Author: CAPTA IT

Nominating Committees Play a Vital Role in PTA’s Success!

Posted on by CAPTA IT

It is time to think about electing the nominating committee to ensure a successful election for the coming term. election for the coming term. The nominating committee is a very important part  of a PTA’s continued success! Think of the nominating committee members as the architects of the PTA unit – coming together to help craft a PTA executive board that represents the community the PTA serves and helps build a stronger, more inclusive organization.

The nominating committee is elected by the membership at your PTA’s association meeting at least two months before the annual election meeting, which means the election of the committee by the association will need to happen anywhere between December and February (depending on your PTA’s annual election meeting date). Members of the nominating committee must have been members of your PTA for at least 30 days, and may nominate themselves for election to the committee.

Every PTA must  elect a nominating committee for each election cycle. Individuals elected to serve on the committee should have knowledge of the culture and diversity of the community served by the PTA, understand the work and roles of the PTA, and be willing to work with the committee to seek and recommend qualified leaders. to the general membership for election. The committee is so important that the following conditions govern service on the committee:

  • Committee discussions and deliberations are confidential, and are never disclosed outside of the nominating committee.
  • Individuals are ineligible for election to the committee (either as a member or an alternate) for consecutive years. 
  • The president does not serve or advise the committee in any way.
  • The principal will always acts as an advisor to the nominating committee

Everything you need to know about the composition of the nominating committee (Including how many members and alternates the committee will have) can be found in your PTA’s bylaws; just check Article V, Section 3 and 4.

Important dates:

  • The annual election meeting requires 30 days notice to the membership.
  • The recommended slate of officers must be provided to the membership at least 28 days prior to the annual meeting.

What does the nominating committee do?

At the nominating committee’s first meeting, the parliamentarian guides the committee in electing the committee chair. 

The chair will speak on behalf of the committee, and will present the slate of recommendations to the membership at the association meeting. If an elected member of the committee is unable to attend a meeting, an alternate will replace the absent committee member for the remainder of the committee’s work.

The nominating committee recruits qualified leaders to fill the elected positions available for the PTA (see bylaws Article V, Section 2). The nominating committee does not recommend appointed positions (including corresponding secretary, parliamentarian, or committee chairs) The committee may  recruit candidates by using interest forms or having the chair reach out to individuals. The committee may also conduct  candidate interviews, keeping in mind that the PTA board needs skilled leaders and should reflect the community it serves.

Once the committee has agreed upon qualified candidates for positions, the slate should be sent to the president and parliamentarian for distribution to the association at least 28 days before the annual election meeting. If a recommended candidate withdraws after the slate has been released, the committee may reconvene to agree on a new candidate. 

The nominating committee chair will present the slate to the membership at the annual election meeting before nominations are called for from the floor. Once the slate has been presented, the president may thank the committee for its service, and once the election occurs, the committee automatically dissolves. 

You can find more information on nominating committees by clicking the following links:

Building a Community of Belonging – A Crucial Step in Family Engagement

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Standard 1 Welcome all families

 

Article 1: Building a Community of Belonging – A Crucial Step in Family Engagement

As parents, we play a vital role in our children’s education, and fostering a sense of belonging within the school community is essential. The National PTA Family Engagement Standards offer six pillars of family engagement:

STANDARD 1 – Welcoming All Families

STANDARD 2 – Communicating Effectively 

STANDARD 3 – Supporting Student Success 

STANDARD 4 – Speaking Up for Every Child 

STANDARD 5 – Sharing Power 

STANDARD 6 – Collaborating With the Community.

Welcoming All Families is reached through two goals which offer practical guidance to PTA leaders and school administrators. The first goal focuses on Building a Community of Belonging, which emphasises the importance of families feeling respected, understood, and connected to the school community.

 The question parents should ask when they engage with the school and PTA is “Do we feel respected, understood, and connected?” To achieve this goal, both the school and the PTA need to focus on three objectives: learn about families in your school community, create an inclusive environment, and provide opportunities to volunteer.

