IASP Advocacy Podcast 4.3.26

In this episode of the IASP Advocacy Podcast, host Cindy Long shifts the focus from tracking legislative developments to empowering school leaders to take proactive advocacy roles after the legislative session. She highlights key policy trends from the 2026 session, including increased scrutiny on student technology use, enhanced family communication requirements, and the introduction of the 'success sequence' to prepare students for life beyond graduation. Long emphasizes that while legislation is now in motion, its successful implementation depends on school leaders. She introduces the newly redesigned IASP.org website, particularly the advocacy page, as a central tool for accessing legislative summaries, implementation guides, and resources like the IASP Legislative Impact Form and tools for inviting legislators into schools. With primary season approaching, Long urges leaders to identify candidates in their districts via indianavoters.in.gov and begin building relationships early—using school visits and events like 'principal for a day' to humanize policy decisions. The episode concludes with a simple challenge: visit the advocacy page, check who’s on the ballot, and identify one person to connect with this week.