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California State PTA is a branch of the National PTA and is responsible for implementing the Purposes of PTA in California. It works for the well-being of children and youth on tasks beyond the scope and resources of unit, council and district PTAs working separately.

In its relation to unit, council, and district PTAs, California State PTA:

• Serves as a liaison with the National PTA;
• Represents PTA through participation in statewide meetings and conferences of allied groups, agencies, and coalitions having goals similar to PTA;
• Provides leadership training through the annual convention meeting, field services, and workshops;
• Provides services, materials, and publications;
• Supports and works for legislation on statewide issues that affect the education, health, and well-being of children and youth; and
• Serves as a clearinghouse for PTA information and as a coordinating agency for PTA work in the state.

Lines of Communication

Proposals for action and other communications to the California State PTA Board of Managers from a unit or its board or executive committee shall first be presented to the council (if in council) and district PTA for consideration. The decision of the district PTA with the explanation of its action must be reported in writing to the unit. If the district PTA endorses the proposal, it is forwarded to the California State PTA Board of Managers with indications of its endorsement.

When the proposal or other communication does not receive the endorsement of the district PTA and the unit (after reconsideration) still wishes to have it presented to the California State PTA Board of Managers, the district PTA president must forward the proposal to the board.

Unit, council, or district PTAs forwarding proposals or other communications are asked to include study materials or a report of the considerations that led to the requests and to forward immediately copies of any subsequent intra-organizational communications in support of their proposal.

A district PTA is a subsidiary organization in a designated geographical area, established by California State PTA to facilitate the administration of the affairs of California State PTA and to implement its programs. The district PTA helps to coordinate the work of the councils and units with the plans and activities of California State PTA and National PTA.

To remain in good standing, a district PTA must:

• Adhere to the Purposes and basic policies of the National PTA and the California State PTA;
• Adhere to California State PTA policies and Bylaws;
• Have Bylaws reviewed annually and approved biennially according to the procedures of California State PTA;
• Have a minimum of three officers: president, secretary, and treasurer;
• Remit the national and state portion of the unit per capita dues to California State PTA by the due date;
• Remit district PTA insurance premiums to AIM Insurance by December 20;
• File all required state and federal tax returns and other government forms;
• Submit names and addresses of association, council, and district PTA officers to California State PTA according to established procedures and due dates.

In addition, a district must:

• Possess a Charitable Trust number from the California Attorney General’s Registry of Charitable Trusts;
• File an annual Registration Renewal Fee Report (RRF-1) and CT-TR-1 (if applicable) with the California Attorney General’s Registry of Charitable Trusts.

Responsibilities (Not All-inclusive)
Give advisory service to councils and units.
Interpret PTA policies, plans, practices, and programs.
Organize and stabilize councils and local associations:

• Cooperate with council officers and committee chairmen;
• Confer with council leaders on local problems;
• Assist the council in working with units; and
• Where there is no council, appoint an extension committee to work with units.

Bring other parent-teacher groups into PTA membership.

Assist in studies of proposed changes in association status. The district PTA is responsible for organizing and disbanding units and must be included in the deliberations.

Compile a directory of council and unit officers for the California State PTA office.

Plan and conduct district PTA or regional conferences under state provisions.

Promote PTA publications and their purposes.

Remit per capita dues promptly.

Upload copies annually of the approved district PTA budget, financial reviews, and year-end financial reports to the document retention system.

Model and encourage advocacy and legislative efforts.

The district PTA shall not assess additional fines or late fees for late submission of insurance, per capita or reports required by California State PTA.

District PTA Officers and Chairmen
District PTA presidents are members of the California State PTA Board of Managers during their term of office. A district PTA representative is granted the right to vote on the California State PTA Board of Managers when officially representing the district PTA in the absence of the president.

District PTA presidents and district PTA leadership are responsible for extension work within their PTA district including organization of all new PTAs and all changes in association status (Changes in Association Status).

Articles, radio talk shows, television appearances, and recordings about the PTA, other than what is carried in state and national publications or California State PTA publicity channels, should be released only under the supervision of the district PTA president or delegated representative.

District bylaws include a provision that all district PTA board members be residents in PTA district territory; parents of children attending schools in district PTA territory; or personnel of schools in district PTA territory.

Inter-District PTA Committees
An inter-district committee is composed of district PTA board members from two or more district PTAs to work in areas of common concern. To strengthen lines of communication, each committee may request that the California State PTA president appoint a member from the California State PTA Board of Managers to serve as a liaison to its group. When an inter-district PTA committee desires California State PTA assistance for a specific purpose, requests should be made through the Leadership Services Vice President.

