Tell them what's on your mind.

Boy, that school board meeting last night was a killer. Almost didn't get the budget through. I tell you, that PTA president knows his p's and q's. I should have lunch with him next week, so I can get a better sense of his agenda. One thing for sure, I can't ignore him.

Maybe I'm overdoing it, but have you ever been in that kind of situation--where your best-laid plans could go up in smoke if you don't have Mr. or Ms. Parent on your side?

If an active and informed parent can have that much influence on how you approach your work, I'd suggest you consider how you can have a similar impact on your elected representatives in Washington.

Hold on a minute. I'm serious.

Serving You

First of all, do not tell yourself, "I don't want to have anything to do with politics," because the legislators are the ones who create the rules (No Child Left Behind, notably) and send out the money (I've got to have more for special education). You can't afford to ignore them. If you do, you've just given them a free ride to vote however they want on how the public schools are treated and funded.

They and you should never forget they were elected by the people in your school district and your state, and while they may not always act like it, they are in Washington (and in your state capital) to serve you, to write new laws and amend others by which our city, county, state and country operate.

Sure they pay more attention to the well-placed and influential lobbyists with the big bank accounts, but they also have to pay attention to you.

Why? The next election is just around the corner. Without votes it doesn't matter how much money a candidate has because they're elected by votes, not dollar bills. And who among all the community leaders would voters trust to give them the real story on their schools and the future of children in your town? You.

While you might feel you have a bad day here or there, the citizenry still looks up to you. You're educating their children, their grandchildren and the community's future doctors, mechanics, teachers and salespeople.

Schools Stance

Now what do politicians of every stripe--the mayor, city council members, assembly delegates, members of Congress--use as a central element of their campaigns for office? Education and schools.

Think about it: What campaign brochure doesn't have Mr. or Ms. Candidate surrounded by children on a playground or in a classroom? "I'm for better schools. Elect me and I'll make education my primary concern; your children and their schools will be first on my agenda."

Remember that parent? He or she never lets up. Parents call you and board members and probably the newspaper to keep you from closing a school, changing the curriculum or shutting down a sports program.

You might be able to stave them off, but your board may feel compelled to do something in response. In any event, you can't afford to block them out. You have to respond in some way.

That's the kind of constituent you ought to be with your House and Senate members in Washington. When AASA puts out the call via the AASA Legislative Corps to push your members of Congress to vote for or against an amendment or a bill that would affect public education, AASA members, often in the hundreds, flood the offices of their own representatives and senators with e-mails.

How do you know whether your legislators actually read what you write? Does your letter have any impact at all?

First, they realize that to ignore any constituent's request--whether for a vote or for help in getting a Social Security case resolved--stands to create at least one lost vote in the next election. No politician can afford to upset a constituent.

Second, while most letters and e-mails are read and answered by staff members, the members of the House and Senate pay attention to who is doing the writing; and they count how many folks back home are making those calls and sending those e-mails that urge changes to No Child Left Behind.

AASA Action

AASA is looked upon as perhaps the most influential education organization in Washington. This is because we are nonpartisan, because you're a respected community leader, and because members of the AASA Legislative Corps act as a unified force in a timely way that lets legislators know you know what's going on in Washington.

Take a look at our Legislative Action Center at this website: www.congressweb. com/cweb4/index.cfm?orgcode=AASA.

When you become a member of the AASA Legislative Corps, you'll get an e-mail telling you that your member of Congress must hear from you now because a vote is about to take place that will affect schools. And with just three clicks with your computer mouse you can make your mark on those elected officials. Along with the 1,500 other members of the AASA Legislative Corps, your three-click e-mail is starting a trend of votes from back home.

Sure you'll get a form letter response. That's not the important thing. What you've done is act on an issue right when the vote's about to happen. Yours will be the fifth, the sixth or the 20th message from those respected leaders back home.

You can't be ignored; you won't be ignored. Join the AASA Legislative Corps today by sending your name and e-mail address to [e-mail]. Then keep the tide of e-mails flowing for your students and their future.

Nick Penning is a senior policy analyst at AASA. E-mail: [e-mail]