Advocacy Toolkit
Action Alerts
Click here to send a message THANKING the six Senate Budget Conferees and encourage them to stand strong for students.
Click here to send a message ASKING the six House Budget Conferees to reconsider the House Budget's devastating cuts to education.
Talking Points
Click here to access the Alliance Talking Points on the education budget.
Call or Write your Legislator
It's never a bad time to call or write your representatives and let them know how vital education funding is to Virginia's economic development.
- Access the "Who's My Legislator" web page to get the phone numbers and email addresses of your Senator and Delegate!
- Use the Alliance Talking Points, or put the message in your own words!
Links to Other Education Resources
National Organizations
- Public Education Network A national organization working to build public demand and mobilize resources for quality public education for all children. PEN Weekly NewsBlast is an excellent source of information, resources and funding information for public schools. Free subscription
- Education Trust works for the high academic achievement of all students at all levels, kindergarten through college, and forever closing the achievement gaps that separate low-income students and students of color from other youth. Virginia Report
- National Institute for Early Education Research Develops annual reports on the state of pre-school in each state. Download the Virginia Report.
Virginia Organizations and Agencies
- Virginia 21
- Foundation for Virginia
- PTA of Virginia
- Virginia Board of Education
- Virginia Department of Education
- Virginia Education Association
Sources of Data and Assessment:
- SchoolMatters is a service of Standard and Poors that provides information and powerful search and comparison tools to help uncover the stories behind the numbers, and further the discussion about how to improve student performance.
General Assembly Reports: JLARC Education reports for download of full reports
- Update on Standards of Quality Funding: JLARC Tier One and SOQ Adopted by the Board of Education (Presentation to House Appropriations) Briefing Only (May 2005)
- State Spending on Standards of Quality (SOQ) Costs (December 2004)
- Review of Factors and Practices Associated with School Performance in Virginia(December 2003)
How Can I Help?
As an individual, you can:
- Sign up! If you’ve already done it – thank you.
- Donate online to the Legal Aid Justice Center to support the work of the Alliance using Network for Good, a secure online donation services. You will have an opportunity to designate your donation for the Alliance for Virginia's Students. Undesignated donations will be allocated by the LAJC Board.
- Tell your Friends, Family and Neighbors about the Alliance. Ask them to PLEASE join you and sign up.
- Ask your local government and school board to adopt a Resolution in Support of Virginia’s Students.
- Tell any civic groups in your community about the Alliance and our goals. Ask them to take action.
- Talk to your legislators about education.
- Stay informed. Let your legislators know you are willing to speak up in support of education.
A civic group can:
- Pass a Resolution In Support Of Virginia’s Students.
- Ask your members to sign up at the Alliance web site – or send us their names and addresses (email or mail) and we’ll ask them.
- Put an article on the Alliance in your newsletter.
- Schedule a meeting of your group on the needs of education in Virginia and the work of the Alliance.
- Ask your local government and school board to adopt a Resolution in Support of Virginia’s Students.
- Send us the names of other community groups that we should reach out to.
- Collect signatures in support of the Alliance’s Principles at your next event.
Please donate online to Legal Aid to support the work of the Alliance using Network for Good, a secure online donation service. You will have an opportunity to designate your donation for the Alliance for Virginia's Students. Undesignated donations will be allocated by the Legal Aid board.
