If you’re in the educational choice movement, we have a training for you. Scroll down to learn more about the five types of training we offer and hear what some of our past participants have to say about their EdChoice training experiences.
Every year, we hold several regional summits where experts from all across the country come together to help state senators and representatives understand educational choice policies work, how other states are implementing and regulating them, what the research says and more. Along with inspiring speakers and networking opportunities, our experts also offer customized breakdowns of key education data at the state level.
Fact-finding trips take our legislator trainings to the next level. In these special trainings, we take legislators to states with robust educational choice programs, so they can tour schools of choice, meet families who are using choice programs, learn how specific programs affect education on the ground and pick the brains of local community leaders and policymakers who are implementing educational choice every day.
A parent organizer is a community member who educates, supports and unites parents who advocate for educational choice. Our trainings are aimed at similarly supporting, energizing and equipping parent organizers. We bring in organizers of all levels from across the country to share their campaign best practices and tools of the trade—from recruitment techniques to winning messaging. One of our favorite features? Our inspiring keynote speakers, who—thanks to our intimate approach to training—are able to spend time with each and every one of our attendees.
We often work with partner groups and parent coalitions in the states to train parent advocates. Parents already have incredible stories to tell, but they often lack experience speaking in front of a camera and to news reporters. They also might be unfamiliar with the vast utility of social media to spread their message and connect with other families who need their support. Our parent advocate trainings connect parents with real reporters and messaging experts, to prepare them for what’s ahead.
Once a year, the EdChoice team invites educational choice advocates—from parents to policymakers to communications professionals—to participate in our media training in Indianapolis. Our participants are put to the test in this intense training, where veteran journalists interview them on camera and provide tips for improvement. We also offer beginner and advanced sessions on messaging, pitching stories to editors and social media strategies. By the time our media trainees leave, they report feeling much more comfortable speaking to reporters and empowered to amplify their messages in the loud, ever-changing digital world.