Recap of 2025 Event
AESA members from across the country gathered in Washington, D.C., September 17-19 for the 2025 Advocacy in Action Conference at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill. The event provided participants with the opportunity to refine their advocacy skills and meet directly with federal lawmakers to advocate for the needs of students, educators, and communities.
The conference opened with a pre-conference session on state-level advocacy, led by Craig Burford and Tina Viletto. The session offered practical strategies for engaging policymakers.
Over the next two days, participants attended federal policy briefings, engaged in discussions on effective messaging and audience engagement, and applied their skills during visits with U.S. Senators and Representatives. Advocacy centered on protecting federal education funding, expanding Head Start and Early Head Start, and ensuring ESA and FCC voices are represented in federal decision-making.
AESA will continue this momentum with federal updates in the Online News and through the Virtual Federal Advocacy Committee Meeting, scheduled for January 21 & 22, 2026.
Next year’s Advocacy in Action Conference will return to Washington on September 23–25, 2026.
