OSBA Legislative Roadshow is building ensemble

Published: October 1, 2024

Three Jefferson School District leaders came to their first OSBA Legislative Roadshow looking for information.

"I like knowing what is coming and I like planning ahead," said board Chair Teri Mitchell.

OSBA staff offered a map for 2025 on Monday in Salem, the first stop for the OSBA Legislative Roadshow.

The fall regional meetings will visit 20 spots all over Oregon through Nov. 7. OSBA staff and leadership will share what OSBA is working on and seek input from members. The meetings stress that members' connections with their communities are the backbone of education advocacy.

The Marion, Polk and Yamhill counties event at the Willamette Education Service District offices had close to three dozen school board members and superintendents. Attendees had time to mingle with their peers in the region as well as representatives on the OSBA Board and the Legislative Policy Committee.

Emielle Nischik, OSBA executive director, opened the meeting by sharing a bit of her personal reasons for being passionate about public schools.

"School and education were a safe place for me. I didn't have a lot of safe places at home," she said. "I firmly believe education is the one equalizer that can change the directory of literally generations."

The regional meetings coincide with OSBA's election season. Ballots start going out Oct. 15. Nischik and Haley Percell, OSBA interim deputy executive director and chief legal officer, presented three resolutions that will be on the ballot.

OSBA is asking members for a gradual membership dues increase. OSBA has not increased its dues since 1998. Running a school district has become far more complex, and the association offers hundreds of hours of free board and administrative professional training, policy support, communications help and legal services. OSBA is seeking the dues increase to help ensure OSBA's services can match boards' needs, according to Nischik.

OSBA members are also seeking to create an Oregon School Board Members PRIDE Caucus. Operating similar to the Oregon School Board Members of Color Caucus and the Oregon Rural School Board Members Caucus, the new caucus would promote a quality education for all students with an emphasis on the unique needs of LGBTQIA2S+ students, staff and school board members.

The third resolution would update OSBA's bylaws to more clearly state the roles and responsibilities of caucuses and OSBA Board members.

The bulk of the meeting - and most members' main reason for coming - revolved around the upcoming 2025 legislative session.

Efren Zamudio, OSBA Legislative Services specialist, laid out some of the background. Legislative leadership is in transition and that presents opportunities for grassroots advocacy, he said.

Zamudio introduced OSBA's three 2025 priorities: funding, accountability and addressing chronic absenteeism.

Jefferson Board member Fred Sondermayer is enthusiastic about the advocacy direction.

"No one in here is going to say they are funded adequately," Sondermayer said.

But as a taxpayer, Sondermayer said, he also loves the accountability part.

"I don't mind paying taxes for the kids, but I want it spent well," he said.

Mitchell and Sondermayer agreed that absenteeism is one of the major challenges their district is grappling with.

Adrienne Anderson, OSBA Legislative Services specialist, called on board members to connect with OSBA to continue building an advocacy network and sharpen OSBA's work.

She and Zamudio "can only do so much," Anderson said. "We also only know so much. We are not on the ground. We're not in the schools. We're not interacting with the students or administration either. You all are."

Nischik closed the meeting by calling on the audience to share some things that are going well. Public education often receives a lot of negative attention and OSBA wants more positive stories to help change the narrative and show what is possible, Nischik said.

Mitchell took the moment to celebrate Jefferson's new district leadership and new interim superintendent, Dawn Moorefield, who was also at the meeting. Mitchell captured one of the sentiments of the evening.

"I really like that they are really cohesive and working well and doing what is best for students," she said.

- Jake Arnold, OSBA
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