To remain in good standing, a unit must:

• Adhere to the Purposes and basic policies of the National PTA and California State PTA;
• Have a minimum of 15 members including three officers: president, secretary, and treasurer;
• Remit per capita dues and pay insurance premiums by California State PTA due dates;
• File all required state (199/199N) and federal (990N/990EZ/990) tax returns, other government forms, and the Attorney General’s Registry of Charitable Trusts report (RRF-1) and CT-TR-1 form (if applicable);
• Have Bylaws reviewed yearly and approved every five years according to the procedures of California State PTA (Bylaws for PTAs in California)
• Meet other criteria as may be prescribed by the California State PTA

Chartering a New Unit

Any group may request to organize as a unit of California State PTA provided there is not an existing PTA unit in the school. California State PTA will recognize only one PTA in any school, unless otherwise approved by the California State PTA parliamentarian and authorized by the California State PTA Board of Managers.

An association must be composed of not less than 15 members, of whom at least three serve in the offices of president, secretary, and treasurer.

The 30-day membership requirement for voting privileges and holding office shall be waived for new organizations within the first thirty days of their charter.

The district PTA president is responsible for the organization of new PTAs within the district PTA. The organizing process may be delegated to the district PTA extension team, with the assistance of the council. Conformity to California State PTA requirements must be verified by the district president.

The new association will be presented for acceptance by the California State PTA Board of Managers when:

• The signed application for acceptance in California State PTA and the request for insurance information page has been received within seven (7) days of charter;
• The per capita dues and paperwork have been received in the state office within thirty (30) days of charter;
• The unit bylaws have been received in the state office and approved by the state parliamentarian within thirty (30) days of charter; and
• An IRS Employer Identification Number has been issued through the state PTA office.

Upon acceptance by the California State PTA Board of Managers, the state office shall issue a charter to the new association.

A fee is charged for the replacement of a charter that has been lost or destroyed. Contact the state office to order a replacement charter.

While membership is the responsibility of the entire PTA board, each PTA should have a designated membership leader. Membership chairmen are appointed; membership vice presidents are elected. For details on the responsibilities of the Membership chairman/vice president at a unit PTA, see “Job Description for Membership Chairman/Vice President” in the PTA Toolkit.

The membership chairman/vice president works with a membership committee and serves as chairman. The membership committee consists of members appointed by the president, or the president-elect if the committee is formed before the school year begins.  Committee members should include teachers and students, if appropriate, and should represent your school population. Under the direction of the membership chairman/vice president, the membership committee:

• sets membership goals,
• designs a membership marketing plan with outreach promotions,
• calendars events and activities throughout the school year,
• submits a budget to support the membership program, and
• implements and evaluates the final plan.

The membership plan must be approved by the executive board.

Develop a Membership Marketing Plan

Set membership goals.

Plan a membership promotion campaign that uses a variety of methods and outreach activities to promote the value of PTA membership. Go to the California State PTA website, capta.org and the National PTA website, pta.org, for membership campaign ideas, resources and current membership incentives and award programs.

Your membership plan should include a theme, if appropriate, a membership calendar and a membership budget.

Adopted February 2023 – Communications Commission

Media Literacy refers to the abilities to access, analyze, evaluate, and communicate various media messages in a variety of forms. Those abilities encompass a broad set of skills and dispositions that are important for young people and for adults. According to research by Common Sense Education, media literacy requires that people be “learning how to assess the credibility of online sources, understanding how and why media is produced, and reflecting on their responsibilities as thoughtful media creators and consumers.”

California State PTA believes that both adults and students need to learn how to better manage the flood of media messages the internet delivers to us all – every hour of every day. At the same time, we believe it is particularly important for young people to have the tools they need to function well in that environment. Educators and families all have a part to play in this effort.

Experts increasingly agree that schools need to directly teach young people about how to be literate and responsible consumers of information in this new media world. Universities, non-partisan research organizations, and a variety of nonprofit groups have developed materials that can guide such teaching. The California Department of Education is required by law to provide school districts with information about these resources.

Unfortunately, research indicates that, at the local level, the approach to media literacy education is fragmented at best and completely missing at worst. For example, state law does not require media literacy to be incorporated into the curriculum, either as a discrete subject or as a set of skills to be taught in multiple subject areas.

California State PTA believes the State of California can and should do more to encourage and support media literacy through the following actions:

• State policy should be strengthened to better support the infusion of media literacy skills into state curriculum frameworks.
• The California Department of Education should increase its attention to and the visibility of the instructional resources it has reviewed.
• Professional learning standards for teacher preparation and training programs should include media literacy.
• State education leaders should gather information regarding local school districts’ incorporation of media literacy education into their curricula and what obstacles may stand in the way of them doing so.

Local PTA units, councils, and districts should learn more about school district policies regarding media literacy education. That includes joining with families, community members, and educators to agree on clear definitions of media literacy and its relationship to issues such as safe use of digital media more generally. PTA organizations can also be instrumental by doing the following:

• Encourage school districts to provide centralized, proactive support for the teaching of media literacy across all grade levels and subject areas; provide educators with access to professional development that informs such instruction; and provide parents/guardians with educational opportunities related to their own and their children’s media literacy.
• Raise the visibility of free, research-based resources schools and families can use to strengthen media literacy skills of both students and adults.
• Use association resources to provide training and information that helps all adults become familiar with media literacy concepts and skills.

