Our colleagues in other states tell us that Oregon is a bit of an outlier nationally with how closely our various education association partners collaborate. Personally, I take a fair amount of pride in that.
Although we know that we will sometimes have “family fights,” as we refer to them, when it comes to the big issues of K-12 funding, we know that we share the same end goal of student success and that we are more successful when we work together.
As family, we are comfortable referring to each other by shortened names, often lightheartedly referred to as the “alphabet soup” that is the collective K-12 lobby. As much as we try to remember to avoid acronyms, it’s an easy habit to fall into, and you’ll likely hear our team use them a fair bit.
So I would like to introduce the family.
COSA – The Coalition of Oregon School Administrators serves superintendents, principals and central office staff in much the same way that we serve school boards. Just as superintendents and boards work closely, COSA is one of our closest allies in our legislative advocacy. We even publish together a joint end-of-session report over the summer.
OEA – The Oregon Education Association represents licensed teachers and related services professionals across Oregon districts, as well as some classified staff. They also represent faculty and staff at 10 of Oregon’s 17 community colleges.
OSEA – The Oregon School Employees Association represents classified staff in the majority of Oregon school districts. They also represent staff at some Head Starts, community colleges, local libraries and parks departments.
OAESD – The Oregon Association of Education Service Districts represents Oregon’s 19 education service districts. OAESD is made up of ESD board members (who are also our members) and ESD administrators (who are generally also COSA members).
OASBO – The Oregon Association of School Business Officials is a lean team of just an executive director and administrative assistant. OASBO provides support to the business office staff across Oregon’s school districts and ESDs through trainings and advocacy. Like us, they are asked to help conduct the fiscal analysis on bills that come before the Legislature that might impact schools.
Oregon PTA – This statewide network of parents advocates on behalf of Oregon’s schools.
OSBA – Well, you know us. We’re here to advocate on behalf of locally elected education leaders and to support our elected boards in their service to students across Oregon.
Each of these groups has a constituency it serves, which sometimes brings us into conflict. But we also frequently meet, listen to each other’s concerns and strategize together because we all have the same driving goal: to create the best possible public education system for all Oregon’s children.
– Stacy Michaelson
OSBA Director of Government Relations and Communications
