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The West Virginia legislature recently passed legislation (S.B. 273) granting speech-language pathologists (SLPs), audiologists, and school counselors in West Virginia schools a $2,500 annual salary supplement which was signed into law on April 3rd by Governor Joe Manchin.
The victory culminates a six-year effort to achieve a salary supplement for school-based SLPs and audiologists. The momentum for an advocacy effort began to build during the 1999 legislative session when the West Virginia legislature recognized and subsequently granted a $2,500 bonus to teachers certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS).
The West Virginia Speech-Language-Hearing Association (WVSHA) partnered with ASHA as part of the Focused Initiatives on School-Based Programs and Services. Together, a state action plan was completed that included developing materials, fact sheets, talking points, and grassroots training for WVSHA members to utilize when meeting with legislators. Regular conference calls were held with the WVSHA advocacy committee to discuss planned activities and strategies.
The partnership also built an infrastructure for a successful grassroots network. "When I fist started working on this issue, we had no way of knowing which members were in various legislative districts, and the only way to contact individuals was through phone calls," noted Connie Breza, former chair of the WVSHA advocacy committee. "We gradually developed a system of county contacts and were able to acquire a statewide Advocacy Alert e-mail system."
This year's success hinged on a keen understanding of the political process, constant communication with their lobbyist, and ability to mobilize on a moment's notice the extensive grassroots network of SLPs and audiologists constituent members that had been developed over the years. Their advocacy network played a key role in building a presence in the political arena.
"As WVSHA representatives met with their legislators and staff in Charleston, never once did we hear them say they hadn't heard of this bill," said Kathy Freeland, WVSHA advocacy committee co-chair. "In fact, many of the staffers stated that they had been bombarded with phone calls and e-mails from members." More importantly, building the infrastructure to sustain a political campaign and developing a strong grassroots network should also help position the state association's interests in the years to come.
For more information about state or local salary supplement initiatives, please contact Janet Deppe, ASHA's Director of State Special Initiatives, by e-mail at jdeppe@asha.org or by phone at 800-498-2071, ext. 4447.
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