Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1463867
Lo r r a i n e R i c h a r d s LIAISON (ONE OF T WO) TO THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION Montebello Teachers Association Role and responsibilities: "Michael Juba and I attend meetings every other month and monitor the business. We meet with CTA staff prior to the meeting to discuss the agenda and clarify impactful agenda items that require CTA public comment." Importance of educator voice: " The teacher 's voice is needed at the meetings. It reminds the State Board and the public how the decisions impact students." Da n e t t e B r ow n LIAISON (ONE OF T WO) TO THE CALIFORNIA COMMISSION ON TEACHER CREDENTIALING La Habra Education Association Role and responsibilities: "I attend approximately 10 two-day meetings annually. Prior to these meetings, the liaisons review the agenda and participate in pre-planning meetings to prepare for public testimony. We reach out to partners, like the Association of California School Administrators and California School Boards Association, to lobby for support for our positions." Importance of educator voice: " The CTC is our professional standards board and serves as the gatekeeper of entry and exit to the profession. We need to have a strong voice at the table so the CTC understands exactly how their decisions will impact not only educators, but potential future educators." Value to CTA: "Being in the room allows us to foster informal and formal relationships with both the commission and other educational partners to further the positions of CTA." "We, CTA members, are advocating for our own working and learning environments. The work is personal and rewarding because we know how it affects fellow educators and ultimately students," says Miller, a member of Santa Ana Educators Associ- ation. "If we want change, we have to make it!" All liaisons and ambassadors file regular reports, which are reviewed by CTA's Agency Review Committee, a subset of the Board of Directors, and then shared with the respective State Council of Education Committee. The committee considers and makes recommendations about procedures for individual monitoring of the activities of state governmental agencies. Liaisons and ambassadors are divided into five groups to net- work with colleagues and communicate about similar issues: Student Services, Career Education, Curriculum Issues, Equity Issues and Watchdogs. "As part of the 'watchdog' group, we are tasked with being in the space in order to be aware of any issues that may impact CTA or local associations," says Wendy Eccles, ambassador to the California Fair Political Practices Commission and member of NEA-Jurupa. "Building and maintaining relationships with like-minded outside organizations is imperative to our overall success and survival as an organization." "It's crucial for CTA educators to be in the room so that the policy and perspectives of CTA members are articulated." —Danette Brown Continued on page 34 31 A P R I L / M AY 2 0 2 2