California State PTA is seeking proposals to develop a curriculum and content that will equip district and school personnel with the knowledge and tools to meaningfully engage families in the development of the district Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) as required by Priority 3 (Ed Code 52060) within the Local Control Funding Formula.
Please click here to view and download the complete proposal (PDF).
February 15, 2019
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SACRAMENTO — California State PTA is pleased to announce that Rylee Stier has been selected as the 2020-2021 National PTA Reflections Theme Search Contest winner! Rylee is a 1st grade student from Thirteenth District PTA, which covers Butte, Shasta, Tehama and Trinity counties. Rylee’s submission, “I Matter Because…” was selected from nearly 100 student submissions across 21 states.
“We could not be more proud of Rylee and all the students who participate in both the Reflections art program and the Reflections theme search. Thirteenth District PTA has been affected by recent wildfires that devastated the area, and this is a wonderful achievement for the community and for the entire state of California,” said California State PTA President Dianna MacDonald.
National PTA’s Reflections art program engages nearly 300,000 students and their families in arts education activities each year by encouraging students to explore the arts for fun and recognition. Students from pre-K through high school submit works of art in six categories: dance choreography, literature, photography, film production, music composition and visual arts.
As the National PTA Theme Search Contest winner, Rylee will receive $100 from National PTA and recognition in their 2019 Awards & Reflections Celebration program at their annual convention. Congratulations to Rylee for selecting the Reflections 2020-2021 theme!
The Member Support & Resource Specialist is an exempt, full-time position based in the PTA state office in Sacramento that performs professional and administrative work to advance the goals of California State PTA. This position assists with technical logistics, coordinates day-to-day functions, and facilitates communications between volunteer leaders, vendors and staff to ensure the successful implementation of the electronic membership dues system with the goal of advancing online membership conversions and growing online membership. The position also supports general membership growth strategies and assists with services to leaders such as eBylaws, and leadership software programs. This position assists with ongoing resource development including administrative duties, works with sponsors, exhibitors, and partners. This position reports to the Assistant Executive Director. This position also interacts with staff, board members, general membership and the public.
Essential Functions:
Additional Responsibilities:
Working conditions/Physical demands:
Minimum Qualifications:
Application Deadline and Process:
To apply, please email a cover letter and resume to ibarragan@capta.org.
Open until filled. No phone calls please.
Process and Protest: California examines the efforts of several California districts to fulfill the stakeholder engagement requirements of the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) in the development of their Local Control Accountability Plans (LCAPs).
The following report includes a brief history of LCFF, LCAPs and reflections on stakeholder engagement, a description of the five promising practices identified in our research, and case studies of districts that are applying these practices to their LCAP process.
November 19, 2018
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SACRAMENTO – State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson and California State PTA remind educators who have closed schools because of dangerous air quality that they can apply for a waiver to ensure they do not lose funding because of a drop in attendance. Torlakson also pledged that these schools will be assisted by administrators from the California Department of Education.
State law allows schools to continue to receive state funds from the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) if they have to close because of a natural disaster such as floods, fires, earthquakes or other extraordinary conditions, such as hazardous air quality.
“The wildfires burning across California have had a deep impact on the lives of our families, our friends, our neighbors and our communities. California State PTA supports and appreciates the school districts who have had to make the decision to close schools in order to keep students and school staff safe,” said California State PTA President Dianna MacDonald.
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Torlakson also encouraged schools facing poor air quality to keep students indoors during recess and meals. Air quality information is available at www.airnow.gov, and wildfire information is available from the CAL FIRE website at www.fire.ca.gov.
Visit the American Red Cross, Salvation Army or California Community Foundation’s Wildfire Relief Fund for more information on where to send a financial gift, or to find a local blood drive to help victims.
For more information on the the forms that need to be submitted, as well as additional information and resources on fire safety, visit the California Department of Education’s website at http://bit.ly/CADeptofEdFireResources.
November 6, 2018
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California parents say that science learning is vitally important and they support the kinds of changes in science instruction envisioned in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), according to a recent survey conducted by California State PTA. The survey, with more than 2,000 respondents (see overview below), also revealed about half of parents believe their district does not provide enough science instruction at the elementary school level.
Parents’ belief in the importance of science was the strongest message out of the survey, with nearly nine out of 10 agreeing or strongly agreeing that learning science is equally important as reading, writing and math. The results were similar across all parents surveyed, regardless of the child’s age, their own science background, their ethnic and socio-economic background, or their engagement in school activities. In addition, 80 percent of parents reacted positively to messages that “science is central to how we understand and make sense of the world around us,” and “a strong science education is essential for college and career readiness.”
“As California proceeds with the implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), it is important for parents to understand and support the changes schools are making,” said California State PTA President Dianna MacDonald. “Our survey results indicate parents think science instruction is vital and that they welcome the kinds of changes the state expects schools to put into place.”
