Save Our Schools Arizona

ADVOCATING AND LOBBYING FOR STRONG PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR A STRONGER ARIZONA

SOSAZ UTILIZED ITS EXPERTISE AND RESOURCES TO COORDINATE PRESS COVERAGE, SOCIAL MEDIA, AND ADVERTISING TO SUPPORT JOINT INITIATIVES SUPPORTING PUBLIC EDUCATION. THIS INCLUDED WORKING WITH THE INVEST IN ED COALITION TO PROMOTE THE IMPORTANCE OF FUNDING PUBLIC EDUCATION AND WORKING WITH THE ARIZONA CENTER FOR ECONOMIC PROGRESS AND CHILDREN'S ACTION ALLIANCE TO INFORM ARIZONA RESIDENTS OF THE CRISIS FACING PUBLIC EDUCATION IN THE STATE. THIS COLLABORATION REINFORCED THE VALUE OF PUBLIC EDUCATION WITH NEW AND EXISTING AUDIENCES AND HELPED TO BUILD STRONG BRIDGES WITH ORGANIZATIONS IMPORTANT TO THE FUTURE OF PUBLIC EDUCATION IN 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. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)GROUP LEADERS DISTILLED AND SUMMARIZED INFORMATION FROM SOSAZ FACT-BASED, DATA-DRIVEN, AND RESEARCH-BACKED SOURCES TO INFORM THEIR COMMUNITIES OF THE IMPORTANCE OF NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS TO THEIR LOCAL CULTURE, ECONOMIC HEALTH, AND COMMUNITY COHESION. SOSAZ PROVIDED EXTENSIVE SUPPORT TO THE VOLUNTEER NETWORK DESPITE THE 2020 PANDEMIC, USING DIGITAL AND ONLINE COMMUNICATION AND RESOURCES.

SOSAZ ADVOCATED FOR INCREASING PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING AND FOUGHT AGAINST ATTEMPTS TO DRAIN FUNDING FROM PUBLIC SCHOOLS. WORK CONSISTED OF LOBBYING, MEETING WITH LEGISLATORS, ATTENDING 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. FREQUENT CONSULTATION AND COLLABORATION WITH NUMEROUS ORGANIZATIONS AROUND ARIZONA, DRAWING ON SOSAZ'S EXTENSIVE RESEARCH AND NATIONAL CONTACTS, CONTRIBUTED TO COLLECTIVE UNDERSTANDING OF THE INNUMERABLE WAYS THAT PRIVATIZERS USE TO DRAIN PUBLIC EDUCATION FUNDING.(CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)SOSAZ FREQUENTLY UPDATES ITS WEBSITE TO INCLUDE RECENT JUDICIAL DECISIONS, NEWS ARTICLES, RESEARCH PAPERS, PRESS RELEASES, AND OTHER RECENT INFORMATION TO EDUCATION PRIVATIZATION.