NYSSBA's Resolutions Process FAQs

Speakers: Danielle Grasso, Grassroots Advocacy Manager. Danielle Grasso, Grassroots Advocacy Manager. Matt DeLaus, Governmental Relations Counsel. Caroline Bobick, Deputy Director of Governmental and External Relations. Brian Fessler, Chief Advocacy Officer. John Daley, Senior Governmental Relations Representative

Brian Fessler: Hi, I'm Brian Fessler, NYSSBA's chief advocacy officer. Today we are here to answer some frequently asked questions related to our resolutions process. For those new to the process, you might be asking yourself what is the resolution's process.

Brian Fessler: The resolution process is the term used for NYSSBA's annual advocacy agenda and position setting process. Each year, member boards can submit resolutions for consideration by fellow NYSSBA members at NYSSBA's annual business meeting. Each member board is eligible to select one member of their board to serve as a voting delegate and vote on the board's behalf. All resolutions that are approved by a simple majority of voting delegates are then adopted as official NYSSBA position statements. Position statements are part of our advocacy agenda for 5 years unless they are fully achieved sooner or otherwise rendered moot. And now to Matt DeLaus for our next question.

Matt DeLaus: Resolutions must be submitted using our proposed resolutions and bylaw Amendment submission form, which is found on the NYSSBA website, along with our other advocacy materials. The form must include the resolution, a rationale explaining its purpose, the name of the person who is submitting the resolution on behalf of the board, and contact information for a board representative that can be available on the day of the Resolutions Committee meeting. Just type all the information into the electronic form and save it as a PDF. The submission must come from either the board president, the superintendent, or the board clerk. Should your resolution or rationale exceed the space provided, you can simply write "see attached" in each section and attach a Word document with the full information to the email you submit. The resolution submission form must be submitted via email to advocacy@nyssba.org by 5 p.m. on July 18th in order to be eligible for consideration at the annual business meeting. And now to Caroline Bobick for the next question.

Caroline Bobick: Yes, we are excited to see more boards working collaboratively in this process. We have recently offered a multi-board submission form specifically for this scenario. The content of the form and instructions is the same as for single board submissions, with an additional space to list a representative from each of the submitting boards. We request you collectively select one person to be the point of contact during the resolution process for the resolution you are submitting. For ease, that person should also be available to answer any questions the Resolutions Committee may have on the day of the Resolutions Committee meeting. The multi-board submission form must be submitted via email to advocacy@nyssba.org by 5 p.m. on July 18th to be eligible for consideration at the annual business meeting, and now to John Daley for our next question.

John Daley: Within 48 hours of your submission, you will receive a confirmation email of our receipt of your submission. The governmental relations department will reach out with any questions or necessary clarifications we have on the submission. If we have already received the substantially similar resolution, we will ask if you would like to be listed as a co-sponsor. If we already have a position statement that is substantially similar to your resolution, we will discuss whether you would like to change the submitted resolution in any way or pull a submission. And now to Danielle Grasso.

Danielle Grasso: Hi, I'm Danielle Grasso, grassroots advocacy manager and the face behind the advocacy@nyssba.org email address. As my colleagues have previously mentioned, all resolutions and bylaw amendments are reviewed by the Resolutions Committee, but who are the Resolutions Committee and what do their recommendations mean?

Danielle Grasso: The Resolutions Committee is comprised of school board members from each of NYSSBA's 13 areas, as well as representatives from the caucus of the black school board members and the state's big 5 school districts. These individuals are appointed by members of NYSSBA's board of directors. committee appointments are for 1 year, and members can serve in the committee for up to 3 years. The committee meets once in August and again in October to review the proposed resolutions and bylaw amendments that have been submitted by the July deadline. Their recommendation of a resolution or bylaw amendment allows for the resolution or bylaw amendment to be automatically moved for consideration during the annual business meeting by the chair of the committee. Recommended resolutions are considered first during the business meeting after any proposed bylaw amendment. Resolutions that are not recommended are considered once all recommended resolutions have been considered. Such not recommended resolutions must be moved and seconded by the voting delegates in order to be discussed and voted upon. Only resolutions presented during the annual business meeting and approved by the voting delegates can become official NYSSBA position statements.

Danielle Grasso: You can find details on content and layout for resolutions beginning on page 12 of the resolutions kit. When crafting your resolution, we recommend that you be mindful of current position statements that are part of our existing advocacy agenda, the overall appeal of the resolution to the membership at large, and the specific ask or purpose of the resolution. Think about whether it's a resolution that would be benefit, the full NYSSBA membership or just your district or BOCES. If the focus is on the local level, we encourage you to reach out to the governmental relations department separately. And we can potentially assist you in working directly with your partners and government to find a solution. We thank you for your interest in the NYSSBA annual resolutions process. We hope that you found this video to be informative. If you have any other questions, you can send them directly to me at advocacy@nyssba.org. We look forward to your participation in NYSSBA advocacy. Have a great day!