The Parents Campaign

TO ENSURE BRIGHTER FUTURES FOR MS CHILDREN BY IMPROVING PUBLIC SCHOOLS THROUGH PARENT ADVOCACY.

IN 2021-2022, THE PARENTS' CAMPAIGN (TPC) FOCUSED ON ENGAGING THE PUBLIC IN THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS, WITH THE GOAL OF MOVING FORWARD POLICIES THAT IMPROVE MISSISSIPPI'S PUBLIC SCHOOLS. COMMUNICATION & OUTREACH:TO FURTHER ITS GOAL OF IMPROVING THE STATE'S PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM, TPC WORKED COOPERATIVELY WITH VARIOUS PARENT GROUPS, SCHOOL DISTRICTS, EDUCATION ORGANIZATIONS, AND BUSINESS AND CIVIC GROUPS STATEWIDE. TPC PARTICIPATED IN APPROXIMATELY 54 MEETINGS, WHICH INVOLVED MORE THAN 2,017 PEOPLE.(CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)TPC CONTINUED TO GROW ITS MEMBERSHIP, RECRUITING 2,451 NEW MEMBERS FROM JULY 1, 2021, THROUGH JUNE 30, 2022. THE NATION BUILDER DATABASE SYSTEM WAS USED TO MANAGE MEMBERSHIP RECORDS; TPC ALSO USES NATION BUILDER'S INTEGRATED TEXT MESSAGING AND SOCIAL MEDIA TOOLS IN MEMBER OUTREACH EFFORTS. TPC HAS TWO FULL-TIME OUTREACH/MEMBERSHIP STAFF.THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, TPC PROVIDED REGULAR EMAIL UPDATES TO INFORM MEMBERS OF LEGISLATION AND POLICY ISSUES AFFECTING PUBLIC EDUCATION IN MISSISSIPPI. SOCIAL MEDIA EFFORTS RESULTED IN 1,597 NEW FACEBOOK FOLLOWERS, 162 NEW TWITTER FOLLOWERS, AND 31 NEW INSTAGRAM FOLLOWERS ON TPC'S ACCOUNTS.FROM AMONG ITS MEMBERSHIP, TPC RECOGNIZED AN OUTSTANDING MEMBER DURING EACH QUARTER OF THE FISCAL YEAR.PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT & INFORMATION:TPC CONTINUED TO EXPAND AND ADD RESOURCES TO ITS WEBSITE (MSPARENTSCAMPAIGN.ORG). THE SITE ALLOWS TPC MEMBERS AND THE PUBLIC TO ACCESS ALL FEATURES AT NO COST. VISITORS TO THE SITE CAN PERFORM A RANGE OF TASKS, INCLUDING IDENTIFYING LEGISLATORS WHO REPRESENT EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT AND VIEWING INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO THE DISTRICT, SUCH AS FUNDING STATISTICS AND ACCOUNTABILITY RATINGS. TPC'S ONLINE RESOURCES INCLUDE A SEARCHABLE ARCHIVE OF COMPREHENSIVE VOTING RECORDS FOR CURRENT AND FORMER LEGISLATORS AND GRAPHICS SHOWING DETAILED CONTACT INFORMATION FOR LEGISLATORS IN EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT. LEGISLATORS' CURRENT VOTES ON IMPORTANT BILLS ARE SHARED REGULARLY VIA SOCIAL MEDIA AND MEMBER EMAILS DURING EACH LEGISLATIVE SESSION.TPC ENGAGED MEMBERS AND THE PUBLIC THROUGH MEETINGS WITH PARENTS AND EDUCATORS, REGULAR INSIDER UPDATES FOR KEY VOLUNTEERS, AND BY COMMUNICATIONS VIA NETWORK EMAILS AND SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS PROMOTING THE IMPORTANCE OF RAISING TEACHER PAY, FUNDING PUBLIC SCHOOLS ADEQUATELY, PRESERVING STATE REVENUE, AND INVESTING IN SERVICES TO BENEFIT MISSISSIPPI CHILDREN.THERE IS NO COST FOR MEMBERSHIP OR FOR ANY SERVICE PROVIDED BY TPC.LEGISLATIVE ACTION:DURING THE 2022 LEGISLATIVE SESSION, TPC TRACKED POLICY DECISIONS AND LAWMAKERS' ACTIONS BY ATTENDING (EITHER VIRTUALLY OR IN PERSON) WEEKLY MEETINGS OF KEY LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEES AND MONITORING HOUSE AND SENATE FLOOR DEBATES AND VOTES. LAWMAKERS' VOTES WERE REPORTED BY TPC VIA THE TOOLS DESCRIBED IN PREVIOUS SECTIONS OF THIS REPORT.MEMBERS OF THE PARENTS' CAMPAIGN INFLUENCED LEGISLATIVE ACTION BY CALLING, TEXTING, AND EMAILING THEIR REPRESENTATIVES AND SENATORS, POSTING ON SOCIAL MEDIA, ORGANIZING MEETINGS, AND RECRUITING OTHER CONCERNED CITIZENS TO JOIN THEIR EFFORTS. TPC STAFF MET REGULARLY WITH LEGISLATIVE LEADERS TO EXPRESS PUBLIC SCHOOL PRIORITIES AND COORDINATED LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY INITIATIVES WITH OTHER EDUCATION ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS.TPC'S SUCCESSES IN THE 2022 LEGISLATIVE SESSION INCLUDED:- $245 MILLION NEW INVESTMENT IN TEACHER SALARIES - AVERAGE SALARY INCREASE OF $5,140 FOR CERTIFIED TEACHERS AND $2,000 ACROSS-THE-BOARD INCREASE FOR ASSISTANT TEACHERS- $81 MILLION INCREASE IN PUBLIC SCHOOL FUNDING IN ADDITION TO TEACHER PAY RAISE, INCLUDING $28 MILLION IN NEW FUNDING FOR PRE-K PROGRAMS- 20% INCREASE IN TEACHER SUPPLY FUNDS - DEFEAT OF TWO HARMFUL BILLS OPPOSED BY TPC - BILL USING PUBLIC FUNDS FOR PRIVATE SCHOOL STUDENTS TO ATTEND UNACCOUNTABLE VIRTUAL SCHOOLS AND VENDOR BILL PROVIDING HOME-BASED VIRTUAL SCHOOL PROGRAM FOR PRESCHOOLERS