BONUS: The Secret Toolkit Every Teacher Needs

This bonus episode emphasizes why educators need to go beyond passively accepting policies and instead become informed advocates. Learn how federal education policy directly impacts classrooms and why teacher leadership is essential for student engagement. Discover how to support students effectively by becoming an advocate.

Want to become a powerful advocate for your students? 

This episode reveals five practical tasks every teacher can do this summer to build their advocacy toolkit and speak up effectively for education policies that actually help kids.

What You'll Learn: 
✅ How to understand your school's funding streams (Title I, IDEA, federal grants) 
✅ Which information sources actually matter for education policy 
✅ How to document student impact stories that change minds 
✅ Simple ways to connect with your local representatives 
✅ Why joining professional organizations amplifies your voice

Perfect for: K-12 teachers, administrators, education advocates, and anyone who wants to make a real difference in education policy.

Ready to turn your classroom expertise into policy influence? Watch now and pick ONE task to start with this summer.

📧 Email your summer prep tips: schoolutionspodcast@gmail.com

Subscribe for more practical teaching strategies and education advocacy tips!

Episode Mentions:

• International Literacy Association (ILA)
• National Association Of Elementary School Principals (NAESP)
• American Federation of Teachers (AFT)
• National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM)
• National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)
• International Society for Technology and Education (ISTE)

Chapters
00:00 - Introduction: Why Teachers Need an Advocacy Toolkit 
01:56 - Task 1: Understand Your School's Funding Streams 
04:14 - Task 2: Build Your Information Network 
06:28 - Task 3: Document Student Impact Stories 
08:40 - Task 4: Connect with Local Representatives 
11:52 - Task 5: Join Professional Organizations 
12:09 - Why This Matters: Policy Affects Everything 
15:07 - The Power of Evidence-Based Advocacy 
17:38 - Summer Challenge: Pick One Task 
19:12 - Wrap-up and Next Steps

#TeacherAdvocacy #EducationPolicy #TeacherVoice #EducationReform #StudentAdvocacy 

Make sure to listen to my full interview (Season 4, Episode 38) before diving into this bonus content! (https://pod.fo/e/2da8d1).

New episodes are released every Monday, with a bonus solo episode on Fridays featuring research-backed coaching and teaching strategies you can apply right away to better serve the children in your care.

When coaches, teachers, administrators, and families work hand in hand, it fosters a school atmosphere where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged in their learning journey.

Transcript

[00:00:00] Hi there. I'm so glad you're here. Your time is precious, and because of that, I want to let you know right away what you'll gain by listening to the very last second of this episode. My last episode on Monday highlighted why federal education policy affects real students in real classrooms. 

In this bonus episode, I share why we as educators must transform from being passive policy recipients to informed advocates, how we can use our classroom experience and evidence-based experiences to professionally engage in policy discussions that directly impact our student success. 

You'll learn why knowledge is power and advocacy, how professional relationships trump political positions, and why documentation creates advocacy gold. Stay with me. I'm so happy to have you as a listener today. 

This [00:01:00] is Schoolutions Coaching and Teaching Strategies, the podcast that extends education beyond the classroom. A show that offers educators and caregivers strategies to try right away and ensure every student receives the inspiration and support they need to thrive.

Hey there, and welcome back to this week's bonus episode of Schoolutions Teaching Strategies. I'm Olivia Wahl, and if you listen to Monday's episode about the Department of Education Court ruling, you heard me talk about how we as educators need to stay engaged in policy discussions, not as political partisans, but as professionals who understand what students actually need to succeed.

Well, today I want to get practical about that. Summer is the perfect time to set up what I'm calling your advocacy toolkit: the knowledge, relationships, and resources that will help you speak up effectively for your students when [00:02:00] policy decisions come up during the school year. 

So let's talk about five specific things you can do this summer to become a more informed and effective advocate for the kids you serve. Alright, so this is task number one. And this might sound boring, but stick with me. This summer, take some time to understand how your school is actually funded. Here's why this matters. Remember in Monday's episode when I talked about how the Department of Education's lawyers who handle K to 12 grants were all fired?

Well, if you don't know which grants your school receives, you can't advocate effectively when those funding streams are threatened. So here's what to do. Schedule a 30-minute coffee chat with someone in your district's business office or your principal. 

