Tips for Contacting Your Members of Congress to Support CTE
Often educators receive emails requesting support of CTE funding legislation or other legislative items related to education. I believe many people are unsure of how to contact their member of Congress and how their advocacy can make a difference. 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. 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. During the Colorado delegation’s visits we visited with aides or Members of Congress from each of Colorado’s congressional districts and both Senators. 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. 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 & Related Services Division Fellow