In times of uncertainty, our advocacy must be relentless

www.acsa.org

From the Executive Director, Dr. Edgar Zazueta

May 26, 2025

Your voice matters now more than ever.

Yes, you’ve heard that before — maybe even rolled your eyes at the phrase, thinking it’s just part of the usual script. But after a few days in Washington, D.C., I can say with certainty: It’s more than a slogan. It’s a call to action, and it’s real.

In April I joined dozens of California superintendents and school board members at the ACSA/CSBA Coast2Coast Federal Advocacy Event. These trips matter because, as our country continues to shift, so too does the landscape of public education. This year’s visit underscored just how critical it is for education leaders to be heard in the nation’s capital.

The atmosphere in Washington is charged. In a post-pandemic era, public education sits squarely at the center of political discourse. From district governance to classroom content, our work is increasingly under the microscope. Amid that scrutiny, there are both champions and critics of public education — often within the same institutions.

While we were on Capitol Hill advocating for vital programs like E-Rate, universal meals and workforce investments, our phones lit up with troubling news. Reports came in that federal officials were pulling back on school-based mental health grants — programs that fund essential mental health professionals working every day with our most vulnerable students.

Your stories — about students overcoming trauma, schools building community, and the transformative power of support services — are more powerful than any soundbite or statistic.

This should give all of us pause. At a time when students are still reeling from years of disruption, when anxiety and depression among youth are at record highs, rolling back mental health support is not just counterproductive — it’s dangerous.

Our work isn’t about political sides. It’s about student wellness, safety and success. That’s why we must continue to engage — not just in our schools and communities, but in legislative offices and policy forums. Whether you identify as conservative or liberal, urban or rural, your perspective as an educator matters. And your stories — about students overcoming trauma, schools building community, and the transformative power of support services — are more powerful than any soundbite or statistic.

So yes, educate. But also advocate. Help policymakers understand that investments in public education — especially mental health — are not optional. They are essential. ACSA will continue doing this work in Sacramento and in D.C. But we need you — your stories, your passion and your voice.

FYI

Visit acsa.org/advocacy to use the Find Your Legislators tool.