When presented with descriptions of how instruction will change under NGSS, more than 80 percent of the parents surveyed said they felt favorably or very favorably toward the new standards. Parents find particularly appealing the idea that the new standards encourage students to ask lots of questions and emphasize hands-on investigation and discovery. They were equally positive about the new standards beginning at an early age and engaging students who may not think of themselves as “science kids.”
The respondents were also nearly unanimous in supporting the need for children to be equipped with critical thinking, problem solving and analytical skills, consistent with the state’s learning goals in English language arts and mathematics.
The California State PTA survey also made clear that many parents see plenty of room for improvement in both the quality and quantity of science instruction their children currently receive.
Asked whether their child attended a science class or had a science lesson either daily or weekly, seven out of 10 survey respondents said yes. However, that dropped to just over half (54 percent) among elementary parents.
Along with questions about their own children’s experiences, the PTA survey asked parents their opinion about whether science instruction in their school district as a whole was sufficient. The responses varied by grade level, with 53 percent saying their district was not providing enough science instruction in local elementary schools, 24 percent saying the same about middle schools, and 19 percent saying “not enough” in high school
The survey also indicates that schools could do more to enlist parents’ active engagement with science learning. Parents were nearly unanimous in saying it’s important for their child to have science-related learning experiences outside of the classroom but only half said they know a lot about the science their child is learning in school.
The majority also said they could better support their child’s science education if they better understood the curriculum and had ideas about fun science activities to do at home. Only about a quarter of parents agreed or strongly agreed that their child’s teacher provides those kinds of ideas, with the response consistent across all grade levels and ethnic backgrounds.
With the California State Board of Education’s formal adoption of instructional materials aligned with NGSS, more schools will be actively implementing new science teaching approaches. In addition, this spring students will take the first statewide science tests that will be reported for school accountability purposes. Notably, half of parents surveyed say that they are completely unfamiliar with the terms Next Generation Science Standards and NGSS.
Parents could play a significant role in helping schools’ NGSS implementation efforts succeed. However, their support will be much stronger if schools take the time to explain the new standards, address parents’ questions, and tap into their enthusiasm for science learning both in and out of school.
October 24, 2018
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Every student has the right to a dynamic, creative education, and California Education Code requires it. Yet 88 percent of California schools are failing to meet this standard. This. Must. Change. That’s why California State PTA joined forces with Create CA to launch one of the most impactful public will campaigns for the arts in recent history to demand arts education for all students. See the campaign.
Simply put – creativity is not optional! The goal of the campaign is to spark a movement with the public, parents, educators, artists and policy makers to demand a comprehensive, sequential arts curriculum for all children in grades K-12.
“At California State PTA, we know the arts are essential to a quality education, and we are extremely proud to be part of this important arts equity movement,” said California State PTA President Dianna MacDonald.
California State PTA is a founding organizational partner of Create CA alongside the California State Superintendent of Public Instruction, California Arts Council, the California Alliance for Arts Education and the California County Superintendents Educational Services Association. The campaign is spearheaded by Create CA with creative concepts led by Josi Sergant with TaskForce, a Los Angeles based creative agency that collaborates with the most influential non-profits, brands and people taking on the most pressing challenges facing our state, our nation and our world. The campaign is also supported by LA County Arts Commission and the Alameda County Office of Education’s Alliance for Arts Learning Leadership.
The campaign brings awareness to demand a quality education for every student in California, and is currently building a base of engaging, passionate people – on the local level – across the state. Join California’s movement for arts education. Sign up at www.createca.org.
The California Education Code requires it, but what should students be receiving in arts education at each grade level? California State PTA – in partnership with Create CA – is pleased to launch the newly revised Parents’ Guide to Arts Education in California Public Schools.
This reader-friendly guide provides an overview of what children across the state should learn in the arts disciplines of dance, music, theatre and the visual arts by the end of each grade level.
The Parents’ Guide to the Visual and Performing Arts in California Public Schools was created with parents, guardians and families of students in the California public school system in mind. By using the guide, they show that all students – not just the talented – should have the opportunity to express their unique individuality through creating and learning in and through the arts.
“As a parent myself, I know for a fact that the arts matter. Arts education is so crucial to a well-rounded, comprehensive education for all students,” said former California State PTA President Dianna MacDonald. “I am proud to be a part of an organization that works hard to make sure parents’ voices are heard loud and clear in support of the arts.”
California State PTA has a long history of advocating for a complete education that includes the arts for every child. In 2017, California State PTA adopted the “Declaration of the Rights of All Students to Equity in Arts Learning” to reaffirm its commitment to a full curriculum that includes the arts.
PTA connects families, schools and communities and strives to positively impact the lives of all children and families. For more information on arts education efforts and to download the Parents’ Guide to Arts Education in California Public Schools, click here.
DOWNLOAD THE FULL GUIDE – English
Whether you’re are new to PTA or a seasoned leader, join us for the 2022 California State PTA Legislation Conference: Advocating for Justice.
WHERE & WHEN:
January 24, 2022; 10:30am-9:00pm
January 25, 2022; 9:00am-4:00pm
Sacramento, California
Sheraton Grand Hotel at 1230 J Street
Click here to learn more.
