In December, 398 MASSP members weighed in on both immediate, pandemic-related priorities and longer-term policy priorities for the 2021-2022 legislative session. This is the most participation our priorities survey has garnered since we started it several years ago. While it was clear from the responses that the issue areas targeted in the survey were all of importance to Principals (every single issue we asked about was ranked first by at least 10 people), three immediate priorities and three longer-term priorities outstripped the rest.
For immediate pandemic-related priorities, MASSP members identified the following three issues as most pressing:
- Educator evaluation waivers for both the student growth and non-student growth statutory requirements,
- State assessment waivers, and
- Additional funding for mental health supports.
For longer-term policy priorities, these three issues rose to the top:
- School funding, both an increase in funding and a shift toward more needs-based funding;
- Student and staff mental health supports; and
- Educator evaluation reforms to negate the impact of student growth and state assessment data and to make the process less burdensome and more improvement-focused.
Clearly, there is overlap between what members' see as the most pressing issues that MASSP should work on in the short-term and those issues that need to be addressed once the immediate needs are addressed. Moreover, there is significant overlap between these priorities and the priorities that MASSP members set for the 2019-2020 legislative session, which means we have already been working on those issues. From an advocacy standpoint, this overlap is a good thing. It allows us to focus on fewer issues, work on those issues from multiple angles simultaneously, and build on the progress we have already made.
Targeted Progress on Big Issues
We want to ensure we are addressing member's concerns, but these are big issues with multiple moving pieces. To help us target our work and to inform the negotiations and compromises we will inevitably need to make, MASSP is hosting a series of six regional listening sessions to give members a chance to weigh in on what elements within each of these priorities are most pressing or important. We have scheduled these listening sessions based on MASSP Regions (1-12). We want to hear from you. These sessions are also up as events on our website and they are open to all MASSP members who want to register.
- Regions 1, 2, 4: Tuesday, January 19 from 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
- Regions 5 & 9: Thursday, January 21 from 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
- Regions 6 & 8: Monday, January 25 from 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
- Regions 3 & 7: Thursday, January 28 from 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
- Regions 10 & 11: Monday, February 8 from 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
- Region 12: Thursday, February 11 from 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
What Else Can I Do To Help?
In the coming weeks and months, MASSP will be meeting with House and Senate leadership and key legislators in both chambers to educate them (especially the newly elected ones) about our priorities. As we work on these issues here in Lansing, MASSP members should watch for updates and, especially, calls to action.
In the meantime, you don't have to wait for an action alert from MASSP to begin having a positive impact on these priority issues now. Politics is a business based on relationships, so as we move into the new year, please reach out to your local lawmakers. Introduce yourself. Build a relationship. If you already know your local lawmaker (maybe the person was a teacher in your building or someone you go to church with), offer to be a resource for that person. You don't have to be best friends to start a conversation, share a copy of MASSP's priorities, and connect these issues to the challenges you are facing locally. Encourage them to reach out to MASSP if they want to help.
Thank you for all your work on behalf of students.