OSBA sent a delegation of 12 executives and school board members to Washinton, D.C., for the Advocacy Institute, including (from left) Luhui Whitebear of Corvallis, OSBA Board President Dawn Watson and Nancy Castillo-McKinnis of Phoenix-Talent, Tristan Irvin of Tigard-Tualatin, OSBA Deputy Executive Director Haley Percell, and David Jaimes of Tigard-Tualatin.

Last year hammered home that national politics deeply affect Oregon public education.

Even as OSBA leans into Oregon education issues, it keeps one eye on the federal government. To that effect, each year OSBA takes a delegation of local school board members to Washington, D.C., for the National School Boards Association's Advocacy Institute.

This year, the conference fell Feb. 1-3 while Congress was wrestling with budget bills and a partial shutdown, a stark reminder of the power of the purse.

OSBA Executive Director Emielle Nischik said Oregon's school board members took a different approach this year, focusing on building stronger relationships with congressional members while sharing the true stories from classrooms.

"Whether it's school meals, more funding for CTE programs, special education funding or the heartbreaking effects of immigration raids on our students, choices in D.C. touch real lives," Nischik said. "Sometimes the most powerful way to get that message across is to show them that you care enough to come to them and want to learn, listen and understand. A clear take away for me was that our whole delegation cares deeply about Oregon's children and families and cares about public education. After talking with my peers, we are very lucky to be in that situation."

This was the first time in years Oregon school board members were able to meet with all Oregon's congressional delegation, Nischik said.

The Advocacy Institute is an annual event that offers training to be a more effective advocate, connects school board members with peers around the country and facilitates meetings with members of Congress.

The Advocacy Institute focuses its programming on educational equity and striving for inclusive learning environment policies. Its chief advocacy goals this year were fully funding and modernizing the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, investing in educator professional development, investing in career and technical education, school cybersecurity support, prioritizing student health and wellness, and protecting public education funding.

Nischik and Haley Percell, OSBA chief legal officer and deputy executive director, led a delegation of 10 OSBA Board officers and school board members, including representatives from the Oregon School Board Members of Color Caucus.

Sunday's sessions included discussions of rural education opportunities, special education funding and federal law. Monday's sessions focused on advocacy lessons, and Tuesday was when they divided up to hold a series of meetings with Oregon's congressional delegation.

OSBA Board President Dawn Watson said they received a lot of useful information and training. Watson, a Phoenix-Talent School Board member, also felt like Oregon school board members strengthened their relationships with congressional members for future collaborations.

"I was expecting a doom-and-gloom trip because that felt like the atmosphere, but I came back energized and hopeful and ready to advocate for the rest of the year," she said.

- Jake Arnold, [email protected]