PTAs Nationwide to Encourage Family Engagement in Education During Take Your Family to School Week

PTAs across the country will host a variety of events and activities Feb. 16-23 to bring families into schools as part of National PTA’s Take Your Family to School Week.

“For over 120 years, PTA has been encouraging families to get more involved in their child’s education as family engagement is proven to positively impact student achievement and school performance,” said Leslie Boggs, president of National PTA. “Take Your Family to School Week is designed to provide families with an opportunity to visit their child’s school, explore what and how their child is learning, and strengthen their partnerships with teachers and administrators.”

 As part of Take Your Family to School Week, 15 local PTAs were awarded a $1,000 grant to host family engagement events in National PTA program areas including health and safety, literacy, digital learning and STEM. The grants were made possible by support from PTA Proud National Sponsor Office Depot.

Throughout the week, National PTA will share resources to help parents support their child’s success and PTA leaders make their family engagement work more inclusive, individualized, integrated and impactful. Among the resources, National PTA will share episodes of its Notes from the Backpack podcast, which features conversations with real parents, experts and educators who offer advice, ideas and strategies parents can use to help their child succeed in and out of school.

The timing of Take Your Family to School Week honors the day PTA was founded, Feb. 17, 1897. This year, it also marks the start of celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the merging of the association’s two founding parent groups—the National Congress of Parents and Teachers and the National Congress of Colored Parents and Teachers.

“In 1970, the National Congress of Parents and Teachers and the National Congress of Colored Parents and Teachers signed a Declaration of Unification and officially became one association,” said Nathan R. Monell, CAE, National PTA Executive Director. “The Declaration of Unification is an important part of PTA’s history, legacy and continued efforts to make a difference for the education, health, safety and well-being of every child.”

Listen to a video message from President Boggs on the 50th anniversary of the unification of the two congresses on National PTA’s Facebook page.

About National PTA

National PTA® comprises millions of families, students, teachers, administrators, and business and community leaders devoted to the educational success of children and the promotion of family engagement in schools. PTA is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit association that prides itself on being a powerful voice for all children, a relevant resource for families and communities, and a strong advocate for public education. Membership in PTA is open to anyone who wants to be involved and make a difference for the education, health, and welfare of children and youth. For more information, visit PTA.org.

The 2020 Census: What Does it Mean for Children and Families?

Click here for information from National PTA about the 2020 Census and it’s impact on children and families.

Public Education depends on the census being completed. For the students of Missouri please fill out your Census now. The online Census is super quick it takes less than 10 minutes to complete.

President Trump’s Cuts to Public Education Harmful for Children

National PTA issued the following statement on President Donald Trump’s budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2021. The statement can be attributed to National PTA President Leslie Boggs:

“National PTA is extremely disappointed to see the administration’s FY2021 budget proposal cuts funding for crucial public education programs by $6.1 billion, while including a $5 billion annual investment in private school options.

“Our public education system provides all children access to opportunities, experiences and knowledge that improve their overall well-being—regardless of their race, religion, ability or socioeconomic status. Private school vouchers fund the education of only a few, select students; divert resources from the students and schools that need it the most; and lack accountability measures. PTA opposes any private school choice system that drains vital public school resources. Public dollars must remain in public schools.

“Robust and equitable investments in our public education system are critical to ensure all children have the opportunity to reach their full potential. Far too many children continue to be left with insufficient resources. It is essential that public education is strengthened with the support of adequate funding for the long-term success of every child and our nation.

“National PTA is particularly concerned by the administration’s proposal to combine 29 critical programs that support and advance student outcomes into one block grant. We are also concerned with the elimination of funding for Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants that provide much needed services for the safety, health and well-being of students. Consolidating funding for essential education and student well-being programs will fall woefully short in meeting the needs of all students. This proposed block grant will cut $4.7 billion from the combined funding the 29 programs previously received in FY2020.

“Our association is especially disappointed that the Statewide Family Engagement Centers (SFEC) program is included in the block grant proposal. This will mean federal funds authorized by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) for family engagement could be spent on other initiatives, and not family engagement. Family engagement is a proven strategy to positively impact student achievement and school performance.

“We now call on Congress to make vital investments in public education that are critical to improve our schools, make every child’s potential a reality and increase our nation’s economic competitiveness.”

About National PTA

National PTA® comprises millions of families, students, teachers, administrators, and business and community leaders devoted to the educational success of children and the promotion of family engagement in schools. PTA is a registered 501(c) (3) nonprofit association that prides itself on being a powerful voice for all children, a relevant resource for families and communities, and a strong advocate for public education. Membership in PTA is open to anyone who wants to be involved and make a difference for the education, health and welfare of children and youth. For more information, visit PTA.org.

