1. How to Have Successful Hill Meetings
April 4, 2017

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3. Capitol Hill Day: Wednesday, April 26

4. Agenda Scheduling Your Meetings Hill Meeting Myths
How to Maximize Your Influence
Additional Advocacy Resources

5. Scheduling Your Meetings
Assume that your meeting will last at least 30 minutes
You should also ensure at least 15 minutes to travel between each meeting, especially if you are going from the House to the Senate or vice versa

6. Scheduling Your Meetings
Let NASSP know your Hill meeting times via the Google Document:
Zach Scott with any questions or concerns.

7. Scheduling Your Meetings
House side
Office Buildings
-Rayburn
-Longworth
-Cannon
Senate side
Office Buildings
-Russell
-Dirksen
-Hart

8. Hill Meeting Myths Myth #1:
Practitioners’ voices like mine don’t really matter in crafting federal policy
Myth #2:
Meeting with a staff member is not nearly as important as meeting with my legislator

9. How to maximize your influence

10. Before Your Meeting Do some “homework”
Review NASSP materials on the Legislative Advocacy page
Prepare examples, personal stories and data/statistics
Find background information on the legislators or staffers
Prioritize your top 3 issues

11. Before Your Meeting Do more “homework”
Find a piece of legislation, a resolution or something that the legislator has worked on in Committee that relates to the issue you are discussing (Based on your passion for ______, I thought this issue would be of particular interest to you)

12. Before Your Meeting Practice your “pitch”
Draft talking points for each issue
Don’t assume the legislator or staff knows the issue well
Prepare your “ask” (e.g. cosponsoring a bill, supporting funding for a particular program)

13. Before Your Meeting Continued
Keep in mind that on some days, staffers take between 5-10 meetings so think about how to be memorable
Make sure you are familiar with everything in the folder as some staffers like to discuss all of the issues with you

14. During Your Meeting
Arrive a few minutes before your scheduled appointment time
Introduce yourself to the staff at the front desk and tell them with whom you are meeting
Give your business card to the MOC & staff

15. During Your Meeting
Make a connection with the MOC & staff (Do they have a family member who attended your school? College? etc.)
First thank them for the meeting, and then go into your first “pitch” and “ask”
Have a conversation that allows for questions from all parties

16. During Your Meeting
Try to think of specific examples of how the issue you are discussing impacts your life as a school leader (Unable to fund specific programs because of budget shortfalls, understaffed, etc.)
Be prepared to answer difficult questions on the issues you are discussing; some staffers may ask very technical questions

17. During Your Meeting
Monitor your time and adjust accordingly to cover all of your issues
Leave the NASSP folder of materials with the MOC or staff
Thank them for their time and ask if they would like any follow-up information
Ask to take a picture with the legislator or staffer with whom you met

18. After Your Meeting Immediately after:
Post photos & information about your meeting on Twitter & Facebook and use the #PrincipalsAdvocate hashtag
As soon as possible:
Send a thank you that reiterates your key points and “asks”
Offer to be a resource and tell them to contact you whenever needed

19. After Your Meeting In the next few days:
Share your experience & photos with your local media and school community
Reach out to the district or state office and invite the MOC or staff to visit your school
Complete the NASSP Hill Day Meeting Report

20. Advocacy Resources NASSP Website www.nassp.org/legislative-advocacy
ESSA Toolkit for Principals
School of Thought Blog

21. Advocacy Resources Principal’s Legislative Action Center (PLAC)
Twitter
@NASSP, #PrincipalsAdvocate
Congress
and

22. Advocacy Resources Federal Grassroots Network
Commit to regularly meeting with your member of Congress & staff
Stay informed by receiving the monthly FGN newsletter
Participate in future trainings and 2017 advocacy conference

23. Contact Information
Amanda Karhuse
NASSP Director of Advocacy
Zach Scott
NASSP Advocacy Manager

24. THANK YOU!
DISCUSSION
Comments & Questions