Please find below a listing of California State PTA’s March training and advocacy opportunities for our leaders and members. We hope you will join us for some of these offerings: Tuesday, March ...
Preventing School Absenteeism: What Parents Need to Know
February 23, 2021
Chronic absence is defined as missing 10 percent or greater of the total number of days enrolled during the school year for any reason. It includes both excused, unexcused, out-of-school suspensions, ...
The goal of National Eating Disorders Awareness Week (#NEDAwareness) is to shine the spotlight on eating disorders by educating the public, spreading a message of hope, and putting lifesaving resource...
Leg Con 2021 Wrap-Up: Bringing Equity to California Public Schools
February 19, 2021
This article was written by Kitty Cahalan, President of Blair School PTSA in Pasadena (First District) “A Path to Equity” was the focus of this year’s Legislation Conference, which I attended as a loc...
What Does President Biden’s Coronavirus Relief Plan Mean for Children and Families?
February 19, 2021
The Biden administration recently released its $1.9 trillion Coronavirus relief plan. So what does this plan mean for our children and families through the lens of equity? Stimulus The plan calls fo...
Please find below a listing of California State PTA’s February training and advocacy opportunities for our leaders and members. We hope you will join us for some of these offerings: Thursday, Fe...
10 Things California State PTA Recommends for the Safe Reopening of Schools
February 8, 2021
It’s been almost a year since California closed school campuses. And you know who is counting? Parents, teachers, and students are counting each day with growing frustration. The California Stat...
The California State budget is complex, to say the least. How do we, as parents, help to understand it especially as it relates to education funding? Our own former State President, Carol Kocivar, wr...
Book Club Discussion: “The Color of Law” by Richard Rothstein
January 15, 2021
Our Legislation Team decided that a book club would be a good way to begin discussions around race, equity, inclusion and justice. They created a list of books dealing with these topics and began to r...
As the new calendar year begins, California State PTA continues to offer training and advocacy opportunities for our leaders and members. We hope you will join us for some of our offerings: Date Even...
What is the Role of the Federal Government in Education?
December 18, 2020
Education is primarily a state and local responsibility in the United States. It is states and communities, as well as public and private organizations of all kinds, that establish schools and college...
Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Book Club Suggested Reading List
December 18, 2020
Book clubs can provide PTA leaders and families in your community a chance to have discussions on important issues. The California State PTA Legislation Team wanted to further their understanding arou...
Will There be More Money for Schools Next Year? Let’s See…
December 16, 2020
The headlines say California schools will get billions of dollars of new funding next year under Prop 98 which guarantees schools about 40% of the state budget. This is great news. But it is only part...
This article was originally published on MindTools.com. Virtual ice breakers are a great way of overcoming one of the biggest challenges of managing a remote team – that is, the lack of opportunities ...
This week is Inclusive Schools Week, celebrating the progress that schools have made in providing a supportive and quality education to an increasingly diverse student population, including students w...
January is a time of renewal for all. As the new year begins on the calendar, it is mid-year for your PTA, which means there is lots to do on the PTA front! Complete and present your mid-year audit. ...
Why Should You Attend the 2021 California State PTA Legislation Conference?
December 2, 2020
Have you considered attending Leg Con 2021, but are still on the fence? Well, here are five reasons that will convince you that attending is DEFINITELY worthwhile: This is our first-ever virtual Legis...
We never want you to miss a training opportunity, advocacy call or webinar hosted by California State PTA, so we’ve rounded up all the PTA events happening in December here, including dates, tim...
You may have received an email appearing to be from someone on your board — or that even has their actual email address — asking for some sort of financial transaction, but it wasn’t actua...
Book Review: “The New Jim Crow,” by Michelle Alexander
November 19, 2020
The CAPTA Legislation team is in the process of reading and discussing one book a month on the topic of the African American experience in the U.S. We decided to do this to educate ourselves about thi...
Global Diversity Awareness Month: Parent Stories, Part 2
November 5, 2020
First, listen… Unit PTA leader: We decided to move to an area where my Black son would see peers and school adults who looked like him. As a PTA leader, I know the power of advocacy and partnership wi...
Advice on Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle – During COVID-19, and Year-Round
October 29, 2020
Although we’ve all learned a lot over the last eight months about how to stay healthy in the face of the COVID-19 crisis, we wanted to take this opportunity to remind you of the importance of maintain...
Global Diversity Awareness Month: Teacher Stories, Part 1
October 27, 2020
First, listen… Educator: I use the word ‘grownups’, not parents, or mom and dads. I used to use those words but I learned that some of my students are being raised by their grandparents or other famil...
How Next Gen Science Standards Prepare Students for Next Gen Careers
October 27, 2020
“Mom, what’s the point of taking biology if I’m not going to use anything I learn? I’m not going to be a scientist. I’m going to be a reporter.” Many of your children may ask similar questions when th...
We never want you to miss a training opportunity, advocacy call or webinar hosted by California State PTA, so each month we are going to post information right here on our blog about dates, times and ...
Global Diversity Awareness Month: Student Stories, Part 2
October 22, 2020
First, listen…. Student: It wasn’t until I took an AP class my sophomore year where the books we read were by authors of color. I became really interested in who gets to choose the books that I am tau...
Global Diversity Awareness Month: Student Stories, Part 1
October 13, 2020
First, listen… Student: Whether I wear pants or a skirt, I sing the same. Does it matter if I wear pants instead of a skirt? Yes it matters to me. I don’t understand why my teacher and principal insis...
Global Diversity Awareness Month: Parent Stories, Part 1
October 8, 2020
First, listen… Parent: There it was — in print. The new Superintendent wrote in his message to the whole district that special education was taking funds meant for general fund programs. M...
Tips and Tricks from the Great Membership Idea Exchange
September 21, 2020
Back in late July and early August we held a few Membership Idea Exchange Zoom calls. We were so excited to be joined by PTA leaders across the state — sharing their ideas and some of their stru...
Students Active in PTA Could Get State Recognition
September 9, 2020
California students may soon be able to get official state recognition for the work they do to support their local PTSAs and schools. An item before the State Board of Education on September 10 establ...
Why Wednesday? Continuing Education Scholarships and PTA Grants
September 9, 2020
It’s Why Wednesday! Q: Who qualifies for California State PTA grants and continuing education scholarships? When is the application due? Continuing Education Scholarships: To help you continue on you...
With California schools set to be closed through the end of the academic year, many students and their families have had to deal with sudden upheaval to their everyday lives. Most schools have transit...
Thursday, July 30 is the scheduled launch date for the NASA 2020 Mission to Mars. The Mars Rover Perseverance will be taking off for the Red Planet on that day — if everything goes as planned. Y...
