Let's Get This Conversation Started
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Let’s Get This Conversation Started: Strategies, Tools, Examples and Resources to Help States Engage with Stakeholders to Develop and Implement their ESSA Plans June 2016 THE COUNCIL OF CHIEF STATE SCHOOL OFFICERS The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) is a nonpartisan, nationwide, nonprofit organization of public officials who head departments of elementary and secondary education in the states, the District of Columbia, the Department of Defense Education Activity, and five U.S. extra-state jurisdictions. CCSSO provides leadership, advocacy, and technical assistance on major educational issues. The Council seeks member consensus on major educational issues and expresses their views to civic and professional organizations, federal agencies, Congress, and the public. Let’s Get This Conversation Started: Strategies, Tools, Examples and Resources to Help States Engage with Stakeholders to Develop and Implement their ESSA Plans COUNCIL OF CHIEF STATE SCHOOL OFFICERS Tony Evers (Wisconsin), President Chris Minnich, Executive Director We are grateful to our partners at the following organizations for their help in developing this guide: AASA, The School Superintendents Association, American Federation of Teachers, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, National Association of Elementary School Principals, National Association of Secondary School Principals, National Association of State Boards of Education, National Conference of State Legislatures, National Council on Learning Disability, National Education Association, National Governors Association, National Indian Education Association, National PTA, National School Boards Association, National Urban League, Partners for Each and Every Child Council of Chief State School Officers One Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Suite 700 Washington, DC 20001-1431 Phone (202) 336-7000 Fax (202) 408-8072 www.ccsso.org Copyright © 2016 by the Council of Chief State School Officers, Washington, DC All rights reserved 2 | P a g e CCSSO Stakeholder Engagement Guide Contents Overview ...........................................................................................................................................4 Stakeholder Engagement Checklist .....................................................................................................6 Part I: Getting Started ........................................................................................................................9 1. Clarify your goals ............................................................................................................................... 9 2. Work with partner organizations to identify and engage with your stakeholders ......................... 10 Part II: Engagement Best Practices .................................................................................................... 11 3. Speak to your audience ................................................................................................................... 11 4. Use multiple vehicles ...................................................................................................................... 13 5. Identify your best ambassadors ...................................................................................................... 14 6. Ask for input before decisions are made, and use it ...................................................................... 15 7. Keep your materials simple and brief ............................................................................................. 16 8. Communicate early and often ........................................................................................................ 17 Part III: Sustaining Engagement ........................................................................................................ 18 9. Keep your team informed ............................................................................................................... 18 10. Turn these new connections into long-term relationships ............................................................. 19 Planning Tools ................................................................................................................................. 20 Timeline (July 2016-Jan 2017) ................................................................................................................. 21 Timeline (Feb-August 2017) .................................................................................................................... 22 Influencer Map ........................................................................................................................................ 23 Relationship Map .................................................................................................................................... 24 Action Plan .............................................................................................................................................. 25 List of Stakeholders for ESSA Engagement ............................................................................................. 26 Additional Resources .............................................................................................................................. 27 3 | P a g e CCSSO Stakeholder Engagement Guide Let’s Get This Conversation Started: Strategies, Tools, Examples and Resources to Support States in Developing and Implementing their Stakeholder Engagement Plans Overview The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) offers states an incredible opportunity to develop or refine a strategic vision for education to chart their own path “There is a big difference forward. The new federal law allows education between engaging people leaders and stakeholders to rethink their own accountability, funding, school improvement and and having a meeting.” grant-making systems by gathering input from the - National Education people who know their state best. ESSA requires Association extensive outreach and engagement efforts to everyone from policymakers to educators to tribal organizations to parents, prompting many states to rethink their definitions of meaningful engagement. This is an opportunity for state education agencies (SEAs) to not only connect with current education advocates, but to seek out those who feel disconnected or who have not been historically engaged in a public education dialogue. SEAs should not engage stakeholders simply out of compliance, structure discussions as a one-way conversation, or seek input long after it can be used to inform decision making. That approach leaves stakeholders feeling like their time has been wasted and less likely to seek out engagement opportunities in the future. ESSA creates an opportunity for stakeholders to play a more active role in the creation of state policy and for SEAs to build new relationships they can continue through implementation, evaluation and into the launch of new initiatives. States can use ESSA stakeholder engagement strategies to get communities excited about statewide education plans and committed to continuous collaboration with state and local leaders to improve student outcomes. 4 | P a g e CCSSO Stakeholder Engagement Guide SEAs committed to making the most of this engagement opportunity should first reflect on how they currently work with stakeholders. The goal of ESSA engagement should be for stakeholders to leave feeling heard, informed and aware of how they can stay involved—is that what is happening now? SEAs should consider who they connect with regularly, who those stakeholders represent, and how their input is used, as well as who has not been historically engaged in a public education dialogue. This is no easy task, especially in already stretched-thin SEAs. This resource is meant to provide SEAs with detailed guidance on how best to plan for, launch and carry out this effort with a wide range of stakeholders. This guide was developed in consultation with 15 national advocacy and civil rights groups, and contains specific strategies on how best to connect with, speak to and learn from stakeholders with a unique perspective. This tool expands the guidance on 10 engagement steps first provided in “Let’s Get This Conversation Started: Steps Every State Should Take to Map Out Its ESSA Engagement Strategy1,” and provides: Detailed guidance on stakeholder engagement strategies; State examples of effective strategies; Stakeholder-specific tactics; Planning templates and tools; A breakdown of stakeholders states are required to engage under each ESSA program; and Lists of additional stakeholder engagement resources. 1 This guide contains many hyperlinks in its examples and resources. You can access a digital version of this guide on CCSSO’s ESSA website: http://www.ccsso.org/Resources/Programs/Every_Student_Succeeds_Act.html 5 | P a g e CCSSO Stakeholder Engagement Guide Stakeholder Engagement Checklist This guide contains a detailed roadmap for engaging with a range of different stakeholder groups. Use this checklist as a reminder for key elements to incorporate into your work, to assess your current engagement approach, and to document your evidence. Engagement Strategy Checklist Evidence Strategy 1. Clarify your . Have you used your state’s education vision to drive your goals. approach to stakeholder engagement? . Do stakeholders know why they are being engaged? . Who are the key communities you want to reach? . Have you shared your broad policy views with stakeholders