ACSA region representatives gathered in the capital city to learn advocacy tips, best practices for speaking with state representatives and about legislation that could impact students and school staff.

In his opening remarks, Executive Director Dr. Edgar Zazueta reminded new attendees to rely on their own expertise while meeting with state legislators.

“That’s your building,” Zazueta said. “You’re walking into your space. Those legislators are there because of you — it’s not the other way around.”

The LAD program featured “fireside chats” with Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi and Sen. Sasha Renee Perez, who chair the Assembly and Senate Education Committees respectively. Muratsuchi spoke about his track record supporting public education and noted he was in the Legislature during the passage of the Local Control Funding Formula in 2013.

“As a former suburban school board member, I’m very sensitive to not only equity, but also adequacy — and making sure all school districts have enough funding to fulfill your basic responsibilities of educating all our kids,” he said.

Perez, who was newly elected to the Legislature in 2024, said education is “a pathway to economic mobility” for California students. She acknowledged the state’s economic uncertainty affecting the state budget process.

“The reality is that we’re in a pretty tight budget year,” she said. “We are navigating many challenges from the federal administration as well.”

ACSA also honored outgoing state Vice President for Legislative Action Dr. Gina Potter for her commitment and dedication to advocacy. In her remarks, she spoke of her family and their support.

“Take time for your children,” she said to the LAD group. “We spend so much of our time with children.”

On the second day of LAD, Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas mentioned his concerns about the federal government’s actions against education.

“The threat to dismantle the Department of Education is an attack on all our schools — it undermines our communities and strips critical resources from our most vulnerable students,” he said.

ACSA members attended meetings with their legislative representatives throughout the day Tuesday. The Region 19 delegation, including VPLA Dr. Ebon Brown, gathered in Assemblymember Corey Jackson’s Capitol office to give their local accounts of how underfunding Proposition 98, California’s education spending, could hurt their schools. Members focused on discussing student welfare, which Director of Governmental Relations Iván Carrillo encouraged during the training portion of LAD.

“We’re one of the only organizations that advocates for students,” he said. “Emphasize students at the heart of your advocacy.”