PTA to Bring Communities Together Nationwide for a Better Internet

ALEXANDRIA, Va., (Feb. 11, 2020)—In celebration of Safer Internet Day, National PTA and PTAs across the country are bringing communities together for a better internet by hosting over 160 events nationwide. The events are part of the PTA Connected initiative and are anticipated to reach as many as 10,000 families.

“Safer Internet Day encourages parents, students and educators to come together to discuss trending digital issues and empowers them to use technology responsibly, respectfully, critically and creatively. PTA has been working for over five years to address the online safety issues that are on the minds of families and connect them to tools and support,” said Leslie Boggs, president of National PTA. “Together with our PTA Connected sponsors, our association is proud to host events nationwide and share resources that help families navigate today’s digital world.”

Through the events, families will receive information about digital well-being and technology use to help address hot topics, such as screen time, social media, location sharing and other digital decisions. Parents and kids will also work together through real-life scenarios of online behavior and have open conversations to ensure they are using technology productively and responsibly.

Among the events that will be held across the country:

• 100 local PTAs were awarded a $1,000 grant from National PTA and Google to host Be Internet Awesome Family Workshops.
• 30 local PTAs were awarded a $1,000 grant to host family workshops on online safety at their school. The grants are sponsored by TikTok.
• 25 local PTAs were awarded a $1,000 grant to host a Smart Talk conversation at their school. The grants are sponsored by NortonLifeLock.

National PTA will also be part of the official national convening for Safer Internet Day 2020, a family night event in Mountain View, Calif. and a Be Internet Awesome event with Google in New York City with Connecticut PTA, New Jersey PTA and New York State PTA.

“At PTA, we believe in a positive, hands-on approach to parenting in the digital age,” said Nathan R. Monell, CAE, National PTA executive director. “We hope the events help families have productive, ongoing conversations about their digital lives and activities and help them have fun, learn, connect and grow together.”

National PTA launched its PTA Connected initiative in 2018 to formalize and build on its work in the digital space in response to the growing needs and interest of parents nationwide. PTA Connected is designed to educate and engage families in digital wellness, security, access, equity and literacy.

To date, over $750,000 in funding has been awarded to PTAs to host PTA Connected events with over 500 PTA Connected events across the country, reaching over 25,000 families.

NortonLifeLock is the presenting and founding sponsor of PTA Connected. Additional founding sponsors include Facebook, Google and AT&T. TikTok is a supporting sponsor of the initiative.

“National PTA is grateful to NortonLifeLock, Facebook, Google, AT&T and TikTok for supporting our association’s efforts and helping give families the tools to be successful online,” added Boggs.

For more information about PTA’s celebration of Safer Internet Day and to find an event in your community, visit PTA.org/SaferInternetDay.

 About National PTA

National PTA® comprises millions of families, students, teachers, administrators, and business and community leaders devoted to the educational success of children and the promotion of family engagement in schools. PTA is a registered 501(c) (3) nonprofit association that prides itself on being a powerful voice for all children, a relevant resource for families and communities, and a strong advocate for public education. Membership in PTA is open to anyone who wants to be involved and make a difference for the education, health and welfare of children and youth. For more information, visit PTA.org.

National PTA Announces 2020 Slate of Candidates

The 2020 Nominating and Leadership Recruitment Committee (NLRC) is proud to announce the 2020 Slate of Candidates.

Candidates are selected based on their competencies as demonstrated in their Letter of Interest application, interview and reference feedback. The Nominating and Leadership Recruitment Committee developed Competencies and Criteria for slated candidates based on a needs assessment and leadership feedback.

2020 Slated Board Member Candidates (2020-2022 Term)

Shaton Berry (Michigan)
Jeffery Corbett (Oklahoma)
Frances Frost (Maryland)
Heather Gillette (Washington)
Matthew John Rodriguez (Illinois)
Tony Shivers (Virginia)
Alison Turner (Nevada)
Samantha Valentine (Georgia)

2020 Slated NLRC Candidates (2020-2023 Term)

Dee Hensley-Maclean (Montana)
Nicole Lesnick (Ohio)

The National PTA Bylaws allow individuals to self-nominate for these positions. National PTA will send communications regarding that process by March 1. The election will be held during the 2020 National PTA Convention & Expo, June 18-21, in Louisville, Ky.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact NLRC at [email protected].