Tag: Ballot Measures

Plan for a full year of advocacy!

Posted on by Ray Kinyon

As your PTA develops its plans for the 2023-24 school year, it’s important for education administrators and PTA leaders to nurture PTA advocacy efforts together.  

PTA leaders understand that speaking up for children – the essence of advocacy – is essential to ensure that every child has access to a quality education and the support they need to thrive.  California’s school principals and district superintendents benefit from having robust advocacy efforts supported in their schools because most know that strong family engagement improves education outcomes for students. Working together, parents, PTA leaders, teachers, and administrators can mobilize around actions that will improve the education, health, and well-being of all children and youth.

What’s meaningful to the members of your community?  Advocacy is different at each school.  Policymakers need to hear from their constituents about the impact of their policies.  That’s true at every level, from your local school and district, to city and county governments, to state and federal legislators. Also consider who doesn’t have a seat at the table:  Who are you NOT hearing from?  

Keep in mind that with PTA, you are never alone. Whether it’s grassroots efforts designed to give ordinary people a voice in the political process, or direct advocacy activities to communicate with policy decision makers,  you have an ally in PTA!  You have people who care about what YOU care about. 

California State PTA has policies, experts, tools, and resources to help you make a difference on the issues that concern you. A great place to start is the Advocacy section of the California State PTA website.  Now – at the start of the school year – is the time to engage your volunteer base and leverage your resources. You can amplify your collective voice effectively to benefit your community’s children, youth, and families.  

Start by selecting a PTA leader to head up the advocacy efforts of your PTA unit, council, or district. Make sure that their contact information is submitted to California State PTA so that they can be a part of state-level advocacy programs throughout the year.

Invest in the growth and development of your advocacy program by ensuring that your advocacy leaders and local team members can participate in California State PTA programs that support their efforts.  Examples include advance budgeting and planning to attend the California State PTA Legislation Conference (January 22-23, 2024, in Sacramento), training and workshops available at the California State PTA Convention  (May 3-5, 2024 in Ontario), and utilizing the various online resources and webinars designed to inform, educate, and empower advocates to take action that makes a difference.

Other ways that schools, school districts, and PTA leaders can work together to nurture advocacy efforts in support of common goals include:

Annual LCAP process – Encourage all members of your community to contribute to the development of your Local Control and Accountability Plan by offering multiple opportunities to collect input and listen to what families need from their public schools through local PTAs.  Having PTA host an event at each school can result in more meaningful suggestions coming from a broader cross-section of your community than limited electronic surveys allow.  PTA gatherings can also be helpful in determining the efficacy of LCAP implementations.  

Election Year 2024:  Promote voter engagement – The 2024 California State Primary Election, which will include the presidential primary, takes place early next year.  Promote civic engagement by holding a voter registration drive with a special emphasis on encouraging eligible high school seniors to participate.  Online pre-registration is now available for eligible 16- and 17-year-olds by visiting registertovote.ca.gov. California youth who pre-register to vote will have their registration become active once they turn 18 years old. Pre-registration does not change the voting age, which is 18. Instead, it allows eligible Californians ages 16 or 17 to complete the online voter registration form providing sufficient time and opportunity to get ready to vote.

All California active registered voters will receive a vote-by-mail ballot for the March 5, 2024, California Primary Election.  The last day to register to vote is February 20, 2024.  You can check your voter status online at voterstatus.sos.ca.gov.

Ballot measures – If your school district is seeking funds through a ballot measure, California State PTA can offer guidance on how your local PTA can help to inform the public about the relevant issues concerning the measure, or even help secure the passage of a local school district facilities bond or local parcel tax election.

http://toolkit.capta.org/advocacy/election-campaigns/school-bonds-and-other-ballot-measure-campaigns/

Join us!

Both California State PTA and National PTA regularly engage in direct legislative advocacy efforts to effect policy changes that benefit all children.  One of the key ways that parents, teachers, principals, and administrators can contribute to strengthening our collective voice is to be sure to join PTA at the start of each school year.  We’re stronger together!

