Once you have defined your issue and identified goals for your advocacy efforts, decide who can help you achieve your goals - who has the ability to make the changes that you want. These decision makers are the "targets" of your advocacy efforts. The first step is outlining the targets of your efforts, and the tactics that will achieve your objectives.
Primary Targets
It's important that the decision-makers are people such as school board members, principals, and lawmakers who have the power to deliver your goals. Most of your persuasion efforts should be focused on them. When planning, ask yourself:
Who has the power to make your solution a reality? Is the issue something a principal can change or is it a district-wide policy?
Personalize your target, making it single individual as opposed to a whole group. This helps make your goal seem more attainable. It may seem much easier to influence your school principal, a city council member, or member of Congress than taking on the school district, city hall, or Washington.
Whenever possible, focus your efforts on more than one target. This is especially important when you are trying to persuade lawmakers, because power is generally split amongst many branches of government, and to be effective and spark change, pressure must come from a variety of places.
Secondary Targets
This group is the prominent members of the community, such as business leaders, activists, clergy, community groups, civic organizations, and the members of the media who can help you influence your primary targets.
On-going Targets
Who are your most likely supporters among the public at large? These will be the people whom the PTA needs to inform or target for "get-out-the-vote" (GOTV) drives for ballot initiatives. Think in terms of counties, precincts, neighborhoods, school districts, and other ways to break up large targets into manageable segments.
Targeting State and Local Legislators
Lobbying legislators is about persuading them to do what you believe is right. There are five main categories of legislators, each requiring its own special strategy:
Champions
Each issue needs a group of lawmakers dedicated to being tireless, committed advocates for the cause. They can make the case to their colleagues, help develop a strong "inside" strategy, and be visible public spokespeople. However, they need good information and visible support outside the Capitol, which is where you come in.
Allies
This group will be on your side and can be pushed to do more-to speak up in party caucuses or on the floor, or meet with undecided lawmakers on your behalf.
Fence Sitters
Some legislators will be uncommitted on the issues, open to being swayed to vote either way. These are your key targets; an effective lobbying strategy is creating the right mix of "inside" persuasion and "outside" pressure to sway them your way.
Mellow Opponents
Another group of legislators will vote against you, but are not inclined to be active on the issue. It is key to keep them from becoming more active by lobbying just enough to give them pause about taking a more active role, but not too much to make them angry.
Hard Core Opponents
Finally, there are those lawmakers who are leading your opposition. It is important to isolate them by highlighting the extremes of their positions, rhetoric, and alliances, and giving other lawmakers pause about joining with them.
Depending on the targets you select, there will be a number of ways to reach out to them. If the target is an elected politician, it is important to remember that PTA is a non-partisan organization and certain political activities are not allowed. While it is acceptable to draft, petition for, or endorse ballot initiatives when they fit within the strict parameters of PTA's national resolutions and position statements, state or local PTA units may not endorse or campaign on behalf of, or against, any candidate or political party.
One-on-One Persuasion Campaigns
These are aimed at your primary targets, the decision-makers. PTA members are mobilized to make appeals on behalf of passage, or defeat, of a particular school policy or piece of local, state, or federal legislation or regulation. This can be done in person or by means of telephone calls, letters, faxes, or e-mails.
Media Campaigns
All media efforts are aimed at influencing decision-makers and the public (more on these tactics can be found in Develop an Appealing Message section).
Petition Drives
Aimed at either the general public or decision-makers, petition drives have a two-pronged goal of educating the community and obtaining the signatures required to rescind or reinstate a policy, or place an issue before the electorate.
Public Education Campaigns
These campaigns are typically aimed at the public and should be included in any "Get Out The Vote" efforts. Members of the local, state, or national PTA organization can circulate guides discussing issues ranging from vouchers and school privatizations to what parents should look for in a proposed charter school. These campaigns can also include hosting candidate forums or town hall meetings.
Voter Registration or "Get Out The Vote" Campaigns
First, check with your local and state government for the rules and restrictions regarding registration drives, which can often be conducted in conjunction with petition drives or PTA membership drives. "Get Out The Vote" efforts include door-to-door or telephone canvassing, as well as helping people to the polls on election day.
Host a Candidate Forum or Town Hall Meeting
A candidate forum or town hall meeting will provide people in your community the opportunity to meet local public officials, school board representatives, and other decision-makers. To conduct an effective Town Hall Meeting, follow a few key steps:
Create a forum planning committee.
Include PTA officers and members, educators and school officials, business and community leaders, and anyone else who may hold a stake in the debate. Work with members in your community or other organizations that may have already scheduled a similar forum similar.
Develop the format/logistics for the event.
Who will be invited to attend? Will a large, blanket invitation be issued? Where will it be held? Will local businesses be asked to contribute resources? Your program should not run more than 1-1/2 hours and should allow time for questions from the audience.
Publicize the meeting.
Determine the most effective means to invite participants and attendees. This could include posters, announcements in community newspapers and newsletters, and radio ads. Be sure to begin publicizing the event right after the date, place, time, and speakers have been finalized.
Contacting/inviting speakers and a moderator:
Select a respected community leader as a moderator, preferably someone who is an experienced speaker, unbiased in his or her opinions. Be sure to invite all points of view and be prepared to convey the PTA position clearly.
Overseeing media events:
Contact the local print, television (including cable), and radio media outlets through phone calls and press releases.
After the Town Hall Meeting:
Send thank-you notes to panelists and submit a community interest piece to the local newspapers about what transpired. Provide pictures if possible.
