Legislation Platform

Presented to convention delegates for adoption in even-numbered years.

Adopted April 2022

Preamble

The California Congress of Parents, Teachers, and Students, Inc. legislation platform reflects the priorities that guide our efforts to secure adequate laws for the care and protection of children, youth and families.

General Principles

General Principles for Consideration of Proposed Legislation

  1. Equity in every aspect of life for all children and youth, while recognizing that each child is unique with individual needs and talents.
  2. High standards for those who work in all areas concerned with children and youth.
  3. Effective governance systems and practices that are rooted in social justice to effectively serve the needs of children, youth and families.
  4. Coordination and planning by all agencies with clear definition of responsibility at each level of government.
  5. Establishment of and adherence to fiscal responsibility in government, with concern for fair taxation, but keeping priorities for the needs of all children and youth foremost.
  6. Adherence to strict ethical practices in political campaigns and at all levels of government.
  7. Strong and broadly based tax structures at state and local levels.
  8. Budgets and financial support to provide needed public services for all children and youth with the continued constitutional guarantee of financial support for public schools as the first claim on all state revenues in the general fund.
  9. Local control when it serves the best interest of all children and youth.
  10. Equal justice for all.

Legislation Planks

California State PTA will support legislation:

  1. To provide the most comprehensive and diversified education possible for all children, youth and adults: education that will achieve quality and excellence encourage maximum individual development, and provide equitable educational opportunities for each student, with a particular focus on eliminating the achievement gap.
  2. To advocate for a full and culturally responsive curriculum to meet the diverse needs of our student population.
  3. To elevate the student voice to create an inclusive, positive, and supportive school climate.
  4. To ensure access to affordable, reliable, and adequate broadband internet service for children, youth, and families.
  5. To secure financing for public education that will be sufficient to provide optimum educational opportunities for all students, including state aid to school districts for building purposes as well as state funds to cover excess costs of all programs mandated by the Legislature.
  6. To support all students with quality counseling and guidance services, school health services both mental and physical, and library services, provided by credentialed personnel.
  7. To ensure pre-service and in-service teacher preparation programs, remuneration, supportive services and professional development designed to attract and retain qualified teaching professionals.
  8. To provide guidelines for assessing competencies in the teaching profession, and to provide for due process in dismissal procedures.
  9. To include parents/guardians in decisions that affect the education and well-being of their children, and to promote their involvement in their children’s education and schools.
  10. To give students the skills they need to become effective citizens.
  11. To protect and improve the health of all families through the prevention, treatment and control of disease.
  12. To extend and improve physical and mental health services and facilities, including rehabilitation.
  13. To protect families from unsafe, impure or ineffective drugs, foods, medical devices and cosmetics.
  14. To prevent, control or eliminate hazards to the health, safety and well-being of all children and youth.
  15. To require state and local government to publicize and disseminate information regarding issues affecting the public’s well-being in the language(s) of the community it serves.
  16. To provide effective community services and facilities for all children, youth and adults, directed toward the well-being of the family.
  17. To promote public policy that contributes to the stability of families and to the adequate physical, emotional and financial support of children and youth.
  18. To provide services and facilities for the care, protection, and treatment of abused, dependent, neglected, or abandoned children and youth.
  19. To secure specialized programs for the prevention of crimes committed by juveniles.
  20. To provide adequate facilities and services for the treatment, education, and rehabilitation of juvenile offenders.
  21. To promote public policies that protect and conserve natural resources and provide a quality environment for present and future generations.
  22. To improve governance systems and practices in order to effectively serve the needs of children and youth.
  23. To support the needs of vulnerable children in all aspects of their lives.
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