Ask these specific questions. What federal grants does our school receive? How much Title I funding do we get and what does it pay for? [00:03:00] What about IDEA funds for special education, and do we get any rural education grants or technology grants? 

And please don't get me wrong, I am not saying that we have to become experts overnight, but we do need to get the basics because when budget discussions happen, and they will, you'll be the teacher who can say, Actually, that program is funded through Title II-A, and if we lose that, we'll lose our literacy coach who's been helping striving readers in third grade. That's the kind of specific evidence-based advocacy that actually changes minds. 

Here's task two, building your Information Network. I mentioned this in Monday's episode. We can't just rely on social media or partisan news outlets to understand what's happening in education policy This summer set up a simple system to stay informed. Here's what I [00:04:00] recommend: First,  subscribe to newsletters. Find outlets that have specific newsletters for different topics like special education, federal policy, state policy. 

Pick one or two that are most relevant to your role. Second, find your state's education department, newsletter or blog. Most state departments have regular updates about federal guidance, funding announcements, and policy changes.

Third, and this is important. Follow the social media accounts or websites of your professional organizations. If you're a reading teacher, follow the International Literacy Association. If you're a principal, follow NAESP. These organizations often have the most accurate, timely information about how policy changes will actually affect practitioners.

Set up a simple folder in your email or a bookmark folder in your browser. Spend 10 minutes every Friday morning during the school year [00:05:00] just scanning these sources. You'll be amazed how much more confident you feel in conversations about education policy.

And task three, documenting your reality. Okay, so task number three, and this is where your classroom experience becomes advocacy gold - start documenting the real impact of policies on your students. Here's what I mean. In Monday's episode, I talked about how the most effective advocacy focuses on concrete student impact rather than abstract political arguments. Well, you have those concrete examples every day. You just need to start capturing them. This summer, create what I call an advocacy evidence file.

It could be as simple as a Google Doc or a notebook where you track things like: When federal or state testing requirements take time away from instruction; How special education funding affects your ability to serve students [00:06:00] with disabilities; What happens when you lose support staff due to budget cuts; And success stories from federally funded programs?

For example, maybe you have a student who made huge reading gains because of your school's Title I Reading Intervention Program. That's not just a nice story, that's evidence that federal funding works. Write it down. Or maybe you have a student with autism who's thriving because of services funded by IDEA Grants document that because when someone says, we don't need federal education funding, you can say, actually, let me tell you about Marcus, who's in my class. Real stories about real students - that's what changes policy conversations. 

Alright, task number four: identify and connect with your local reps. And I don't mean stalking them on social media. I mean building genuine professional relationships [00:07:00] this summer. Do some research: Who represents your district at the state level? Who's your congressman or congresswoman? Most importantly, who are their education staff members? 

And here's a secret - Legislators often rely heavily on their staff to understand complex issues like education. And these staff members are usually eager to hear from actual practitioners who can explain how policies work in real classrooms. So here's something you could try this summer. Send a brief, professional email to your state representative and your member of Congress. Introduce yourself as an educator in their district. Don't ask for anything. Just let them know you're available as a resource if they ever have questions about how education policies affect students in schools.

Keep it simple. Hi, I am (your name) and I teach (your grade or subject) at (your school) [00:08:00] in (your district). I've been in education for (however many) years. I'd be happy to serve as a resource. If you ever need insight into how education policies affect students and teachers in our community.

Most of them will never take you up on it, but some will. And when they do, you'll have a direct line to policy makers who actually want to hear from you. Task number five, strengthen your connection to your professional organizations. In Monday's episode, I talked about how the American Federation of Teachers was one of the plaintiffs in the Department of Education lawsuit. 

Whether you're a union member or not the point is that organized educator voices carry more weight than individual complaints This summer, identify the professional organizations that align with your role and values. Maybe it's your State Teachers Association. Maybe it's a subject specific [00:09:00] organization like the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, or the International Society for Technology and Education.

Here's what to do: Don't just pay dues and forget about it. Get involved. Attend a webinar, join a committee, volunteer for a task force. Because these organizations are doing the policy advocacy work that individual teachers often can't do alone. They're the ones tracking legislation, writing position papers and meeting with policy makers. When you're connected to them, you are connected to a larger movement of educators who share your commitment to student success.

