Policy Making Basics 

- Afterschool Alliance 

How is Policy Made? 

Generally speaking, elected officials and their staff make policy. They appropriate money for afterschool programs through school, city, state and federal budgets. They also decide how funds can be used, what training or supports may be offered and what activities should take place in afterschool programs they fund. They are the policy makers.

It is also the job of these policy makers to represent you - the constituents who voted them into office.  Therefore your opinion on issues is extremely important to them.  If they don't respond to your viewpoints, they are likely to lose their jobs. 

That's why it is so important to advocate, to tell your elected officials about issues that matter to you. 

What Does It Mean to Advocate?

It means your educating. You are advocating every time you press your point of view on an issue, whether it is what to eat for dinner or how much the federal government should invest in afterschool.

Your Advocacy Can Shape Policy

When you express your opinion to your elected officials, you can help shape the policy they create.  Remember, they were  voted into office to represent the voices of the community when making decisions on policy issues.

You know firsthand the profound impact afterschool has on the lives of children, their families and your community. Because you have a story to tell about afterschool, you can be the most effective advocate for sustaining and expanding support of afterschool programs in your community.

The future of afterschool programs lies in the level of commitment that public officials make to fund programs.

Are You Allowed to Advocate for Afterschool?

When you hear summer, do you hear fun, sun or vacation? How about learning loss?

Many people still have a picture of summer in their head that looks like a carefree adventure, exploring the outdoors, sleepovers under the stars, fun with friends, and long, sunny days. But the reality of the situation for tens of thousands of Oregon students is very different; days in front of a screen, hungry nights, months of math and reading skills long forgotten. Educators have long seen the difference in students that bound out the doors in June from those that return in September.

After co-authoring Response to Intervention during her graduate school years, working with local experts, attending countless professional development workshops, and evaluating schools around the state, Louise Bronaugh realized something needed to change. Louise founded Best Workshops for Educators in 2004, launching Summer Springboard July of 2013. Summer Springboard is an exemplary program that combines improved student math scores, top of the line professional development for teachers, and summer fun for all involved. 

As far as students are concerned, Summer Springboard is not just school, but so much more than your standard summer camp. Middle school students receive instruction in math, financial literacy and computer science, with time for snacks and recreation included each day. Classroom dynamics focus on a positive atmosphere, encouraging one another and becoming more successful in the classroom. Teachers and coaches acknowledge positive student behavior throughout the class time, awarding points that can be used at the end of each week to earn small prizes. Not only are students building classroom management and teamwork skills, every student who went through the pilot program had improved math scores by the end of the camp.   

Learn more about what you can do to join the battle against summer learning loss at www.oregonask.org. Check out student data HERE and see what a difference Summer Springboard could make for your students! How could you say no to an opportunity like this?

How does your organization screen and select safe volunteers to work with kids?

If you rely on a background check, join Oregon Mentors staff to learn why  volunteer screening goes way beyond the background check.
During this six-hour training based on SAFE: Screening Applicants for Effectiveness, we'll review your organization's current screening practices and provide an in-depth dive on 21 tools you can use to screen out child predators.

Friday, April 11th - La Grande   

RSVP at: https://oregonmentors.wufoo.com/forms/safe-training-rsvp/. For questions or comments, please contact Meghan Perry at [email protected] or 503-517-8990 x 201.