Westmoreland school officials to form legislative action committee

Westmoreland County public school officials are forming a committee to present a common front when they address legislative issues that affect local education.

The planned Westmoreland County Committee On Legislative Action, or COLA, is expected to include representatives from the county’s 17 public school districts, three associated career and technology centers and the Westmoreland Intermediate Unit. Organizational meetings are planned April 11 and Sept. 12 at the intermediate unit office in Hempfield.

“We’re going to be identifying what our priorities are locally, state and federal, and then also look at the structure of what our meetings will look like in the future,” said Jason A. Conway, executive director of the intermediate unit and co-chair of the committee.

He said the COLA will be “a forum for board members, superintendents and business managers to come together and discuss, analyze and begin to speak with one voice when it comes to public education and legislation.

“Public education is under attack when it comes to enough funding,” Conway said. “We’re much stronger as one versus 17 individual districts trying to lobby our legislative elected officials.”

Local school directors routinely receive updates on education-related legislation and regulations from organizations like the Pennsylvania School Boards Association.

“But how does that impact Westmoreland County?” asked Conway. “That’s what this group is going to look at and begin to communicate to our legislative elected officials with one voice.”

Conway explained COLA members will work to become more informed about and involved with issues that affect students. They’ll also strive to increase community awareness of how laws affect local education while advocating for “policies that increase student opportunities and well-being,” he said.

Suggested “advocacy activities” for promoting the COLA’s concerns include developing informational documents on target issues, collaborating with other educational organizations in the state, coordinating letter writing and social media campaigns and organizing legislative receptions and “Day on the Hill” events, Conway said.

Conway said he will ask each of the county’s school boards to name a member to serve as a representative and a second to serve as an alternate. In addition to Conway, COLA membership also will be open to the superintendents and business managers from each district, the director of each of the county’s career and technology centers and four divisional directors on the intermediate unit staff.

Chris Oldham, Ligonier Valley School District superintendent, has been tapped to serve as co-chair with Conway.

“As public school educators, we need to have a centralized voice to advocate for the issues that will provide our learners with equitable experiences and opportunities that will allow them each to be safe, supported and successful,” she said.

Jeff Himler is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Jeff at 724-836-6622, jhimler@tribweb.com or via Twitter @jhimler_news.