Whether your school and PTA are emerging at welcoming families or excelling, there is always progress to be made. Most schools will have friendly staff welcoming new families with school information. PTA members can also volunteer to provide helpful community  information to new families. To really excel, could PTA train parent volunteers to act as mentors to new families?

Your PTA can consider how welcoming your school environment is. Could the entrances be marked with multilingual signs?  Is there a marquee that tells the community about key events at the school? Community schools may have a family resource center that can provide information in different languages. Consider also if your volunteer programs  reach out to ensure all families are offered a variety of volunteer opportunities to fit your diverse community.

To implement these strategies, schools and PTAs can adopt various practices:

  • Host mentorship programs, pairing experienced families with newcomers.
  • Establish help desks staffed by volunteers to provide information and support.
  • Ensure clear signage and multilingual welcome messages throughout the school.
  • Develop a formal volunteer program with diverse opportunities.

In our next article, we will delve into Creating an Inclusive Environment, the second goal in Welcoming All Families. Let’s work together to make our schools welcoming for all families.

Article 2: Creating an Inclusive Environment: Embracing Diversity in Our School Community

The first pillar of The National PTA’s Standards for Family-School Partnerships is Welcoming All Families. PTA-school partnerships have two goals in welcoming families:  Building a Community of Belonging and Creating an Inclusive Environment.

In the standards, “families” and “parents” are used interchangeably to refer to adults who are responsible for a student. For example, “Families from all backgrounds and neighborhoods.” Diverse families include families from all races, ethnicities, cultures, religions, family structures, and economic levels, as well as those with physical or mental challenges. 

The goal of creating an inclusive environment encourages schools and PTAs to embrace the diversity of families in the community. This work is often done through a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. Your PTA may just be beginning to identify the barriers to participation and working to remove them, enabling families to engage fully. Your school staff may see engaging all families as their responsibility, actively fostering an inclusive environment. 

Engaging school staff and families in discussions about whether classroom materials and resources reflect the diversity of the community can foster a partnership to identify and break down barriers related to race, ethnicity, class, family structure, religion, and abilities.  

Consider also the economic obstacles. Your PTA can make a commitment to keep family events free or low-cost, ensuring accessibility for all.  Fundraising and community contributions will help your PTA to be able to offer free family and student activities.

Many families with children with disabilities may feel excluded from your school community and your PTA. Consider recruiting parents to your committee that can share their own experience and help you identify ways to support others. For some children, an invitation is not enough. They may need accommodations in place in order to participate. Something as simple as posting the label for the food items at an event can make your community more accessible to families with children with food allergies or celiac.

By actively participating in these practices, we can create an environment where every family feels valued and included. Together, let’s continue to build a school community that celebrates diversity and promotes a sense of belonging for all.

Redefining Homework

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Homework is one of the most debated topics of this century, discussed by students, parents, and educators. We all know that homework is vital for students to review the concepts they learn at school and to learn how to apply them. We also know that homework helps reinforce classroom learning and develops good study habits, time management, critical thinking, and problem solving – important life skills. But in trying to help the kids, are we in fact making it worse for them? 

 

The “10-Minute Rule” formulated by the National PTA and the National Education Association suggests that kids should be doing about 10 minutes of homework per night per grade level. This translates to 10 minutes of homework for first graders, going up to 120 minutes for twelfth graders. Do we  simply apply this number, or do we consider the quality of the homework done? It is in fact a lot more complicated…

 

How do you consider the different levels of students to determine the time it takes to finish the homework? Who determines that a set homework can be done within a set time? And do we know the impact on low-income households and students with learning differences? Do we also consider the household education and the amount of support parents can provide the students at home to finish their homework? 

 

Another factor to consider is the age group of the students. Elementary school kids learn a lot through exploration and should have the free time to do so; high school kids are adept at independent learning and can take more rigorous homework but still need to have time for family and other commitments.

