Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Please send additional questions about the website to communications@capta.org

F.A.Q.s

How does the Leaders Website differ from the main CAPTA.org site?

The public www.CAPTA.org website provides information to all the audiences who might be interested in our organization, including our PTA leaders and members, as well as all educators and parents, members of the press, elected officials, and our many partner organizations. The public site is focused on the benefits our organization provides to all of California’s families and children; including our focus areas of family engagement, education, and health & community concerns, our resource library and other information for parents and caregivers, program information for families and schools, and our advocacy work and positions. 

By contrast, the Leaders Website is focused just on supporting our Leaders/Members in their local PTA/PTSAs throughout California. It’s designed to assure that updates and new information are easy for state commissions and committees to add, and easy for our leaders and members to find. 

What specific content is on the Leaders Website? 

The site is divided into sections based on the typical roles and responsibilities of local PTA leaders. They include Leadership, Membership, Finance, Take Action, Communications, and Programs. In each of these sections, you’ll find a variety of articles, links to related forms and checklists, and how-to guides for specific tasks, plus information about available trainings. 

There’s also a Calendar tab with information about upcoming events and trainings just for PTA leaders.

The Quick Links button (on the top right of the page) will give you instant access to a Directory for finding topics, the PTA Toolkit, forms you might need, the PTA store, and much more.

Key announcements, like when convention registration opens, are also easy to find.

What content should I look for on www.capta.org? 

Almost all the content in our Focus Areas of Advocacy, Education, Health, Community Concerns, Family Engagement, and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion is staying right where it is. In addition, many of our programs and public-facing events will have pages/sections on both the public site and the Leaders Website. Some examples include the Reflections Art Program, School Smarts, Scholarships, and Convention. 

We also want everyone curious about PTA to be able to find basic “About Us” information, event announcements and registration, news, and most of our publications. Parents and educators also retain full and free access to the Resource Library of helpful websites and publications on all topics related to keeping kids and families safe, healthy, and learning.

Of course, there is also a button that makes it easy to join both your local PTA and Golden State PTA.

Who owns/updates/changes the content in the Leaders Website?

The California State PTA Commission or Committee responsible for the content is listed at the bottom of each page of the Leaders Website. 

The Communications Commission and PTA staff oversee the posting of information to assure links work, prevent duplication, keep things like the calendar up-to-date, and proofread submissions for grammar and typos. 

How do I log in to the Leaders Website? 

You can type the URL leaders.capta.org directly into your browser, or visit capta.org/leaderslogin or use one of the handy yellow “Leaders Website Login” buttons on may of the pages in capta.org. 

Your local folks can find the unit/council/district number on their membership card if they join via our e-membership portal at Totem. We’re also encouraging local PTAs to make sure that you include your unit number on paper membership cards.

Why do I have to sign in to see the Leaders Website? 

The practical tips and tools included in the Leaders Website are made possible by your support through your PTA membership dues. We want to honor your contribution by making sure that only PTA leaders and members have access to the site. Think of it as another membership perk! 

Non-PTA members will find a link to join directly on the log in window. 

Can I share it with others in my PTA and how do I do that? 

We encourage you to share the Leaders Website URL with other local PTA leaders and active members. We want everyone in your PTA to be able to access the valuable information on the site when they need it.  

What if there is something specific I want to download or copy onto my local PTA site? 

California State PTA leaders and members of consistent PTA organizations are free to copy, customize and distribute our content for PTA use. Please refer to our  Online Terms and Conditions for all other uses. 

What if I see a mistake on any of these pages?

We appreciate your help keeping crowdsourcing our content to ensure it’s correct and current. If you see mistakes or think a page needs improving, email the page URL and your suggested update to LeadersWebsite@capta.org. 

The sign-in page says I need my PTA District number and Unit CA ID. Where can I find those?

PTA Districts are organized by region. Your Unit CA ID is a unique number for each local association and you can find it on your membership card if you joined via our e-membership portal at Totem. We’re also encouraging local PTAs to make sure they include their unit number on paper membership cards. The number is also listed in all PTA Association bylaws. Contact your PTA board officers for assistance.

I am part of a new PTA Unit and the site won’t let me log in. What should I do?

It just means we haven’t yet added your unit number to the system. Send a note to LeadersWebsite@capta.org and we’ll get it fixed right away.

How do I join PTA?

Membership in PTA is at the local level and a growing number of PTA units, our school-level associations, are part of our electronic membership (emembership) system, Totem. You can search for your school through the online platform.  If you can’t find your local PTA unit, please ask about PTA membership at your school.

You can also join Golden State PTA using our emembership system and support California State PTA scholarships and grants for volunteers and graduating high school seniors.

Still have questions? Email the California State PTA Membership Services Commission at membership@capta.org.