with an email to the legislative intern or staff members. Each member of Congress has staff members that specialize in different areas of interest.>#0160; They are the experts on the topic and advise their Member of Congress.
The experience of contacting members of Congress for meetings during National Policy Seminar was very rewarding.>#0160; During the Colorado delegation’s visits we visited with aides or Members of Congress from each of Colorado’s congressional districts and both Senators.>#0160; Through these experiences I have learned that having a clear concise message is essential to getting your vital message across. Complaining about lack of funding or building conditions will not be of benefit.>#0160;>#0160; Providing examples of student success and connections with employers and the community makes a big impact!
I hope these tips will be helpful to you in advocating for CTE!
Kimberly Baldwin is the 2016 ACTE New >amp; Related Services Division Fellow