California State PTA Supports Prop 31: Keep Kids and Tobacco Apart

Posted on by Ray Kinyon

by California State PTA Legislative Action Committee

Flavored tobacco products like blue raspberry, root beer, and minty menthol target and  hook kids. Tobacco companies use these flavors to make our children their lifelong customers. The numbers speak for themselves:

  • Over 2 million middle and high school students now use e-cigarettes
  • In California, over 96% of high school e-cigarette users who smoke use flavored products
  • 4 out of 5 kids who have used tobacco started with a flavored product

A “YES” vote on Proposition 31 will make it illegal to sell flavored tobacco products in the state of California. California State PTA is urging every parent, educator, and child advocate to vote YES on Proposition 31. 

As explained in more detail in our prior post the passage of Proposition 31 will affirm Senate Bill (SB 793), a 2020 law supported by California State PTA and the majority of California legislators. 

A Yes Vote on Proposition 31 is a Vote to Protect the Lives of All Children

The health and wellness of children is one of the California State PTA’s top priorities. And children have been a target of tobacco marketing for decades. By hooking children on tobacco, the tobacco industry is creating customers for life. Nicotine is a highly addictive chemical and is especially harmful to youth. It affects brain development, attention, mood, and impulse control as well. It is also often a gateway to youth using other drugs. 

 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), tobacco addiction increases healthcare costs, including public health expenditures, by billions of dollars.  Much of that is paid for with tax money from smokers as well as non smokers, thus affecting all California residents.

Smoking, in any form, has tremendous second- and third-hand smoke effects. The children and people who choose not to smoke are still affected by the smoke and vapor in the air or embedded in the walls and surfaces. School bathrooms are frequently used by smokers, making them a dangerous place for all. It is a serious health crisis.

Local PTAs Can Use Their Organizational Voice to Lend Support and Protect Our Kids

California State PTA urges all parents, teachers, members, advocates, and citizens to support Proposition 31. Because the California State PTA has adopted a YES (support) position on Proposition 31, local PTAs can use that as their authority for their own local advocacy. Local units and councils can use this opportunity to share the harmful effects of tobacco on growing children as well as the long-term harmful effects on society as a whole. Some resources can be found here  https://www.voteyeson31.com/get-the-facts.

You can use your regular local meetings, social media channels, and other communications strategies to support Proposition 31. California State PTA will also be putting together social media messages for your convenience. And don’t forget to encourage everyone to vote in the November 8 election.  

Individual action and advocacy is also important. In particular, the Vote Yes on 31 campaign is asking for proponents to share their reasons for supporting Proposition 31 and provides this link for doing so. 

Health, Environmental, and Equity Organizations Support Proposition 31

California State PTA is not alone in supporting Proposition 31. The American Cancer Society, American Lung Association in California, and the American Heart Association are among a growing list of supporters of Proposition 31. The full list of local, statewide, and national organizations is available on the Yes on 31 website.

California State PTA Supports Prop 28: Art & Music in Public Schools

Posted on by Ray Kinyon

by California State PTA Legislation Team

For almost thirty five years, California State PTA has strongly and actively advocated for a full curriculum that includes the arts. Arts education supports all kids. In the past, many schools have cut arts education even though studies show that the arts keep students in school, increase the graduation rate, increase academic performance, and add to students’ ability to create, collaborate, think critically, and communicate.

Based on our long standing advocacy in this area,  a study of the measure, and the strength of relevant organizational authorities, our Board of Managers voted to support Proposition 28.  California State PTA is formally supporting and actively advocating for Proposition 28 – the Art and Music in Public Schools Measure. The measure is on the ballot of California’s statewide election on November 8.

How Proposition 28 Supports Arts Education

The passage of Proposition 28 is expected to generate more than $900 million a year in dedicated new funding for arts and music education for all public schools across California – without raising taxes. The measure provides extra funding for schools serving students in low-income communities, who are predominantly students of color, thus addressing current inequities in students’ access to arts and music education. This funding would be in addition to the state’s Proposition 98 minimum funding guarantee. 

The majority of the funding is to be used to hire new teachers and staff (80 percent). That represents about a 50 percent increase in arts and music educators in classrooms in California. Besides traditional Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) programs, funds will be used to pay for instruction in computer graphics, animation, coding, and costume design. The measure helps address cuts to arts education which have occurred in many California school districts. 

