Advocacy is speaking up to shape and influence public policy in a particular direction. For school board members, advocacy involves outreach to promote public education, researching and fact-finding to back a position, and mobilizing grassroots support for an issue.
Through advocacy, elected local school board members have the opportunity to
- To influence and inform other constituents (including elected officials).
- Raise awareness about the successes, needs, and issues facing local school districts.
- Champion a cause, issue, or policy that supports quality public education.
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What happens at the federal and state levels increasingly impacts our local public schools. Changes in labor or employment laws, new mandates and requirements on educational programs and staff, and school funding and taxation issues significantly alter how a school district operates and funds its programs. Board of education members are encouraged to share their expertise with lawmakers in Springfield and Washington D.C. to ensure sound education policy is included during the decision making process.
Stay Up-To-Date on the Issues
The Association sends regular federal and state legislative updates and Calls to Action for issues impacting education. Other resources to assist school board members with fact-finding and issue related data are available on the Legislation & Reports page.
Advocacy Ambassadors
The Advocacy Ambassador program is designed to foster relationships between school board members and state and federal legislators, building awareness of the critical issues faced by local school districts. Sign-up to become an IASB Advocacy Ambassador.
Advocacy Angle
IASB Governmental Relations staff regularly contribute articles for the Illinois School Board Journal in the "Advocacy Angle."
- State and Federal Funding: Priorities are in Order by Sarah Miller (January/February, 2026)
- Advocacy is So Much More by Jennifer Ciok (March/April, 2026)
Advocacy Days
Advocacy Days provide school board members the hands-on opportunity to take action and advocate for your local district, the students you serve, and the promise of public education. Join fellow board members in Springfield and/or Washington, D.C. each year to learn, network, and influence education policy at the state and federal level. Take a look back at the 2025 Federal Advocacy Conference and how school board members were able to share their districts' story.
COSSBA Federal Advocacy Conference
September 21-23, 2026
Washington, D.C.
Join education leaders from across the country at COSSBA’s 2026 Federal Advocacy Conference, taking place September 21-23 in Washington, D.C. This event will bring together school board members, school board association staff, and public education leaders for two days of learning, networking, and direct action on Capitol Hill. From exclusive briefings with top policymakers to hands-on advocacy training and dynamic general sessions, the conference will equip you with the tools and connections to make a real impact.
IASB Advocacy Day
Date TBD – 2027
Springfield, IL
Illinois school board members will gather in Springfield to elevate their voices at the state level again in 2027. IASB Advocacy Day is designed to empower school board members with knowledge and relationships that will strengthen your role as an education leader.
Board of education members will have an opportunity to meet with their local legislators and hear from panels of education leaders and policymakers to discuss the key issues impacting students and Illinois public education. IASB will offer comprehensive legislative and advocacy training to ensure that board members are equipped with the necessary advocacy skills to make their meetings a success. Check back in December for further registration information.
Board Members play a crucial role in advocacy when it comes to advancing the enduring mission of public education. Their unique lens and role as conduits between our communities and our schools enable meaningful bridge-building with elected officials and policymakers. As a superintendent, I have witnessed the powerful impact of school board members’ advocacy and can attest to the difference it has made on not only my own school district, but also public education.
Mary Gorr, Ed. D.; Superintendent, Mount Prospect SD 57