It’s a week full of opportunities for members to engage with OSBA and the legislative process. OSBA held its Advocacy Day (see Adrienne’s column) on Thursday, April 24, and the OSBA Legislative Policy Committee will hold its second meeting of 2025 on Friday, April 25.
The LPC is OSBA’s working committee specifically focused on all things advocacy. The committee consists of the voting members of the OSBA Board, 20 representatives nominated and elected by local boards from 14 regions throughout the state, and a representative from each of the OSBA caucuses. The OSBA Board vice president serves as the LPC chair and directs its activities in conjunction with OSBA’s Government Relations and Communications team. This year the chair is Dawn Watson from the Phoenix-Talent School Board
In even-numbered years, the LPC helps prepare the advocacy agenda for the following long legislative session. In odd-numbered years, the LPC supports OSBA’s advocacy work through outreach to their region’s legislators and by acting as a source of information for school board members in their region.
During the 2025 session, the LPC is receiving weekly updates on OSBA’s work in Salem through a Friday lunchtime Zoom meeting and a written summary sent over the weekend.
In Friday’s virtual LPC meeting, we’ll debrief Thursday’s Advocacy Day and members’ engagement with legislators thus far this session, sharing best practices and tips across regions. We will also go into greater discussion on key bills making their way through the legislative process and emerging priorities at the federal level.
For OSBA members who might not be sure who represents their LPC region, the full list of members as well as other resources can be found on the OSBA Legislative Policy Committee webpage. We encourage members to use their local LPC representatives as a key information source.
For OSBA members interested in becoming more active in our organization’s advocacy work, keep in mind that LPC elections will be coming up this fall at the same time as OSBA Board elections.
– Stacy Michaelson
OSBA Government Relations and Communications Director
