Title IV Part A of ESSA is authorized at $1.65 Billion Dollars and can be used to provide comprehensive school psychological services, increase access to well rounded curricula, and improve the effective use of technology to enhance learning. These funds are in jeopardy, and your voice is needed to help preserve this critical funding stream.

This week NASP is hosting a "Virtual Advocacy Week" centered on Title IV Part A funding for ESSA. We have suggested advocacy activities for each day of the week to ensure school psychologist's voices are heard!

Monday: Tweet your Elected Officials

Tweet at your elected officials and ask them to fully fund Title IV Part A. They do actually read tweets and engage with constituents on Twitter! Find your elected official's Twitter handles and send them a pre-crafted tweet through the NASP Advocacy Action Center or copy and paste the following tweets into Twitter. If you decide to craft your own tweet, be sure and include your elected official's Twitter handle in it and the #NASPadvocates hashtag!

• Fund Title IV Part A and the Full Service Community Schools Program to support #SchoolMentalHealth services #NASPadvocates
• Promote Title IV Part A funding for #ESSA to ensure equitable access to resources for all students #NASPadvocates
• Fund Title IV Part A of #ESSA to implement practices that support safe and healthy students #NASPadvocates
• Support full funding of Title IV Part A for training on #TraumaInformed practices in schools #NASPadvocates
• Students need comprehensive #SchoolMentalHealth services to be academically successful #NASPadvocates
• Our students need health + safety programs as well as diverse academic programs. Fund Title IV Part A #NASPadvocates
• Evidence supports a correlation between #mentalhealth + learning. Fund Title IV Part A #NASPAdvocates
• #SchoolMentalHealth services are necessary for student's academic success + school completion. Fund Title IV Part A #NASPadvocates
• Fund Title IV Part A. Our students need comprehensive #SchoolMentalHealth programs to thrive in school + in life. #NASPadvocates
• #SchoolMentalHealth services are necessary for healthy and resilient students. Support Title IV Part A funding. #NASPadvocates

Tuesday: Write a Letter to/ Call your Elected Officials

Visit the NASP Advocacy Action Center to send a pre-written letter to your legislators and follow our instructions on how to call their offices yourself. Use our suggested talking points to share why Congress should fully fund Title IV Part A and the importance of school mental health services.

Wednesday: Participate in a Twitter Chat

Join us Wednesday, September 14, at 8:00 p.m. EDT for a Twitter Chat focused on advocacy and expanding your role as a school psychologist. NASP Government and Professional Relations Committee members and seasoned advocates, Peter Faustino (@Dr_Faustino) and Kari Oyen (@karioyen), will facilitate this interactive conversation titled "Advocacy: Relationships that Create Change". On the night of, type #NASPadvocates in the Twitter search bar and click "live" to join.

Thursday: Reflect on last night's Twitter Chat

Reflect on what was discussed during Wednesday night's Twitter Chat about advocacy and your role as a school psychologist. How will you incorporate these ideas into your work in schools and your every day life? What advocacy initiatives in your state could you be a part of? Be sure to check out NASP's ESSA Implementation Resources to help you in your work.

Friday: Participate in "Choose Your Own Advocacy Day"

Friday is "Choose Your Own Advocacy Day". Commit to doing an advocacy activity in your school over the next couple of weeks during "back to school season". This can include: sharing resources with teachers in your building, setting up a meeting with your principal to discuss your role, and finding out what your state assoication is doing around ESSA and how you can help.