 

Recent studies have shown that the biggest stressor for students is the amount of homework they have. While individual teachers assign homework thinking that it is fine, the bigger picture (especially in high school) includes much more.  Work for other subjects, clubs, extracurricular activities, sports, college preparation including PSAT, SAT, and ACT quickly piles up and becomes overwhelming. Nobody wants students to forfeit a good night’s sleep and end up staying up late to finish their homework; it will adversely affect the physical and mental well-being of the students. 

 

How do you determine the right amount of homework, given that we are all working for the betterment of the students? Educators can poll students periodically to figure out if they are okay with the workload or are overwhelmed. Educators can see who has struggled the most in a given month in class and then assign less work  so the underperforming student can finish in the allotted/recommended time.  Eliciting students’ thoughts on homework enables teachers to understand how they can better support underperforming students, instead of assigning homework that risks worsening educational equity.

 

Another idea is to come up with more creative solutions to find the right balance. We can recognize Howard Gardner’s well-accepted theory of multiple intelligences which suggests that there are other forms of intelligence including naturalistic or musical.. 

 

A way to satisfy students who are high performing would be to have an optional section for those who can complete the allotted homework and want to do more. After all, parents, caregivers, and educators as a team are the best resources for our students and can find the best ways to make it work, not just for one student but for every student in our schools!

 

LegCon2024 registration is now open. Join us and make a difference!

Posted on by CAPTA IT

We’re inviting you to use your voice at the 2024 California State PTA Legislation Conference in Sacramento on January 22-23, 2024. Our annual trip to California’s state capitol is your opportunity to hear from experts and key speakers on children’s issues, learn about the inner workings of state government, advocate directly to legislators, network, and share ideas with PTA leaders from across the state. 

Register NOW: https://CAPTA_LegCon24.eventbrite.com

 

Who should attend:   

Whether you are new to PTA, a longtime member, or a community supporter, you are invited to join us for this highly informative and fascinating two days! Interested California PTA members, including high school students and advocacy leaders throughout California, are strongly encouraged to participate. Presidents should plan to also attend if there is no designated advocacy/legislation rep for that PTA.

Early-bird registration is now open and runs through December 8. Prices go up on December 9, and seats are limited.  

 

What to expect:  

LegCon2024 is a two-day conference focused on legislative advocacy and learning to use your voice to improve the lives of California’s children, youth, and families.  

On Day 1, we gathered at the Embassy Suites, Sacramento, to hear from a series of engaging speakers, influential legislators, and insightful experts. You’ll learn about education policy, school funding issues, and topics concerning the health and welfare of children, and families.  Attendees will have opportunities to network and share ideas with advocates from around the state. 

On Day 2, you’ll get tips on how to be an effective advocate for children and youth, learn the latest about hot topics across our state, see the capitol, and meet with lawmakers about your key issues and advocate for matters you care about.

For engaged PTA members who want to be effective advocates for youth, this is not to be missed.  More information is available on our website:  https://capta.org/programs-events/legislation-conference/. Get all the details and register now at this link. Questions? Email legislation@capta.org. 

 

Your registration includes: (lunch, coffee service, a snack, and dinner on Monday. Embassy Suites guests also participate for free in the Monday night reception and receive a complimentary breakfast on Tuesday morning. )

Help spread the word about CalKIDS college savings accounts

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Dream big.

That’s the message at the heart of the California Kids Investment and Development Savings Program (CalKIDS). The program provides $2 billion in state funds for millions of California children with the goal of inspiring families and students to prepare academically and financially for higher education at an early age.

CalKIDS brings greater equity to our society by opening higher education opportunities to families that have often been left out.

Under the program, each California public school student from a low-income family, as defined by the Local Control Funding Formula, receives $500. This can increase to $1,500 for some especially vulnerable students.

In addition, all babies, regardless of income, born after July 1, 2022, will receive between $25 and $175.

But we need your help. To be able to use the money, which can only be spent on higher education costs, parents or guardians must claim the accounts. It’s an easy process. Instructions are at calkids.org/

To claim these accounts, however, parents or guardians need to know about the program. As PTA volunteers committed to improve your school communities, you are ideal messengers.

