MO EPLP | Meeting Six Planning & Logistical Information

Missouri EPLP Fellows,

Congrats to all of you for very successful Missouri Legislative Summit! We look forward to seeing everyone again as we continue the 2025-26 cohort of the Missouri Education Policy Leadership Program. The March meeting will take place on Tuesday, March 3rd. The March meeting will be the second joint meeting between the Missouri and Kansas EPLP cohorts. 

The most exciting part of the program year is upon us as we begin preparing for the Washington Legislative Summit (WLS). In preparation for WLS, our agenda and dialogue will include (1) a large-group debrief sharing lessons learned from the state legislative summits and how those lessons apply to federal advocacy, (2) a congressional simulation where you begin to understand the professional congressional environment by playing the role of congressional staffers, (3) an afternoon workshop focused on identifying your federal-level policy priorities, legislative priorities, legislative "asks," and corresponding policy teams, and (4) a planning and logistical conversation focused on travel questions in advance of the Washington Legislative Summit.

Please find below specific calls to action and planning information in advance of the sixth meeting.

Part One - - Calls to Action

-- Personal & Professional Announcements: This is your last opportunity to update the cohort on milestones and events happening in your personal lives, professional lives, and important events taking place at your institutions. If you would like to share with the cohort this month, please respond to this email. If you have pictures or media, please forward it to me so that I can put it in the PowerPoint slide deck.

-- Policy & Legislation: In advance of the program's in-meeting workshop, please be ready to declare the federal-level policies and/or pieces of legislation that are of importance to you and your district's leaders. We will choose our policy projects and assign teams during this meeting. Please find attached (1) AASA's legislative agenda for 2026 and (2) A New Education Vision for a New Administration as guidance.

-- Congressional Districts: At the March meeting, we will ask you to identify the congressional district(s) that your home and district addresses are located in. This will determine your federal-level House representation. We will use this data during the workshop session of the agenda. Please research who represents your home and work addresses, as well as any other addresses that you may call your own. Remember, we already know who your Senators are as those are statewide elected offices. This inquiry is to determine who your House representation is, based on the congressional district you and/or your school district call home. 

-- Washington Legislative Summit Travel Questions: Many of you have reached out with questions concerning travel to Washington, DC. If you reached out and did not have your question answered or addressed, please respond to this email with your concerns so that they are not overlooked. 

-- Questions: Please direct any general questions you have in advance of the sixth meeting to Tyson Elbert via email, phone, or text. 

Part Two - - Planning & Logistical Information

-- Meeting Date: The sixth meeting of the Missouri EPLP Program will be held on Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026.

-- Meeting Beginning & Ending Times: The meeting will begin at 10:00 am and conclude no later than 4:00 pm. Please make sure to plan accordingly and arrive in advance of 10:00 am.

-- Meeting Location: The meeting will take place at JE Dunn Construction located at 1001 Locust Street, Kansas City, MO 64106. We will be meeting in the Crown Center & River Market Rooms located on the First Floor.

-- Parking Instructions: Parking is available at no cost. Please park in the attached garage located next to the JE Dunn offices. Pull into the circle drive from 10th Street and take a ticket as you enter the parking garage. Take a right inside the garage and you’ll see visitor parking on your left and right. Make sure to bring your ticket in with you and JE Dunn will validate it at the front desk.

-- Attendance: In-person attendance is mandatory.

-- Meals & Refreshments: Lunch and refreshments will be provided at the meeting. Please consider bringing personal snacks and drinks as needed. 

-- Meeting Dress: The agenda for this meeting features no outside guests. We recommend casual dress with a priority given to comfort. 

-- Name Badges: Bring and wear your name badges so that we can continue the process of learning everyone’s name, position, and institution. 

Part Three - - Other Materials

-- Cohort Roster: In advance of the second joint meeting between the Missouri and Kansas EPLP cohorts, please find attached the 2025-26 (1) Missouri and (2) Kansas EPLP cohort rosters with names, titles, and institutions. 

-- AASA Legislative Agenda: Please find attached (1) AASA's legislative agenda for 2026 and (2) A New Education Vision for a New Administration for review.

Again, if you have questions as the sixth meeting date approaches, please don’t hesitate to call or text me at (202) 550-4868. You may also email me at tyson@advocacybuild.com. 

Sincerely,

Tyson Elbert