Why Attend?
Learn how to advocate for public education by leveraging your community and connecting your school district with decision-makers in the Capitol to influence public education policy. Because effective advocacy takes time to build, now is the time to prepare for the 89th legislative session in 2025.
Amplify Your Voice
Across Texas, school trustees provide education oversight and citizen governance to ensure our public schools meet the expectations of our local communities. The community perspective these leaders — and their constituencies — bring is critically important to state policymakers.
The Trustee Advocates Summit will provide school boards and their superintendents with a roadmap, tools, and techniques to help them find, use, and amplify their voices and the voices of their communities, to influence state education policy.
Attendees will also learn from other school district leaders as they network and share ideas about how they will apply these tools and techniques before, during, and after the 89th legislative session.
New! Trustee Advocates Summit Strategic Engagement Session
In addition to the original 2-day Advocacy Foundations Session, current and previous Summit participants can extend their learning an extra day with a 1-day Strategic Engagement Session.
Earn Continuing Education Credit
Continuing education credit for Trustees and Superintendents:
Missy Bender is a TEA Registered Provider of continuing education for school board members and for superintendents when they train with school board members. This summit can provide up to 16 hours of continuing education credit within the Framework for School Board Development.
Register Now About Our Sponsorship Opportunities
Event Registration
Registration Closes Wednesday, July 17
Session 1:
ADVOCACY FOUNDATIONS – 2-Day
August 20-22, 2024
Participants will learn core skills for building a community-based advocacy system in their school district. This 2-day session serves as a pre-requisite for the one-day Strategic Engagement Session.
Detailed Information
- All-Inclusive price: $1,000 per person
- Number of registrations available: 50
- Times:
- Start at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 20, 2024
- End at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 22, 2024
The all-inclusive price includes all meals, non-alcoholic beverages, snacks, on-site parking, wifi, and two (2) nights of hotel accommodations on August 20 and 21 at The Campus on Lake Austin.
Session 2:
STRATEGIC ENGAGEMENT – 1-Day
August 22-23, 2024
Participants will learn how to leverage community-based advocacy to identify levers of power and inspire voter engagement. The 2024 Advocacy Foundations Session or participation in the 2023 Trustee Advocates Summit meet the pre-requisite requirement for the one-day Strategic Engagement Session.
Detailed Information
- All-Inclusive price: $500 per person
- Number of registrations available: 30
- Pre-registration requirement:
- Participated in the 2024 Advocacy Foundations Session, OR
- Participated in the 2023 Trustee Advocates Summit
- Times:
- Start at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 22, 2024
- End at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, August 23, 2024
The all-inclusive price includes all meals, non-alcoholic beverages, snacks, on-site parking, wifi, and one (1) night of hotel accommodations on August 22 at The Campus on Lake Austin.
Location:
The Holdsworth Center
The Campus on Lake Austin
4907 Ranch Road 222
Austin, TX 78731
Please note that attendee cancellations are refundable up to Wednesday, July 17, 2024. No refunds will be available after Wednesday, July 17, 2024, 5:00 p.m. CST. Raise Your Hand Texas is a nonprofit 501(c) (4) organization. Your investment in Raise Your Hand Texas is not deductible as a charitable contribution for federal income tax purposes, but may be partly deducted as an ordinary and necessary business expense.
Thank you to our sponsors
Presenting Sponsor:
Advocate Sponsors:
Partner Sponsor:
Networking Sponsors:
FAQs:
Who should attend?
Superintendents, Trustees, and school district leaders who want to learn how to develop an advocacy plan and engage their communities.
I attended last year. Why should I attend again this year?
The 2023 Trustee Advocates Summit attendees have an opportunity to continue their learning at the 2024 Trustee Advocates Summit in Session 2: Strategic Engagement.
What does the registration fee include?
The registration fee includes all programming, meals, snacks, non-alcoholic beverages throughout the day, on-site parking, wifi, and hotel accommodations.
Do I have to stay overnight at the Campus on Lake Austin?
Yes, an overnight stay is part of the program.
Will I receive continuing education credit?
Yes. Trustees and Superintendents will receive up to 16 hours of continuing education credit upon the conclusion of the Trustee Advocates Summit.
What is the policy on video and photography at the Summit?
No taping or recording is allowed other than by Raise Your Hand Texas.
Raise Your Hand Texas and its designees may record, photograph, and or stream various aspects of this event for archival or promotional purposes. By attending the Trustee Advocates Summit, sponsors and attendees give Raise Your Hand Texas permission to use the attendee’s voice and image in any such archival or promotional recording, photograph, or streaming activity.
May I bring a guest?
No, we cannot accommodate guests for this event.
What Trustee Advocates Summit Attendees Have to Say
“Attending the Raise Your Hand Texas Trustees Advocates Summit was an amazing experience that reinforced the crucial role advocacy plays in shaping the future of public education. Partnering with a few of our dedicated board members, we recognize the power of collective action in promoting our district and championing the success of every student. Together, we stand as dedicated advocates for the transformative impact of public education on rural communities and Texas overall.”
Brent Jaco
Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD Superintendent
“I highly recommend the Raise your Hand Texas Trustees Advocacy Summit, not only did it deepen my knowledge in the legislative process, but it provided a valuable networking opportunity to work with other board members from across the state who are interested in advocacy. Me and my fellow board members left the summit energized and ready to put what we learned into action, we have grown and continued our close work with RYHT in our region, making our board much stronger advocacy leaders.”
Dolly Trolley
Corpus Christi ISD Board Secretary
“RYHT Advocates Summit was so informative! We went home with confidence, knowledge and motivation to develop a plan to most effectively advocate for our district. Looking forward to implementing the ideas and engaging our community’s support for a better future for public education.”
Kristi Littleton
Port Aransas ISD Board Secretary