Please help us spread the word! Tell friends, neighbors, family members and classmates of your students. To learn more, check out this Toolkit.

Research has proven that even a small amount of college savings can transform a child’s future. Children in families with low-to-moderate incomes are three times more likely to attend college and four times more likely to graduate than children without an account.

CalKIDS is administered by the ScholarShare Investment Board, a California state agency managed out of the State Treasurer’s Office Recently, the program celebrated its first anniversary. We’ve accomplished a lot:

  • 4 million accounts were created.
  • 217,000 families claimed their college savings.
  • The state distributed $9 million to institutions of higher education to pay expenses for more than 15,000 students.

We can accomplish a lot more with your help. Please join us in helping to fulfill college and career training dreams of our students. It’s an investment in our children and our future.

PTA-Supported Legislation Protecting LGBTQ+ Youth Signed into Law by Governor Newsom

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By Kathleen Fay, Director of Legislation

National PTA and its constituent associations have long believed that every child deserves to go to school excited to learn, in a safe and nurturing environment, without the fear of bullying, violence, or discrimination.  In 2016, during its Annual Convention and Expo, National PTA adopted a resolution, based on a California State PTA resolution, to advocate for and support federal legislation that specifically protects LGBTQ youth and encourages states and school districts to incorporate inclusive policies and practices that create and maintain safe learning environments for all students.  

LGBTQ+ students are more likely than their peers to be bullied, to be physically assaulted and to feel unsafe in school because of their real or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.  LGBTQ students in schools with an LGBTQ-inclusive curriculum feel more connected to their school community.  More information about the National PTA position is available here.

In the 2023 California legislative session, several bills designed to strengthen protections for LGBTQ+ students were supported by California State PTA and passed by the California State Legislature. On September 23, Governor Gavin Newsom signed several of them at once to highlight his approval for measures that support vulnerable youth.

“California is proud to have some of the most robust laws in the nation when it comes to protecting and supporting our LGBTQ+ community, and we’re committed to the ongoing work to create safer, more inclusive spaces for all Californians,” said Governor Newsom. “These measures will help protect vulnerable youth, promote acceptance, and create more supportive environments in our schools and communities. I thank Senator Eggman and the LGBTQ Caucus for their dedicated leadership and partnership in advancing our state’s values of equality, freedom and acceptance.”

Senator Susan Talamantes Eggman, Chair of the California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus, said “This year the LGBTQ Caucus took up the important work of protecting our communities in the face of vile anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric, discriminatory laws across the country, and hatred. I appreciate the Governor’s partnership in signing some of our priority and endorsed legislation today, and hope we can continue to educate about the harm LGBTQ+ people will continue to face if we fail to act.”

The bills which California State PTA supported, which were passed by the California State Legislature, and which Newsom ultimately signed included the following:

  • AB 5 by Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur (D-Los Angeles), sets implementation timelines for required LGBTQ+ cultural competency training by public school teachers and staff. 
  • SB 857 by Senator John Laird (D-Santa Cruz), establishes an advisory task force to identify LGBTQ+ pupil needs statewide and assist in implementing supportive initiatives.
  • AB 223 by Assemblymember Christopher Ward (D-San Diego), requires any petition for a change of gender and sex identifier by a minor to be kept confidential by the court.
  • SB 407 by Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) requires foster care resource families to demonstrate that they are able and willing to meet the needs of a child regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.
  • SB 760 by Senator Josh Newman (D-Fullerton), requires California public schools to provide and maintain at least one all-gender restroom at each school site and requires these restrooms to be easily accessible by any pupil.

A related bill signed by the Governor and supported by PTA pertains to broader diversity, equity, and inclusion issues. AB 1078, by Assemblymember Corey Jackson (D-Moreno Valley), is intended to counteract book banning in California schools, ensure that students are provided with accurate and inclusive instruction in social sciences, and prohibits discrimination against individuals because of their gender or ethnicity or any other protected characteristics.  Another bill signed into law, but which only affects college students, is AB 760 by Assemblymember Lori Wilson (D-Fairfield). This new law makes it easier for graduating students with a changed legal name or gender to have their chosen name listed on their diploma.

