Alliance PAC

EFFECTIVE PUBLIC SCHOOL ADVOCACY EQUALS BUILDING RELATIONSHIP

Every year the Illinois General Assembly considers legislation that directly impacts local school boards and administrators. Funding/taxation initiatives, collective bargaining mandates, curricular mandates and out right attacks on local governance of public education are a few of the issues the legislature considers which curtail the authority of the locally elected board of education and school administration.

Fortunately, there are legislators that believe in school administration and local decision making. Many legislators oppose measures diminishing local school board powers while also supporting measures that strengthen the ability of local school boards to govern.

The best way to influence the legislative process is to cultivate relationships with this type of legislative candidate and legislator.

An excellent relationship builder is to become a valuable resource for information on education issues. Show me a candidate that does not trot education out as an important priority at some point in their campaign, regardless of their expertise on education issues. Just think about how much better off we would be if all legislators had a superintendent, board member, business official and principal to consult with on education issues.

Relationships formed in the district on an ongoing basis are the most influential. Legislators rely on sound, timely information when it comes to legislative issues. Getting timely information out to you has helped the relationship building process. The Illinois Statewide School Management Alliance (Illinois Association of School Administrators, Illinois Association of School Boards, Illinois Association of School Business Officials & Illinois Principals Association) e-mailed reports, coupled with a sincere effort on the part of school management personnel to develop personal relationships with their legislators, have had a tremendous impact on the ability to influence the legislative process.

Participation in a legislator’s or candidate’s bid for election is a great way to start a relationship. That means, helping with their campaign; walking door to door, stamping mail, stuffing mailings, making contributions, participating in scheduled events, are a start.

Like any relationship it takes many encounters of different types to develop familiarity, trust and respect. For some it is difficult to participate in any of the activities mentioned earlier without first being introduced.

Simply put, the Alliance PAC aids school management leaders in forming relationships through introduction. The money we raise helps members develop relationships by introducing candidates to school management personnel, aiding their participation in fundraising events and participation in campaigns.

Our endorsements help with this first introduction. The Alliance PAC Endorsement Committee will meet several times throughout an election year to discuss information pertaining to legislatives races. They survey candidates, interview candidates, digest information obtained from the membership of the Alliance PAC formally through letters and informally through phone calls and general discussions. The committee membership is representative of all areas of the state to insure that, as much information as is available will be considered in order to make educated decisions regarding the candidates involved.

PARTICIPATION IS KEY

Legislative members and candidates sympathetic to school management must be cultivated, and once elected, retained. Without your input with both money and information our efforts are less effective. The Alliance PAC needs the information you have regarding the candidates in your local area. Alliance PAC decisions will be much less informed if they don’t have as much knowledge as possible upon which to make them.

Through donations and candidate information from citizens such as yourself, the Alliance PAC helps elect and retain supportive candidates to the General Assembly and to the Governor’s office.

You can become a member of the Alliance PAC several different ways.

• Through direct contribution of $25 or more per year.
• Participation in our golf outing.
• Participation in our raffles one held in conjunction with the Joint Annual Conference in Chicago and the other held in conjunction with the IASA Superintendent’s Conference.
• Participation in our Silent Auction where you can bid on items donated. This event is held in conjunction with the Joint Annual Conference in Chicago in Novermber.

One of the best ways to meet your local legislators and to become a member of the Alliance PAC is to attend a fundraiser. If you are thinking about attending your senator or representative’s upcoming fundraiser send your contribution to the Alliance PAC along with the information about the legislator’s fundraiser. The Alliance PAC will then send the amount you contributed on to your legislator in your name so that you can attend the fundraiser and fulfill membership in the Alliance PAC. A win-win situation for all!

Your contribution to the Alliance PAC establishes membership for one year. Contributions cannot come from school district funds. They can only be accepted from personal or corporate accounts.

THE INFORMATION YHOU SHARE IS IMPORTANT

The Alliance PAC By-Laws provide that the purpose of the Alliance PAC is “to provide the opportunity for individuals interested in the future of education to contribute or endorse candidates for state office who believe, or who have demonstrated their belief, in the principles to which school management are dedicated.”

The Alliance PAC Trustees established a process for endorsing candidates in 1996. Endorsement committee members are painstakingly chosen from the Alliance PAC membership in order that the entire state is represented. These individuals are charged with the task of keeping abreast of the campaign issues in their area to share with the entire group, digesting all available information about legislative races across Illinois and then participate in endorsement decisions for those races.

If you have information that should be shared about candidates for legislative offices please contact an Alliance PAC Trustee.

THE ALLIANCE PAC NEEDS YOUR HELP!

The Alliance PAC needs to build up its coffers to help elect legislators sympathetic to school management during this upcoming important election cycle. Please consider becoming a member, or updating your membership in the Alliance PAC. If you have already become a member for this year please consider helping us out with an additional contribution.

Contact DeJuan Kea, Governmental Relations/Public Relations Director at dejuan@ilprincipals.org or 217 525-1383 to answer questions regarding Alliance PAC