Advocacy Advice from Texas Legislators and Tips for Successful Testimony

Seven Texas school district superintendents and school board trustees traveled to Austin this month to continue their advocacy journey and training in the Trustee Advocates Program.

Participants spent time at the Capitol hearing first-hand advice and opinions about the 89th Legislative Session from esteemed legislators during a legislator panel, learning more about delivering compelling testimony, participating in a mock committee hearing, and later, visiting their legislative offices. 

“School board trustees hold unique positions in our communities as parents, business leaders, and citizens who care about their public schools and the future of Texas’ 5.5 million public school children,” said Amy Dodson, Senior Regional Advocacy Director – West & Central Texas. “They represent their communities and understand the needs of everyone who lives and works there, always seeking to improve all aspects of their local school districts. School boards are tasked with being advocates for public education. We want to help them be the most effective voices in the Capitol that they can be, during and outside of Session.” 

The Trustee Advocates Program aims to help school board members and superintendents create teams of local public education advocates who are ready to engage in state-level education advocacy by providing expert training, experiential learning, and in-district support.

Legislators’ Public Education Views on the 89th Session

Rep. Charles Cunningham, HD 127, representing Humble, Huffman, Kingwood, and Atascocita, was joined by Rep. Matt Shaheen, HD 66, representing Plano, Frisco, Prosper, and Celina, and Rep. Stan Lambert, HD 71, from Abilene, representing Taylor, Nolan, Jones, and Callahan Counties on the dias with David Anderson from HillCo, as they discussed what they value most in constituent visits, the value school board trustees bring to the legislative process, and what their most important public education issues for the 89th legislative session. 

Our legislators agree that we are all trying to educate Texas school children and leave our communities better than we found them. “It is not about me, it is about the next generation,” said Rep. Cunningham. 

“We are sitting on over $20 billion in excess cash right now and we can’t afford to get education wrong,” continued Rep. Shaheen. “I lean on my trustees significantly. I meet with them before Session in town halls and then text them during Session. Education is incredibly complex, and we don’t understand it to the same level as a school board trustee, so the ability to talk to one another is vital.” 

When it comes to hearing from constituents, Rep. Lambert said, “I would rather hear from school board members, teachers, and students versus superintendents because they can share the outcomes and tell anecdotal stories about what is happening on the front lines. We want to continue to hear from advocates throughout all of Session.” 

Public Education Advocacy Advice from Texas Legislators: 

• Communication and messaging is key
  • “Keep the channels of communication open with us”
  • “We want to continue to hear from advocates throughout all of Session”
  • “We appreciate concise information in a one-pager format “ 
  • “Tell us what is burdensome in any draft legislation” 
• Bring legislators to campuses for school visits – especially in the interim 
• Dive deeper into the issues during the interim 

The panel wrapped up with the legislators sharing the public education issue they want to focus on the most during the 89th legislative session. Rep. Shaheen believes our teachers have the greatest impact on any child’s life outside their parents. The most pressing issue for him is our Texas teacher shortage and how Texas will retain our teachers. Rep. Cunningham is focused on school funding and accountability. He wants more money for education but wants to “see more of it in the classroom with our teachers. We need our teachers to be treated as the professionals they are.”  Rep. Lambert shared that teacher workforce is his number-one issue, saying there are fewer college graduates who are looking at the teaching profession, and they need to hear, ‘You are important – you are a professional.’ 

Tips for Effective Testimony at The Texas Legislature 

Amy Dodson welcomed the next group of panelists, who shared their expertise and experiences testifying in front of the Texas legislature. “The more you practice, the stronger your voice becomes,” said Dodson as the group of experts assembled behind the dias. 

The panel included HD Chambers, executive director of Texas School Alliance; Lynn Boswell, Austin ISD school board trustee; Missy Bender, executive director of Texas School Coalition; and Brian Woods, former Northside ISD superintendent. The panel was moderated by JoLisa Hoover, teacher specialist for Raise Your Hand Texas. 

Effective testimony includes: 

1. Research and preparation 
2. Effective communication that is solution-oriented 
3. Good storytelling 
4. Staying engaged when you finish testifying 

Regardless of whether someone is invited to testify or signed up to testify on a particular issue, that person should be honest with themselves and really think about their current expertise on the issue. Brian Woods encourages people to sit with someone they consider an expert and take notes on the topic, rounding out expertise. 

Missy Bender continued to say that you should write out your testimony for submission and then submit it to the clerk when you arrive. However, advocates should not plan to simply read their written testimony. Instead, just make three main points, and then bring up any additional points you have to make—  ones you learned and solidified during your expert interviews and while writing out your testimony—  if and when they ask you questions. 

Panelists shared that preparation also includes knowing who is on the committee who will hear your testimony, and incorporating what you have in common with the committee members into your testimony, when possible. 

HD Chambers recommends creating a narrative where you are telling a story about a particular person. Lynn Boswell continued to say that, above all else, memorable stories stand out. 

Top tips for testifying from the Panelists: 

• Do your homework. 
• Don’t make notes that you read. Instead, create bullet points and internalize them, using the bullet points to guide your testimony. 
• Know that there are countless ways to correct someone or respectfully tell them they are wrong. If you are invited, then you have a greater opportunity to be direct or blunt. Read the room and read the person. Be nuanced. 
• Don’t be intimidated by the word expert. Remember, you are the expert of your community.
• If you don’t know the answer, say, “I don’t know, and I’ll get back to you.” 
• Be prepared, but also be ready to adapt. 

When testifying, you must report how you are speaking about the bill.  

“FOR” the bill indicates you are testifying in support of the bill and will be giving specific support or observations as to why it would be helpful or important, if passed, to you or your district. 

“AGAINST” the bill indicates you are not in favor of the bill and, through testimony, will be sharing reasons and data for your opposition, which could include any negative impacts of the bill on your school, if passed. 

“ON” the bill indicates you will be sharing concerns about the bill and possibly also suggesting ways to improve the bill, but you are not taking a positive or negative approach. This is a powerful way to acknowledge good and not-so-good parts of a bill and share constructive actions that could be taken to make it a “good” bill, if passed, from your school’s perspective. 

Advocacy Is More Than Testifying at the Capitol 

Testimony is only one part of an advocacy journey and building a relationship with legislators. The panelists invited everyone to build relationships with legislators outside of the Capitol in their local communities outside of the Session by inviting legislators into your schools, and also finding ways to support legislators with your time. But, you can also start to build relationships or deepen them right now with the staff who serve on education committees. You can approach this by asking, “How can I help you?” and then thinking about member-specific district-level information you can share that they don’t have and they don’t know. 

Finally, remember that testimony isn’t your one-and-done advocacy moment. You might need to send another advocate or representative on the issue to their office. You are working the issue and working the bill throughout the Session, and you need to continue to stay engaged as the bill does or does not move forward throughout the legislative process. Missy Bender said, “If you cared enough to come and testify, then you need to care enough to work that bill. Continue your advocacy.” 

Libby Cohen, Ph.D. executive director for Raise Your Hand Texas, closed the day by emphasizing the need for intentionality in legislative activities and building trust in relationships. The importance of understanding legislators’ interests and maintaining a long-term strategy was also stressed. “You are the community leaders who can foster hope for educational change, bringing others along in your journey,” said Cohen. “Together with others, we’re building hope for the people that we all serve, including our 5.5 million Texas students.”