California State PTA is proud to support legislation that offers a welcoming and affirming school environment for all of California’s children and youth.

https://www.pta.org/home/run-your-pta/Diversity-Equity-Inclusion/lgbtq-community-inclusivity-in-pta

How to tell if an email is “Phishy”

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Email is a vital tool for conducting PTA business, but like many tools it can be misused and cause harm. Bad actors are using email as a way to transmit malware, ransomware, and phishing attacks, all of which can harm the finances and reputations of individuals and organizations. In fact, PTAs in California and across the country have been targeted by these attacks.

What is phishing?

Phishing is a general term for a variety of email-based scams that seem to come from a trusted source but trick you into giving up private information or taking risky actions. They are difficult to defend against because they rely on human psychology rather than technology to victimize their targets. At the California State PTA office alone, 10% of blocked emails are phishing attempts. This figure does not include the number of phishing emails that are delivered to individual users’ email inboxes.

Spear Phishing, a specific subtype of these scams, targets members of a company or organization who possess sensitive or privileged information. In the case of California PTA, volunteer leaders are sent messages that purport to be from a member of the staff or a member of the Board of Directors or  Managers. They request that the recipient click a link or button in the email, provide financial information, or even purchase gift cards. Most of these emails appear legitimate, and with the advent of AI, they are becoming more and more indistinguishable from genuine messages.

Stay alert and you can catch these “phish”

Due to the nature of the scam, technological solutions will not provide complete protection. The best defense against phishing emails are vigilant, informed users. To keep yourself and the PTA safe, arm yourself with critical thinking before you click on a link or respond to an email.

  • Recognize who is sending the email to you. Do not trust the name on the signature. Instead, look at the email address itself. In Outlook, double-click the name of the sender to see the email address that the message was sent from, and verify it is the correct address; in Gmail, hover over the name of the sender.
  • Verify through other communication methods that the message is legitimate. If a message is asking you to provide passwords or financial information, contact the sender via phone or text message to verify that they have sent the email to you.
  • Trust your intuition. Phishing scams pose as people we know and often include an element of urgency to take advantage of our natural tendencies to want to help. If a request seems unusual or needlessly rushed, consider such things as a warning that the message may not be what it seems to be. Verify with the purported sender before responding.
  • Don’t respond to strangers. Never click links or open attachments from email messages that you receive from unknown senders.
  • Practice good cyber-hygiene.  Keep your software updated and your firewalls and anti-virus software current. Use separate, strong passwords for all online accounts.

Following these practices and exercising general vigilance will help to safeguard your assets and privacy as well as the security of our organization as a whole. 

Climate Change: What’s PTA got to do with it?

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Climate change is one of the most pressing and complex issues that families and schools face today. Further, it’s an issue that California State PTA is committed to addressing. 

In recent years, delegates to the California State PTA convention have adopted resolutions that provide every PTA with the authority needed to take a stand regarding climate change: 

  • Climate Change is a Children’s Issue (adopted in 2015) calls for PTAs in California to educate families about climate issues and to urge school districts to both educate students about climate change and make local schools more climate safe and energy efficient. 
  • Net Zero Emission Schools (adopted in 2020) addresses changes in school facilities and operations needed to specifically reduce the greenhouse gas emissions which are causing climate change.

The sheer scale of this challenge can be overwhelming. Fortunately, engaging and empowering your local community does not need to be. 

Your PTA can play an important role by learning about what is happening in your school and district, and finding a place where you can make a difference. This framework from the Resources Center for Environmental and Climate Action in Schools provides a helpful way to think about those opportunities.

[MP NOTE:   source of graphic: 4Cs Framework: https://sites.google.com/view/scrs-center/vision-and-framework/4cs-framework ]

 

How to Start the Climate Conversation at Your School or School District

The three major areas of the framework (campus, curriculum, and community & culture) offer different objectives your PTA could work on. In each case, you can draw on free resources to learn about these issues, as highlighted on the Climate Change page of the CA State PTA website. Then you can ask school officials questions like the ones below to find out what is currently happening in your community.

