Save Our Schools Arizona

ADVOCATING AND LOBBYING FOR STRONG PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR A STRONGER ARIZONA

SOSAZ ORGANIZED VOLUNTEERS AROUND ARIZONA TO FORM LOCALLY BASED GROUPS TO FOLLOW EDUCATION POLICY IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. THESE VOLUNTEER NETWORKS EXTENDED OUTREACH TO THEIR COMMUNITIES BY CONTACTING AND SCHEDULING MEETINGS WITH A VARIETY OF AUDIENCES, FROM ALL POLITICAL AFFILIATIONS, INCLUDING NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS, SCHOOL BOARDS, PARENT AND TEACHER GROUPS, SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS, RETIREMENT COMMUNITIES, AND OTHERS. SOSAZ ASSISTED VOLUNTEERS WITH MESSAGING EFFECTIVENESS AND ADVISED THEM ON PRACTICES TO PRESENT INFORMATION TO GROUPS AT ALL LEVELS OF KNOWLEDGE.

SOSAZ UTILIZED ITS EXPERTISE AND RESOURCES TO RAISE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF PUBLIC EDUCATION AND SUPPORT PRO-PUBLIC EDUCATION OFFICEHOLDERS AND CANDIDATES THROUGHOUT ARIZONA. THIS INCLUDED PRODUCING FLYERS AND CANVASSING MATERIALS, COORDINATING SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS AND ADVERTISING, DEVELOPING EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS, AND HOLDING FORUMS AND PUBLIC EVENTS TO AMPLIFY THE MYRIAD WAYS THAT PUBLIC EDUCATION DRIVES SOCIAL COHESION AND THE GROWTH, SUCCESS, AND PROGRESS OF THE STATE.

SOSAZ ADVOCATED FOR INCREASING PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING AND FOUGHT AGAINST ATTEMPTS TO DRAIN FUNDING FROM PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THE WORK CONSISTED OF INFORMING LEGISLATORS, ATTENDING AND SPEAKING AT LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE MEETINGS, AND ORGANIZING OTHERS FROM AN ACTIVE, STATEWIDE VOLUNTEER NETWORK TO DO THE SAME. SOSAZ HAS BECOME AN AUTHORITATIVE SOURCE FOR INSIGHT AND INFORMATION ABOUT EDUCATION PRIVATIZATION AND ITS IMPACT ON COMMUNITIES, THE ECONOMY, AND ARIZONA'S SOCIAL COHESION. SOSAZ FREQUENTLY COLLABORATED WITH NUMEROUS ORGANIZATIONS AROUND ARIZONA, INCLUDING THE AZ CENTER FOR ECONOMIC PROGRESS, ARIZONA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION, PTA, AND OTHERS TO DRIVE COLLECTIVE UNDERSTANDING OF THE INNUMERABLE WAYS THAT PRIVATIZERS USE TO DRAIN PUBLIC EDUCATION FUNDING.