Leadership and political action For public school educators, they are two sides of the same coin It’s no coincidence that this issue of KEA News mixes a focus on association leadership with information about the November 4 elections. KEA activists, the members you see doing the association’s business in your school district, in your school or at your work site, recognize that their work in the association is the essential form of leadership. They know that joining KEA and participating at the local, state or national level help to make their professions and Kentucky’s public schools better. KEA is run by members for members. Because of the thousands of volunteer hours logged each year by hundreds of active members across the Commonwealth, KEA has remained a strong and effective voice for public education in Kentucky for more than 157 years. KEA members helped lead the way in the implementation of KERA more than 20 years ago, which was a watershed moment for Kentucky’s public schools. Most recently, KEA members are providing leadership in the implementation of the new Professional Growth and Effectiveness System (PGES) and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). KEA members are fighting for much-needed improvements to CIITS. And it was KEA’s leadership that gave new power to the voices of Kentucky educators through the TELL Kentucky survey and the annual “Let’s TALK: Conversations about Effective Teaching and Learning” conference. Perhaps most important, it was the legislative activism of hundreds of KEA members at the Capitol and thousands more back home that convinced the Kentucky General Assembly to pass a state budget with more than $370 million in new funds for public schools— including mandatory pay raises for all public school employees. The “educationfriendly” budget was a victory for KEA
members and a victory for all Kentucky public school students and their families. Members’ legislative engagement is central to our ability to continue to advocate for all the resources necessary to adequately support Kentucky’s public schools. It is vital that public
school employees have the confidence to approach their state legislators and the knowledge to talk with them about local and state education issues. That level of member engagement creates the power to ask for and get what you need in order to give Kentucky’s children the 21st-century education they deserve. However, legislative success does not begin and end with the annual sessions of the General Assembly. Legislative success really begins with political action. It is crucial that educators elect candidates who will support adequate school funding, defined benefit pensions, living wages, employment security for school employees, appropriate curriculum standards and collective bargaining. The only way you can know whether a candidate is education friendly is to become an informed voter. KEPAC, the Kentucky Educators’ Political Action Committee, exists to identify and elect education friendly candidates. KEPAC is a non-partisan organization separate from KEA which all KEA members are eligible to join and which is funded exclusively by voluntary contributions. No KEA member dues
money goes to support KEPAC. KEPAC contributors are organized according to where they live and vote. Every Kentucky county has a KEPAC county committee with an elected chair and vice chair. Counties are grouped by Kentucky senate district, which are referred to as KEPAC Senate Territories. The chair of each Senate Territory serves on the KEPAC State Committee. During each election cycle, the KEPAC State Committee decides which candidates to recommend in state races. Incumbents with proven records of support for public schools routinely receive endorsements. In open races or in races with incumbents whose voting records on education issues cause concern, constituents who are KEPAC contributors interview the candidates and make a recommendation to the state committee. On pages four and five of this issue there is a complete list of candidates for the Kentucky House and Senate who are endorsed by KEPAC. They are listed by House and Senate District. If you are not certain which districts you live and vote in, you can find out quickly by going to the website of the Kentucky Legislative Research Commission, at www.lrc.ky.gov, and clicking on “Who’s My Legislator?” Candidates for federal office are selected for endorsement by the NEA Fund for Children and Public Education with input from KEA members. This year, the NEA Fund endorsed Alison Lundergan Grimes for US Senate, John Yarmuth in the Third Congressional District (Louisville), and Elizabeth Jensen in the Sixth Congressional District (Lexington and surrounding counties). If you want to be a leader for your profession, for your school, for your students and for your community, start by being an informed voter. When you go to the polls on Tuesday, November 4, consider the candidates recommended by your fellow educators.
Be an education voter!