​Why advocate?

Our students deserve the best public schools and teachers! We want great families and teaches to stay in NC public schools. The difference between the 2007-2008 and the 2016-2017 legislative overview is hard to digest.   

Engage
Talk to your NCGA representatives: Find your local Representative.
Who represents you?

Build relationships with the Wake legislative members.  
Once you have your representatives attention , how do you engage? 
The objective is to open a communication channel, not to confront or castigate members.  Develop a personal dialog with delegation members where they will be willing to take your call/visit in the future. 

Build relationships.  Consider using the FORD method

• Family: Tell me about your family.
• Occupation: What do you do for a living?
• Recreation: When you’re not at work on here in the legislature, what do you (and your family) enjoy doing? 
• Dreams/Goals: Tell me about your goals for your family, business and as a legislator

Ask open ended questions

• May I ask you a few questions about our public schools?  
• Give me five adjectives that in your opinion describe the academic quality of Wake’s schools.  
• The efficiency of the district management...
• The level of choice and opportunity provided by the Wake school system.

Ask qualifying questions about their answers

• Tell me more
• And that is a concern to you because…
• Could you rephrase that?
• Give me your impression of the quality of the elementary schools in Wake County.  

• What would you say are our three best features?
• What would you say are three areas for improvement?

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