Campus Sustainability and Resilience

Each school facilities project – be it new construction, retrofitting and repair, or replacement – is an opportunity to protect students and teachers from climate-related health hazards and disruptions. Examples include adopting sustainable construction practices, electrifying building systems such as heating and air conditioning, installing solar panels and battery storage, creating green schoolyards, and transitioning to zero emission school buses.

Ask school officials:

  • What is our school district doing to use more clean energy in its buildings, transportation, and nutrition services?
  • Has the district adopted a plan for climate sustainability?
  • To what extent do any upcoming facility improvements or construction projects incorporate green technologies and practices?
  • What are we doing to ensure that school buildings stay safe, cool, and dry in the face of our changing climate? 
  • What has/can our school board commit to for taking environmental and climate action?
  • Are district officials aware of the funding available to support these goals?

 

Curriculum Related to Environmental Literacy and Climate Careers

Climate change will affect where and how future generations live and develop their livelihoods. To continue to adapt and innovate, and ultimately to thrive, our children need to be climate-literate. Study of the environment must become central to their educational experience and career preparation. California offers a wealth of support for environmental education; however, only 29% of current teachers report that environmental concepts are explored in their lessons.

Ask school officials:

  • Are environmental and climate topics taught across subjects and grade levels?
  • Does our district have an existing environmental or climate literacy plan or school board policy for environmental education?
  • How, if at all, does our district provide professional development to educators on environmental literacy, climate change, climate solutions, and sustainability?
  • Does our district have career and technical education opportunities to prepare students for emerging opportunities in a clean economy?

 

Schools and Communities as Climate Partners

A neighborhood school is a place where the social fabric and feeling of a community is made. On a climate-resilient campus, not only teachers and students, but also families and neighbors can find shelter and respite. Moreover, climate-adaptive school infrastructure and grounds could provide models for other community sites. For students in particular, schools must also be places of social-emotional support and places where students see how they can work toward change.

Ask school officials:

  • How will climate risks potentially affect students, families, learning, and schools? Do those risks differ by communities or schools within our district?
  • Are schools in our district equipped to be hubs of community resilience? Are there government resources or community partners that can help? 
  • Are there supports currently in place to meet students’ mental health needs in the event of community-wide trauma from climate impacts?
  • Does our school community offer opportunities to celebrate environmental and climate awareness and action?

 

To Learn More

To help your PTA think more about how to get members involved and decide on actions to take, see this Parent Climate Advocacy Toolkit which National PTA helped develop. 

For a summary of what is happening at schools in California, and for related funding opportunities, read the Climate Resilient California Schools action plan from the Climate Ready Schools Coalition. 

For a wealth of other questions you can ask in order to identify places your PTA can start working on climate action, download this Guide from ThisIsPlanetEd.org.  

Hanging Out the Welcome Sign

Posted on by CAPTA IT

Labor Day has come and gone and most of our students are back in school for the fall. The school year is filled with excitement and possibility for your PTA. Now is your chance to “Make a difference every day with PTA!”

What are you going to do every day to make the families in your community feel valued and welcome? Here are a few tips that may be helpful:
Create a welcoming meeting atmosphere: Assign an officer or two (or your entire PTA board) to greet newcomers at each meeting. Wear name tags so that everyone can get to know each other’s names. Avoid using acronyms or jargon. Explain the programs and events you put on at the school in detail so that everyone can understand them so they do not feel like outsiders. Have everyone at the meeting raise a hand to speak. This prevents one or two members from dominating the discussion. Follow up after the meeting. Thank new families for coming and asking if they have any questions or would like to become involved.

Recruit everyone: Consider every interaction with a new family as a chance to talk about what your PTA does and to invite them to get involved, not just to join. Make it easy to get involved. Set up different volunteer opportunities with varying levels of commitment so that everyone can give of their time and energy in a way that works for them. Try an online volunteer sign-up or management system. Follow up after asking for input or help. Consider having a volunteer coordinator on your board.

