Margaret Wielenberg, school board member from Plainfield Community School Corporation, joined school governance leaders from across Indiana at the Indiana School Boards Association’s eighth annual State House Day on February 17, 2026, at the Indianapolis Hyatt Regency.
Through deep-dive briefings and direct dialogue with lawmakers, school board members engaged in a unified, statewide advocacy effort to shape thoughtful, student-centered education policy.
The morning opened with a high-level legislative update from the ISBA lobbying team, highlighting bills with significant implications for public education and outlining ISBA’s ongoing advocacy efforts to date. Then, members of the House and Senate education committees participated in a candid panel discussion, providing insights into the policymaking process and the issues driving this year’s session.
During lunch, attendees sat alongside legislators from their region, allowing school board members to share their local priorities and perspectives on how proposed legislation would impact their student populations. The event culminated with a visit to the State House for follow-up conversations with lawmakers.
Mrs. Wielenberg stated that the event was beneficial in many ways, particularly being able to speak to local legislators about the great things happening in Plainfield Schools.
State House Day is a key part of ISBA’s award-winning Legislative Action Network, a statewide program that leverages the unified voices of Indiana school boards to inform, influence, and shape sound education policy.
“School board engagement in organized grassroots advocacy is crucial,” said ISBA Executive Director Terry Spradlin. “School board members bring attention to issues that might not be on legislators’ radar, and their informed perspectives directly influence lawmakers’ decisions.”
The education committee panel consisted of House Education Committee Chair Bob Behning, Senate Education and Career Development Committee Chair Jeff Raatz, House Education Committee Ranking Minority Member Vernon Smith, and Senate Education and Career Development Committee Member Fady Qaddoura.