| Given that a major political realignment has occurred in the American South since the mid-1990's, coupled with a lack of scholarly research regarding educational interest groups since the mid-1980's, this dissertation was designed to bridge the gap between the scholarly literature and current political reality. The specific focus of this case study was to uncover the lobbying strategies employed by a teachers' union and its corresponding state school board association. In addition, this study attempted to determine how federal mandates were used as a lobbying strategy and how key legislators perceived the organizations during the development of a state budget.; Using key actor interviews, document analysis, and personal observations, the triangulation of data uncovered ten identifiable lobbying strategies employed by these organizations: empowering grassroots activists, maintaining personal contact, utilizing political action, articulating appropriate language, finding appropriate bill sponsors, expressing gratitude, speaking before subcommittees, representing data honestly, and developing strong policy alliances. The researcher's descriptive analysis indicated that the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 was also used as a lobbying strategy. Afterwards, each legislator revealed their own, often conflicting, perceptions regarding how these interest groups operated during the 2006 state legislative session.; The dissertation concluded by relating the study's findings to the research included within its extensive critical literature review and the study's conceptual framework. Finally, suggestions for future research employing qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method designs were postulated. |
