2025 Advocacy Summit

Why Attend?

Learn how to advocate for your school and public education by engaging more deeply with your community and connecting your school district with decision-makers in the Capitol to influence public education policy. Cultivate your knowledge and skills to tell the story of your school in the landscape of Texas public education. Enhance the voices of those around you who are invested in your success. Because this kind of effective advocacy takes time to build, this is the time to get started and begin making plans for success.

Amplify Your Voice

Across Texas, school leaders, board members, parents, and other community leaders collaborate to build schools that strive to meet the expectations of parents and the economy. The voice of a collective community and the unique perspective each stakeholder brings are critically important to state policymakers.

The Advocacy Summit will provide school boards, superintendents, and other school leaders —such as principals and teachers —with a roadmap, tools, and techniques that will help them find, utilize, and amplify their voices and the voices of their communities to influence state education policy.

Attendees will also learn from other school leaders as they share their experiences and lessons learned from applying these tools and techniques.

Earn Continuing Education Credit

Continuing Education Credit for Trustees and Superintendents: Amy Dodson is a TEA-registered provider of continuing education for school board members, and for superintendents – when they train with school board members. This summit can provide up to 10 hours of continuing education credit within the Framework for School Board Development.

Registration

Event Registration

December 15-17, 2025

Participants will learn core skills for building a community-based advocacy system in partnership with their school district.

All-Inclusive price: $1,000 per person
Number of registrations available: 50

Starts: 6:00 p.m. on Monday, December 15, 2025
Ends: 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 17, 2025

The all-inclusive price includes all meals, non-alcoholic beverages, snacks, on-site parking, wifi, and two (2) nights of hotel accommodations at The Campus on Lake Austin.

Please note that attendee cancellations are refundable up to Wednesday, November 5, 2025. No refunds will be available after Wednesday, November 5, 2025. Raise Your Hand Texas is a nonprofit 501(c) (4) organization. All contributions to the organization are not deductible for federal income tax purposes as charitable contributions.

Location:

The Holdsworth Center
The Campus on Lake Austin
4907 Ranch Road 2222
Austin, TX 78731

Become a Sponsor

FAQs:

Who should attend?

A school district’s leaders, superintendents, administrators, teachers, counselors, parents, and school board members who want to learn how to develop an advocacy plan and engage their communities.

What does the registration fee include?

The registration fee includes all programming, meals, snacks, non-alcoholic beverages throughout the day, on-site parking, wifi, and hotel accommodations.

Do I have to stay overnight at the Campus on Lake Austin?

Yes, an overnight stay is part of the program.

Will I receive continuing education credit?

Yes. Trustees and Superintendents will receive up to 10 hours of continuing education credit upon the conclusion of the 2025 Advocacy Summit.

What is the policy on video and photography at the Summit?

No taping or recording is allowed, except by Raise Your Hand Texas.

Raise Your Hand Texas and its designees may record, photograph, and or stream various aspects of this event for archival or promotional purposes. By attending the Trustee Advocates Summit, sponsors and attendees give Raise Your Hand Texas permission to use the attendees’ voice and image in any such archival or promotional recording, photograph, or streaming activity.

May I bring a guest?

No, we cannot accommodate guests for this event.

What previous attendees have to say:

“I gained valuable insight on how and when to connect with our legislators and how different connections or intersections can help build relationships and consideration when key legislative issues arise. They call it Power Mapping. What we learned about timelines and what happens before the legislative session even begins was incredibly helpful. These were hands-on, interactive activities that were valuable learning experiences for our team of eight. I’m convinced that this Summit and our subsequent actions, including our trips to Austin, inspired one of our Trustees to run for a seat in the Texas House. I highly recommend Raise Your Hand Texas’ Advocacy Summit to superintendents and their boards. It was one of the best professional learning experiences I have had in recent years.”

Mark Fouse, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools, Northwest Independent School District, Fort Worth, TX

“Participating in the Advocacy Summit was extremely impactful. The networking and learning opportunities not only sharpened my own understanding but also equipped me to better educate and engage my community. In a small, rural district, where every voice matters, creating a culture of voting and advocacy is critical. This program gave me the tools to bring that message home—to help our parents, staff, and stakeholders see the power they have in shaping the future of our schools and our children.”

Taylor Williams, Superintendent of Decatur ISD

“The Advocacy Summit is a unique learning event. The sessions were very beneficial to understanding the legislative process, including the involvement of our community leaders. It was a great learning experience.”

Advocacy Summit

Why Attend?

Amplify Your Voice

Earn Continuing Education Credit

Registration

Location:

FAQs:

What previous attendees have to say:

Mark Fouse, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools, Northwest Independent School District, Fort Worth, TX

Taylor Williams, Superintendent of Decatur ISD

Dr Deidre Parish, Amarillo ISD

Request More Information

Send a contact request to your local RAD.

Why Attend?

Amplify Your Voice

Earn Continuing Education Credit

Registration

Location:

FAQs:

What previous attendees have to say:

Mark Fouse, Ed.D., Superintendent of Schools, Northwest Independent School District, Fort Worth, TX

Taylor Williams, Superintendent of Decatur ISD

Dr Deidre Parish, Amarillo ISD

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