So why does this matter? Let me pause and acknowledge something. Some of you might be thinking, I just wanna teach. I don't wanna become a policy expert or a political activist, and I get it. I really do. But here's the thing, And this is what Monday's episode was really about. [00:10:00] Education policy affects every single thing you do in your classroom - the curriculum you teach, the resources you have available, the support services for your students, the way you're evaluated as a professional, all of that is shaped by policy decisions.

The choice isn't whether to be affected by policy. You're already affected. The choice is whether to have a voice in shaping those policies or to let others make decisions about your profession without your input. And when I say have a voice, I don't mean arguing on Facebook or complaining in the teacher's lounge. I mean engaging professionally with evidence and expertise in the conversations that shape education. 

And here's what gives me hope. The Department of Education court case that I discussed on Monday wasn't won by politicians or pundits. It was won by [00:11:00] educators and school districts who presented evidence-based arguments about student impact.

They did not just say, We don't like this policy. Instead, they said, Here's documented proof that this approach will harm the students we're legally obligated to serve. That's the kind of advocacy that works. That's the kind of voice that policy makers actually listen to, and that's the kind of influence you can have when you combine your classroom expertise with strategic engagement.

So here's my summer challenge for you. Pick one of these five tasks and commit to it. Just one. Don't try to do everything at once. Maybe you choose to have that conversation with your business office about funding. Maybe you set up a simple system to stay informed about education news. Maybe you document one powerful student success story. Maybe you send that email to your [00:12:00] representative. Maybe you join one professional organization committee. 

Just pick one thing and do it well. Because small, consistent actions add up to big changes over time. And I'll say it again, what I realized after recording Monday's episode is that the Department of Education Court case is actually a perfect example of what happens when educators stay engaged in policy discussions professionally rather than politically.

The plaintiffs, in that case - school districts, teachers unions, and state attorneys general didn't win because they were more politically powerful than the Trump administration. Again, they won because they presented better evidence about what would actually happen to students in schools. That's the model for all of us. When we speak up for students from our expertise and experience, rather than from ideology we're incredibly powerful advocates. 

And speaking [00:13:00] of advocacy, I am so excited about my summer series. As I mentioned in my last real post on social, instead of taking the summer off, I'm going to release 20 mini episodes of tasks you can do to set yourself up for success in the fall. But again, I need your help. What do you do now as a teacher, as you're packing up your classroom or over the summer that helps you get set up for success when you kick off the new school year? Please send me emails at schoolutionspodcast@gmail.com. I want your best practical tips. Everything from small stuff like getting pencils labeled and ready to the bigger picture stuff like reflecting on units of study you want to keep or let go of. 

Your ideas will help shape the summer series, and I can't wait to hear from you. And before I wrap up today, I want to come back to something I said in Monday's episode. Your voice as an educator matters more than you might think, [00:14:00] especially when you speak up from evidence and experience rather than ideology.

The five tasks I've outlined today aren't about turning you into a political activist. They're about helping you become a more informed and effective advocate for the students you serve. Because at the end of the day, that's what this is all about. Making sure that every policy decision from the classroom level to the federal level is made with real students in mind. And nobody understands real students better than the educators who work with them every day. 

That's a wrap on today's bonus episode. I hope this gives you some practical ways to use your summer to become a more effective advocate for your students. Remember, you don't have to do everything at once. Pick one task, do it well, and build from there. Thanks for listening and don't forget to email me your best end of the year and summer prep [00:15:00] tips for my upcoming summer series. 

Again, I'm at schoolutionspodcast@gmail.com. I'll see you Monday for another episode of Schoolutions Teaching Strategies and until then, keep teaching, keep learning, and keep advocating for what's best for kids.

Take care.

Schoolution's Teaching strategies is created, produced and edited by me. Olivia Wahl. Thank you to my older son, Benjamin, who created the music playing in the background. You can follow and listen to Schoolutions wherever you get your podcasts or subscribe to Never miss an episode and watch on YouTube. Now, I'd love to hear from you.

Send me an email at schoolutionspodcast@gmail.com. Let me know how you plan to become a more effective advocate for your students. Remember, you don't have to do everything at once. Pick one task, do it well, and build from there. [00:16:00] Don't forget to also share your best end of the year and summer prep tips for my upcoming series.

Tune in every Monday for the best research-backed coaching and teaching strategies you can apply right away to better the lives of the children in your care. And stay tuned for my bonus episodes every Friday where I'll reflect and share connections to what I learned from my guests that week. See you then.