ADVOCACY FOR
CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
Strengthening the public schools requires that all Californians work together and provide support for our public school system. The priority of California must be children and public education.
-California State PTA Position Statement
As local officers of the largest grassroots child advocacy organization in the state, PTA legislative advocacy chairs are responsible for demonstrating leadership on children’s issues at the local level by educating PTA members, community members, and elected officials about PTA’s issues of concern and legislative priorities and goals.
The California State PTA takes positions on issues/legislation based on position statements in the California State PTA Toolkit, California State PTA convention resolutions, California State PTA Legislation Platform, and National PTA positions and convention resolutions.
The unit, council, or district legislative chair provides PTA members with information about PTA positions on current legislation and issues.
Remember: no amount of fundraising can have as much impact as a single piece of legislation.
PTA and Advocacy
One of the purposes of PTA is to secure adequate laws for children and youth. This means law making at all levels, including ballot measures. It is PTA’s responsibility to disseminate as much factual objective information as possible during election campaigns to help the community make informed choices.
A few key things to remember:
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PTA is nonpartisan and never endorses or opposes any candidate for public office.
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PTA does, however, take positions on issues that affect children and youth.
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A position adopted by the California State PTA on a statewide measure is the official PTA position for all PTA districts, councils, and units. Therefore, any local unit, council or district PTA may participate in the campaign in support of the PTA position without a vote or other formal action by their local PTA board or association.
Why Advocate?
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To secure adequate laws for the care and protection of children and youth
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To educate decision-makers at local, state and/or federal levels
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To educate the public
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To influence laws, policies & programs
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No amount of fundraising equals the impact of a single piece of legislation!
Any PTA district, council, or unit may recommend action on legislation to the California State PTA Board of Managers. PTA districts, councils, and units are responsible for taking action on local issues originating in school districts, cities, regions, or counties.
Laws enacted by local, state and national bodies are primary sources of public policy. Securing adequate laws for the care and protection of children and youth is one of the purposes of the organization. Therefore, PTA maintains an active legislation program.
PTAs can and must participate actively in the process through which public policy decisions are made.
Membership Affects Advocacy
Strength of numbers brings strength of message. This is why membership campaigns are critical!
What is Advocacy?
The act or process of advocating or supporting a cause or proposal; to support or urge by argument, especially publicly.
How to Stay Informed
Sign up to receive regular e-mail updates from:
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Your school district
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Your PTA council (if available)
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Your PTA district (Thirty-Third)
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California State PTA – www.capta.org
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National PTA – www.pta.org
Advocacy & Legislative
Events to Attend
(attend as many as your schedule allows)
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Thirty-Third District PTA Fall & Spring Workshops
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Thirty-Third District Legislation Conference
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California State PTA Legislation Conference in Sacramento
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California State PTA Convention
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Council/District PTA-sponsored visits to Sacramento and other advocacy events
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EdSource Forum
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National PTA Legislative Conference held in Washington D.C.
Helpful Websites & Resources
California State PTA – www.capta.org
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Legislative Alerts
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PTA in California newsletter
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Toolkit (Available in both English and Spanish online, in print or on CD). Chapter 4 is Advocacy and includes: local advocacy, elections, legislative program, legislation platform, listing of resolutions, position statements, policies and procedures
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Resolutions Book
National PTA – www.pta.org