Be available: Update your PTA website frequently. Make contact information for your PTA officers and committee chairs easy to find so members can reach out with questions or to get involved. Link your PTA information to the school website. Hang welcome signs and post notices about PTA events where they are easily seen.

Welcome new volunteers and fresh ideas: Use committee assignments to encourage volunteers to ease into larger PTA roles. Provide job descriptions where they can easily be found and read. Provide members a timeline of when new board members and committee chairpeople are selected so they know when these opportunities for involvement are available. Engage and start with kindergarten and transitional kindergarten (TK) parents each year.

Build diversity: Listen to your community. Do not assume you know what it needs from PTA. Survey families in their home language, if possible, to see what kinds of programs they are interested in and how the PTA can support them. Include new voices in the planning and execution of events. Fresh feedback and input are a gift! Reach out for wide representation from your community. Ask people to invite their friends. Call new families to personally invite them to events or meetings. On forms and paperwork, remember to be inclusive in your language. Ask for the name of parents, caregivers, or guardians. Bring meetings and interactions out into your community. Do not always expect families to come to you.

Use every day as your chance to make somebody feel welcome in your school’s PTA!

For a wealth of helpful ideas regarding engaging volunteers, conducting inclusive and welcoming meetings, and making everyone feel like a part of your PTA, look at the California State PTA Leaders’ Website.

National PTA Wins Award for Advocacy Efforts to Promote Family-School Partnerships

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National PTA is being recognized for its efforts to use the power of the association to shift the narrative around parents’ rights on Capitol Hill towards meaningful family engagement.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, parents got a front-row seat to their children’s education. PTA saw an opportunity and tapped into its long-standing work to show what meaningful parental involvement in our schools and effective family-school partnerships look like. That included updating the association’s National Standards for Family-School Partnerships and accompanying policy recommendations early in 2023.

At the same time, some members of Congress put forth proposals in the name of “parents’ rights” even when those efforts would undermine family-school partnerships. In particular, H.R. 5, Parents Bill of Rights Act, was up for debate and vote in the U.S. House of Representatives. National PTA corresponded with both Republican and Democratic leaders to help develop a federal resolution that offered a positive alternative, using language that has been adopted by PTA membership.

Introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives in March, H. Res. 219 recognizes the importance of sufficiently supporting public elementary and secondary schools to provide all students with a well-rounded education. Additionally, the resolution promotes the implementation of practices that reduce disparities, eliminate discrimination, and make schools safer, more inclusive, and more supportive for all students. PTA co-authored the congressional resolution and because of PTA’s outreach, hundreds of national organizations have endorsed the Resolution. The list of congressional co-sponsors also continues to grow.

PTA also mobilized hundreds of the association’s members, state PTA leaders, parents, and community leaders to advocate directly to their policymakers through Hill briefings, messaging guidance, action alerts, training, educational communication, and speaking engagements. Ultimately, 7,095 messages were sent to Congress from PTA’s network of parent advocates to urge Congress to shift their focus away from the harmful “parents’ rights” legislation to meaningful collaboration within our K-12 education system.

When H.R. 5 came up for a vote, Democratic members of Congress were grateful to Representative Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR-01), who championed PTA’s position, for putting forward something they could support, rather than vote against parental engagement overall.

“National PTA is honored to accept ASAE’s annual Power of Associations Award for our work surrounding Parental Involvement in K-12 Education,” said National PTA Executive Director Nathan Monell. “Thanks and congratulations to the government affairs staff, legislative leaders, and PTA advocates who made it possible. Through these efforts, PTA members throughout the country have information and language they can use to advocate for healthy family engagement in their own states and communities.”

The American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) gives out their Power of Associations Awards in recognition of an association’s ability to use its unique resources to problem-solve, advance professional performance, kick-start innovation, and enhance conditions worldwide. The ASAE will present the award to the National PTA at the annual Summit Awards Dinner on September 28, 2023, at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC.