PSBA’s Legislative Action Program, which was founded in May of 1984, calls for participation from school directors in every phase of the association’s efforts to determine the legislative issues and positions most important to them.

In 2007, PSBA wanted to take a step further in connecting members even more directly in the important work of the association, including their advocacy efforts. A Membership Participation Task Force was formed to make specific suggestions for changes in the organization’s structure, duties of key organizational positions and other matters. The recommendations of the task force were adopted by the Board of Directors in July 2008 for implementation in 2009.

While the new organizational structure maintains the 15 PSBA regions, more assistant regional director positions have been created by linking the number of such positions in a region to groupings of school districts with common interests or other logical connections, which are named areas.

Under the revised Legislative Action Program, legislative coordinators (formerly called county coordinators) are selected under each regional cabinet to help organize advocacy efforts. Legislative coordinators are the key communicators in keeping their boards and areas informed of legislative developments and to contact legislators regarding important issues. Through the structure of the Legislative Advocacy Program, school board members meet on a countywide or area-wide level with their legislators to talk about priority education issues.

When are the meetings held? Generally, the meetings are held twice a year, and are organized by the legislative coordinator for each county or area. They generally are held in the fall and spring. Official notices of the meetings are mailed to superintendents and each school board’s PSBA liaison, president and secretary, but all school board members are urged to attend the meetings.

Upcoming meetings (by date)

• Lancaster/Lebanon: Mon., March 8, 8 a.m. (breakfast), IU 13 Conference Center, Lancaster.

• Mercer: Thurs., March 25, 7 p.m., Greenville HS in the Lecture Hall, Greenville.

• Luzerne: Mon., March 29, 7 p.m., Crestwood HS, Mountain Top (immediately following Region 7, Area 4 and 5 meeting).

• Blair: Mon., March 29, 7 p.m., Bellwood-Antis SD, Myers Elementary LGI Room, Bellwood (immediately following Region 5, Area 2 meeting).

• Bedford: Wed., March 31, 6 p.m. (dinner), Bedford County CTC, Everett.

• Clarion/Forest/Jefferson/Venango: Wed., March 31, 7 p.m., Riverview IU 6, Clarion.

• Wayne: Wed., April 7, 6:30 p.m., Western Wayne SD Administrative Building, South Canaan.

• Cambria/Somerset: Wed., April 7, 7 p.m., Windber Area HS in the boardroom, Windber.
  Northumberland/Columbia/Montour: Wed., April 7, 7 p.m., Mount Carmel Area JSHS, Mount Carmel.

• Schuylkill: Thurs., April 8, 7 p.m., Schuylkill IU 29 in the boardroom, Mar Lin.

• Indiana/Armstrong: Thurs., April 8, 7:30 p.m., ARIN IU 28 in the conference room, Indiana (immediately following Region 2, Area 5 and 6 meeting).

• Centre/Clinton: Thurs., April 15, 7 p.m., Bald Eagle Admin. Bldg., Wingate.

• Adams: Fri., April 16, 8 a.m., (continental breakfast) Upper Adams SD Administration Bldg, Biglerville.

• Lycoming: Thurs., April 22, 6 p.m., (dinner) Lycoming CTC, Hughesville.

• Lawrence: Thurs., April 22, 7:30 p.m., New Castle Area SD, New Castle (immediately following Region 2, Area 2 meeting).

• Allegheny: Wed., April 28, 7:30 p.m., Allegheny IU, Pittsburgh (immediately following Region 14 Cabinet meeting).

• Beaver: Thurs., April 29, 4:30 p.m., (dinner) Beaver Valley IU 27, Monaca.

• Susquehanna/Wyoming: Thurs., April 29, 7 p.m., Montrose Area JSHS, Montrose (immediately following Region 7, Area 1 meeting).

• Erie/Crawford/Warren: Thurs., April 29, 7 p.m., Penncrest SD, Saegertown JSHS, Saegertown.

• Montgomery: Fri., April 30, 8:15 a.m., William Penn Inn, Gweynedd.

• Franklin: Fri., April 30, 6 p.m., Franklin County CTC, Chambersburg

• Huntingdon/Mifflin/Juniata/Fulton: Thurs., May 6, 7 p.m., Kistler Elementary School, Mt. Union.

• Elk/Cameron/McKean/Potter: Wed., May 19, 10:30 a.m., Seneca Highlands IU 9, Smethport.

• Berks: Thurs., May 27, 7 p.m., Berks County IU 14, Rivers Chase Building, Reading.