The 2020 general election is over. Now what? Stay engaged, stay active! No matter how you feel about the election results, there are many ways to continue making a difference and ensure your voice is heard on important issues facing Texas public education. 

KNOW WHO REPRESENTS YOU 

There is no shame in admitting you don’t know who represents you. Luckily, there are quick, easy ways to find out who your representatives are across various levels of government.  

Who Represents Me? 
A great place to start is by visiting wrm.capitol.texas.gov. Simply enter your address, hit “Find,” and you’ll be shown your U.S. congressional representative, Texas House and Senate members, State Board of Education member, and U.S. senators. 

At the Local Level 
Change starts from within your local community. It’s important to know the characters in your local government. Visit usa.gov/local-governments to begin a search for your mayor, city council members, city managers, and more. Use your school district’s website to find out who represents you on the board of trustees. 

At the State & Federal Level 
Much of ATPE’s advocacy is focused on the State Capitol in Austin, but we also have a lobbyist in Washington, D.C. To learn more about your state and federal representatives, visit ATPE’s Advocacy Central. (This is an ATPE membership benefit, so you’ll need to log in. If you are unable to access your account, call ATPE Membership at (800) 777-2873.) To access this tool, head to atpe.org/advocacy-central, scroll to where it says “Find Officials” on the right-hand side, and select “Elected Officials.” Then, enter your ZIP code, hit the gray arrow, enter your address, and hit the gray arrow again. A directory of your elected state and federal officials will appear. You can view their contact information, links to their social media profiles, and particular bills they’ve authored that ATPE is tracking. 

KNOW HOW TO STAY INFORMED 

Now that you know the “who” component of being politically involved, it’s also important to know the “what.” What’s the latest news? What bill is up for debate? Here are a few ways to stay informed.  

Use TeachtheVote.org 
ATPE’s comprehensive advocacy website, TeachtheVote.org, makes it easy for any Texan—including educators, parents, and college students—to read the public education news that matters most; stay informed through regular blog posts and email updates; and follow legislative action as it happens. Teach the Vote connects your choices at the polls to the realities in the classroom. When it’s election season again, you can research the education platforms of political candidates and elected officials and decide which candidates will make public education a top priority. Are you on Twitter? Then follow @TeachtheVote and the ATPE lobbyists.

Watch Hearings Online 
One way to stay up to date on Texas politics is to watch legislative and regulatory hearings online via livestream. Committee hearings are a critical stop in the legislative process and viewable at capitol.texas.gov. Committee chairs have the power to determine which legislation advances in the process—and they face enormous pressure from advocates and other lawmakers about which legislation to hear. One way to “kill” a bill is to make sure it’s never heard in committee. Hearings are also the forum for advocates, including ATPE, to offer input on pending legislation. Similarly, you can watch meetings of state regulatory boards, such as the State Board of Education (SBOE), State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC), and Teacher Retirement System (TRS) on the respective agency websites. Check the websites of your school district and city to find out about upcoming local governmental hearings. 

KNOW HOW TO BE AN ACTIVE PARTICIPANT 

Now that you know who your elected representatives are, it’s time to hold them accountable. Whether you and your representatives are politically aligned or not, your outreach matters. Legislators keep track of how many constituents call and write to them, what topics they care about, and their stances on those topics. They take that into consideration when voting on bills. 

Use Advocacy Central to Call, Email, or Tweet 
Advocacy Central is also your one-stop shop for influencing bills that affect public education at the state or federal level. Once again, you’ll go to atpe.org/advocacy-central. There, you’ll find links to contact your elected officials and advocacy campaigns centered on major bills, ATPE’s legislative priorities, or other trending topics. Clicking on each campaign allows you to read ATPE’s stance on the issue and gives you the opportunity to send a message to the appropriate elected official who will be voting on the bill or deciding on a policy. Advocacy Central enables you to communicate quickly and easily with your state senator or representative, the governor, the lieutenant governor, the Texas attorney general, your congressional delegation in Washington, D.C., and even the president. On certain campaigns, ATPE has customized messages for the State Board of Education, State Board for Educator Certification, or commissioner of education. With only a few clicks, you can communicate with your elected officials by email, phone, or social media. The best part is that you can opt to use prewritten messages and scripts already drafted for you by ATPE, or you can replace that text with your own words. Once you’ve finalized your message, just enter your name and contact information in the fields below and hit send. 

Communicate Effectively 
Often, when you reach out to a representative’s office, you will be communicating with a staff member or aide. Don’t be disappointed: The staff member may be the resident expert on education issues, so they’re often the best person to talk to. No matter whom you speak to, it’s important to be professional and polite in your communications. Consider making your outreach personalized to you. Proofreading is also important. Unfriendly officeholders love to point out errors in something written by an educator! Try to be clear, concise, and kind. Also, in most cases, it’s best only to contact your own elected officials, especially your congressional delegation in D.C., unless you have a personal relationship with another officeholder. There may be times where reaching out to members of a certain committee for a particular bill could prove helpful. ATPE’s lobbyists will share recommendations on Advocacy Central about which officeholders you should contact in each situation. 

Attend Meetings 
Whether it’s a town hall, issue forum, or candidate debate, elected officials and candidates often hold these events so they can hear directly from constituents and discuss trending topics. It’s a perfect time to ask a question and get face-to-face time with the people who represent you or are vying to become your elected official. To find information about when and where these meetings take place, go to the official website of the officeholder or candidate. Also watch for announcements of upcoming events at TeachtheVote.org. 

Write a Letter to the Editor 
ATPE often reaches out to Texas media seeking opportunities to publish op-eds in newspapers across the state. Local journalism is a vital service for its community and, as such, there may be opportunities for you to write a letter to the editor of your local paper and speak about your experience as an educator and how you and your students have been affected by decisions made by state officials. 

Provide Testimony or Written Input 
Often during hearings, there is an opportunity for citizens to submit testimony—either through writing or orally. This is another chance for your educator voice to be heard and influence legislation or policy. Use the links in this piece to find out about upcoming legislative hearings and instructions on how to submit testimony. Check your local websites for opportunities to testify at school board or city council meetings. Read ATPE’s advocacy blog at TeachtheVote.org to find out about other opportunities for educators to share input on the implementation of new laws and changes to regulations, such as Commissioner’s Rules. If you need assistance, reach out to the ATPE lobbyists for help.  

For additional guidance on your political involvement activities, contact ATPE Governmental Relations at government@atpe.org.