27/01/2024
Copied from an advocate for our children group:
From the AEA dated 1/26/24
Dear Mississippi Bend Area Education Agency Staff and area Superintendents,
I hope you are doing well. I am writing to urgently bring your attention to the upcoming developments regarding the amendment to the governor's bill. It has come to the Chief's attention, through lobbyists, that the amendment is set to be revealed on Monday, and the Senate is making swift plans to pass it out of subcommittee and committee, aiming for a floor vote on Thursday.
This rapid pace indicates that the Senate is well aware of the amendment's content while the rest remain in the dark. It is crucial for us to respond proactively, and I cannot overemphasize the importance of our advocacy efforts this weekend.
As we have discussed previously, email communications will be a key component of our advocacy strategy. Please make sure that all your communications follow the guidelines we've outlined. Clarity, precision, and a focus on critical points will be essential in conveying our message effectively.
Furthermore, I urge you to participate in as many legislative forums as possible over the weekend. These forums provide an invaluable opportunity to discuss the importance of local control and efficiency. Emphasize that local control fosters relationships built on trust. At the same time, efficiency ensures that educational resources are distributed equitably among districts, preventing the use of funds in ways that only impact individual district interests. Known forums are listed at the end of this note, but there may be more happening that are not listed. I believe one such example is happening at 11 a.m. at Davenport West High School.
Local control has proven to be a cornerstone of effective education, allowing communities to tailor their educational systems to the unique needs of their residents. This is absolutely the case among the MBAEA districts. Efficiency, conversely, ensures that financial resources are utilized for the collective benefit of all districts.
Your active participation in these discussions can significantly impact shaping public opinion and influencing decision-makers. This weekend is a critical juncture, and your advocacy can help avoid the creation of an enormous DE bureaucracy.
Thank you for your dedication and commitment to serving students and promoting what is widely known as the best system of school support in the nation. Continue your work together to ensure that our voices are heard and that the values of local control and efficiency are upheld throughout this legislative session.