The initiative also includes strong accountability and transparency measures. It requires school districts to submit annual, public reports to verify the funds are spent as intended, to directly benefit students.

Local PTAs Can Use Their Organizational Voice to Lend Support

When there is an officially adopted California State PTA position on a ballot measure, such as Proposition 28, local PTAs can use that as their authority for their own local advocacy. Many PTAs in California already actively advocate for arts education, for equity, and for strong education funding. This measure has all three!

Local PTAs can use your regular local meetings, social media channels, newsletters and other communications platforms to encourage your community to Vote Yes on Proposition 28. California State PTA will also be putting together social media messages for your convenience. 

Remind families (and students!) to register to vote. And don’t forget to encourage everyone to vote in the November 8 election.

Individual action and advocacy is also important. The official Yes on Prop 28 campaign website encourages individuals to join the campaign and has a sign-up for volunteers.

A Wealth of Education and Arts Organizations Support Proposition 28.

California State PTA is not alone in supporting Proposition 28. A growing list of organizations in the Arts, Education, and many other fields have signed on to the coalition. You’ll find the full coalition list on the campaign website.

California State PTA Supports Prop 31: Prohibit Sale of Flavored Tobacco Products

Posted on by Ray Kinyon

by California State PTA Legislative Action Committee

With flavors like “cotton candy,” “mango slushy,” and “chocolate,” vaping tobacco products have become increasingly popular among youth as young as 4th grade. A 2020 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that approximately one in five high school students and one in 20 middle school students used e-cigarettes. The report directly ties the sale of flavored tobacco products, including candy-flavored vaping liquids, to a sharp increase in tobacco usage among our young people. The tobacco industry is targeting children.

That’s why California State PTA and the majority of California legislators supported Senate Bill (SB) 793, which was signed into law in 2020. The law would have prohibited the sale of flavored tobacco products.  

Opponents of SB 793 Put Proposition 31 on the November Ballot

Proposition 31 is a referendum that asks if voters agree with that law. As explained by the Secretary of State, the California Constitution provides for this type of referendum, enabling voters to approve or reject laws such as SB 793.

Since the passage of SB 793 in 2020, corporations that manufacture tobacco products like Philip Morris and R.J. Reynolds have spent millions to delay the law, with the goal of stopping it permanently. 

Proposition 31 asks voters whether they want to approve or reject the law regarding flavored tobacco products that was already passed by the Legislature and signed by the governor. A YES vote means that you approve SB 793 and want to keep it. 

In other words, if approved/supported by the voters (YES votes) this proposition would allow SB 793 to go into effect and make it illegal to sell flavored tobacco products in the state of California. A law that would protect the children and families of California.

If this proposition is rejected by voters (NO votes), SB 793 would not be able to move forward and the tobacco industry would be able to continue to target young people and sell candy flavored tobacco products.

We need every parent, educator, and child advocate to affirm the 2020 law by supporting Proposition 31, in the process defeating the opponents of SB 793 who put Proposition 31 on the ballot. 

Local PTAs Can Use Their Organizational Voice to Lend Support and Protect Our Kids

California State PTA urges all parents, teachers, members, advocates, and citizens to support Prop 31. Because the California State PTA has already adopted a YES position on Proposition 31, local PTAs can use that as their authority for their own local advocacy. 

Local units and councils can use this opportunity to share the harmful effects of tobacco on growing children as well as long term harmful effects on the society. Some resources can be found here  https://www.voteyeson31.com/get-the-facts .

You can use your regular local meetings, social media channels, and other communications strategies to encourage your community to support Proposition 31. California State PTA will also be putting together social media messages for your convenience. And don’t forget to encourage everyone to vote in the November 8 election.

Individual action and advocacy is also important. In particular, the Vote Yes on 31 campaign is asking for proponents to share their reasons for supporting Proposition 31 and provides this link for doing so. 

A Wealth of Health, Environmental, and Equity Organizations Support Proposition 31

California State PTA is not alone in supporting Proposition 31. The American Cancer Society, American Lung Association in California, and the American Heart Association are among a growing list of supporters of Prop 31.  The full list of local, statewide, and national organizations is available on the Yes on 31 website.