Make Two Calls (Phonebanking)

Tell Five Friends (Friendbanking)

Indiana’s public schools need our voices. As legislators prepare to write the next two-year state budget, we need to remind them that funding public education must be a priority.

School districts are struggling to maintain essential services, retain qualified teachers, support students, and keep up with rising operating costs. Communities are increasingly being asked to pass local operating referendums just to maintain the services their schools already provide.

Meanwhile, the legislature has dramatically increased the amount of public dollars for private school vouchers.

We’re asking you to take five minutes to call two key legislative leaders and urge them to keep public funds in public schools. Hoosier taxpayers cannot afford the continued expansion of voucher and other “school choice” programs at the expense of our public education system.. We’re also challenging you to take the Five Friends Challenge: invite five friends to make the same two calls.

The message is simple: Public schools cannot continue doing more with less. Indiana must invest in the schools that serve all Hoosier children.

PHONEBANKING

Make Two Calls

WHEN to call (on your own or on our Zoom): November 18, 2026

Never called the Statehouse before? Looking for some camaraderie? Connecting with one another helps us energize. We’re here to help. We have two times on set on this day to gather on Zoom. See the bottom of this message.

WHO to call:

CHOOSE 2 (or more)!

Representative Jeff Thompson – Chair of Ways & Means, which plays a critical role in developing Indiana’s state budget.

Representative Ben Smaltz – Selected by House Republicans as their choice for the next Speaker of the House. He will lead the House during the upcoming budget session.

Phone: 317-232-9600 (House switchboard)

Senator Chris Garten* – Selected by Senate Republicans as their choice for the next Senate President Pro Tempore. He will lead the Senate during the upcoming budget session.

*pending recount

Senator Ryan Mishler – Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, which plays a critical role in developing Indiana’s state budget.

Phone: 317-232-9400 (Senate switchboard)

WHAT you are calling about:

The 2027–2029 Indiana State Budget – State tuition support for public schools.

WHY you are calling:

• Indiana’s state funding for public education has not kept pace with inflation.
• State tuition support per student has lost purchasing power over time.
• School districts face rising costs for transportation, staffing, utilities, and student services.
• Local communities are increasingly relying on operating referendums to maintain essential school services.
• Indiana must prioritize funding for public schools rather than spending more public money on the privatization of public education.
• Our public schools are the foundation of our communities, workforce, and democracy. They deserve sustainable, reliable funding.

Message Template (feel free to use your own words):

“Hello, I’d like to leave a message for [INSERT LEGISLATOR].

My name is __________, and I am a __________ (parent, grandparent, teacher, taxpayer, community member, etc.). I am calling to urge [INSERT LEGISLATOR] to make funding our public schools a priority in Indiana’s next state budget.

I am asking [INSERT LEGISLATOR] to:

1. Increase investment in Indiana’s traditional public schools to keep pace with inflation and many other rising costs. Public schools must be the first priority in state education funding.
2. Keep public funds in public schools. Hoosier taxpayers cannot afford the continued expansion of voucher and other “school choice” programs at the expense of our public education system.

Our public schools serve all children and are the foundation of our communities, workforce, and democracy. They deserve reliable, sustainable funding.

Please prioritize public education in the next state budget and invest in the schools that serve Hoosier communities.”

Guidelines for Reaching Out to Legislators

As always, please remember the following guidelines when reaching out to legislators:

• Remember to be polite and kind in your language and tone.
• Remind them public education is not a partisan issue.
• Encourage legislators to support legislation that strengthens public schools.
• Personal stories and anecdotes are particularly effective, whether it’s your own personal story or a close friend’s.
• Be disciplined in your messaging: the best way to build support for your position is to keep communication positive, bipartisan, inclusive, and single-issue.
• Avoid getting sidetracked with other issues you care about.
• If you are a constituent, mention that.

Want to Do This With a Group? Looking for Help?

Want to do this with a group? Looking for help? Join one of our two Zoom events on Nov 18 at 10am ET/9am CT and again at 7pm ET/6pm CT and we’ll guide you through how to make a call to a legislator.

Here is the Zoom link for both meeting times:

https://iu.zoom.us/j/81843808906

Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/share/1CJFnZzuTd/ 

FRIENDBANKING

Tell Five Friends

The power of a phone tree can’t be underestimated. We can move our circles of influence into action. Once you have made your own calls, please email, call or text 5 (or more) of your friends, neighbors, or family members all across Indiana and ask them to do the same.

Sample text to send a friend:

Hi! Can you please take 2 minutes to look at the phonebanking section at this link: https://indianacoalitionforpubliced.org/2026/11/11/give-me-five-legislative-phone-call-effort-fund-our-public-schools/  and call 2 (or more!) of these 4 key legislators urging them to support public schools in the upcoming budget session? Even a 15-second message helps.