PSBA’s Legislative Advocacy Program

When new legislation passes, PSBA is seen as the leader in analyzing it and helping members make sense of it.

PSBA Liaison

As the primary local link with PSBA on such issues, the PSBA Liaison receives Legislative Memos and other communications from PSBA's Office of Governmental and Member Relations to share with the board. The liaison serves several important roles:

  • A link to the state organization, receiving special updates on PSBA programs and initiatives to share with fellow members of your school board and leadership team.
  • A key contact for the PSBA regional director who is elected to represent school districts in your area on the association's Board of Directors.
  • A legislative representative with primary responsibility to keep you board informed of developments in the Pennsylvania General Assembly and to provide legislators with your board's position on key issues. The PSBA Liaison has access to the association's Legislative Action Center at www.psba.org and receives weekly updates and e-mail alerts as major bills move through the state Senate and House of Representatives. In addition, the PSBA Liaison typically serves as one of the district's official voting delegates to the Legislative Policy Council and represents your board at county legislative meetings generally held twice each year -- in the fall to select priority issues from the PSBA platform and in the spring to review those priorities with legislators.

County Coordinator

The role of the county coordinator is a crucial element in the success of PSBA's Legislative Action Program. Elected from and by all of the local legislative chairpersons in each county, the county coordinator conducts at least two meetings throughout the year to discuss legislative issues and to select priority items from the PSBA platform. 

The county coordinator also communicates frequently with legislators and provides them with PSBA's positions on various proposals. He or she maintains regular contact with other legislative chairpersons in the county to coordinate communications with legislators and keep PSBA informed of county developments. In addition, the county coordinator is a member of PSBA's Legislative Action Council, and casts the county's vote in selecting the association's legislative priorities for the year.

School directors interested in becoming a county coordinator should contact Karen Devine for more information. There are currently vacancies that need to be filled.

Legislative Action Council 

The Action Council differs greatly from the Policy Council in both membership and duties. The Action Council is comprised of PSBA's county coordinators, vice presidents, regional directors and assistant regional directors.
It is the responsibility of the Action Council to select PSBA priority legislative issues from the platform items submitted by the county groups. All proposed items are brought before the Action Council at its annual meeting during the PSBA Legislative Leadership Conference held each February. After discussion and vote, those items receiving the highest votes are the priority issues for the ensuing year's grassroots efforts. 

Legislative Policy Council 

The one body with final authority to act on proposed legislative items and resolutions is the Legislative Policy Council. It meets once each year during the annual School Leadership Conference. 
As provided under the PSBA Bylaws, member school entities are entitled to appoint board members or board secretaries as their representatives according to the following formula: 

  • First-class districts -- four representatives
  • Second -lass districts -- three representatives
  • Third-class districts -- two representatives
  • Fourth-class districts -- one representative
  • Intermediate units, vocational-technical schools and other member entities -- one representative

Platform Committee

This standing committee is comprised of PSBA officers and representatives of the association's 15 state regions and five organizational departments (School Board Secretaries, School Board Solicitors, Educational Office Professionals, Pupil Transportation Association and Vocational Administrators). Members are appointed by each regional director or department president.

The committee meets once a year, prior to the annual School Leadership Conference. The members deliberate and vote on all items submitted to PSBA for consideration in the platform. Proposals that receive committee approval are then presented to the Legislative Policy Council for further discussion and a final vote.