California State PTA believes that today’s families – including both young people and adults – must develop media literacy skills. Ultimately, our democracy and our quality of life depend on it.

PTA executive board meetings are held each month during the school year. They provide an opportunity for officers and chairpersons to share ideas, provide updates and oversee the management of a PTA.

The meetings are also a unique forum for board members to carry out their collective responsibility to:

• Monitor financial and membership reports
• Authorize the payment of bills within the limits of the unit’s budget
• Approve Minutes from the previous meeting
• Create committees as needed
• Fill vacancies on the board during the term
• Ensure that adopted budgets and required reports are sent to the council, if in council, and district PTA
• Ensure that tax and government filings are submitted each year by the due dates

Developing goals and plans for PTA programs and events that meet the interests and needs of a school community are some additional activities that take place at board meetings.

Successful Board Members

Successful board members are team players who value cooperation, collaboration and communication. They are most effective when they:

• Operate with integrity, civility and trust
• Communicate a common vision
• Practice inclusion and welcome diversity
• Appreciate differences in work styles and perspectives
• Participate in training and mentoring
• Identify community needs and interests
• Maintain the confidentiality of board discussions

By working together as a team, a PTA board can make a difference on campus and in a community.

More information on the roles and duties of the executive board is available in the “Guide to Executive Leadership” under “Planning and Organizing” in this chapter of the Toolkit.

September 2018 – Education Commission

California State PTA believes that social and emotional learning is an essential part of a well-rounded, quality education.

Consistent with the work of the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), California State PTA defines social and emotional learning (SEL) as the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to:

• understand and manage emotions,
• set and achieve positive goals,
• feel and show empathy for others,
• establish and maintain positive relationships, and
• make responsible decisions.

California State PTA believes that social and emotional learning needs to be well integrated into what children experience in schools and classrooms and doing so increases student well-being and academic achievement.  Evidence shows that those positive life outcomes persist over time in all socioeconomic and racial groups.

California State PTA supports California’s Social and Emotional Learning Guiding Principles as adopted by the California Department of Education in 2018. Social and emotional learning is best and most effective when the educational community adopts whole child development as the goal of education, commits to equity, intentionally builds capacity in both students and adults, meaningfully partners with families and community, and adopts a “learn and improve” approach.

Adopt Whole Child Development as the Goal of Education

California State PTA believes schools, families and communities need to support a systematic approach to social emotional learning as follows.

• All education and youth development systems and programs should embed and promote SEL in their policies, practices, curricula, staffing, budgets, strategic plans and vision statements.
• Systems change is most effective when leadership teams include educators, students, family, and community members of varied gender, racial, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Students and adults should have opportunities to practice, demonstrate, and reinforce social and emotional skills within the context of supportive relationships.
• Schools need to align their discipline policies with the promotion of students’ social and emotional growth, as opposed to punishment and exclusion.
• Because SEL and school climate are interrelated and reciprocal, building positive school climate and culture is supported through strong social and emotional skills.

 Commit to Equity

California State PTA believes that schools should build on the existing strengths of student, educators, families, and communities. An assets-based education is personalized, culturally relevant and responsive, and intentionally addresses racism and bias. Appropriate practices include:

• Providing SEL-building opportunities to all students, not limited by race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, language, socioeconomic status, documentation status, and/or zip code.
• Recruiting and developing an educator workforce that is representative of, and can connect to, the student community.
• Engaging diverse student and parent voices in decision making and improvement efforts.
• Providing educational experiences that counteract the institutional and structural biases and related traumas that often drive inequitable outcomes for students.

Build Capacity

California State PTA believes that every student and adult in the school community must feel they belong, have value, and have a network of caring peers to rely on. To that end, schools need to intentionally focus on relationship-centered learning environments.

To cultivate core social and emotional competencies in students and adults, school communities need to create and promote common definitions of those competencies and agree on ways to measure progress in developing them.

California State PTA believes it is particularly important that all who interact with children and youth, whether in school, at home or in the community, have resources and time to work on their own social emotional development and personal growth strategies. For educators in particular, this should include addressing bias in both pre-service training and ongoing professional development.

Partner with Families and Community

California State PTA believes maximizing the resources of the entire school community advances SEL and student well being. In particular, meaningful family engagement provides opportunities for parents and caregivers to contribute and participate in their child’s learning, building mutually beneficial relationships between home and school.

Establishing expanded learning programs across settings such as early learning and care, after school, and summer can increase shared responsibility for positive student outcomes, as can partnerships with community-based organizations and local stakeholders .

Learn and Improve

California State PTA believes in using data to continuously inform improvement of instructional and school practices and using evidence to guide decision making related to students’ social and emotional learning opportunities.

The integration of SEL to promote equity and address the needs of the whole child, and of educators, is already supported in many current California policies, including the Local Control and Accountability Plan.

California State PTA, and its districts, councils and units, should help make sure that SEL and school climate are meaningfully included in the development of LCAP goals and in family and community stakeholder engagement processes. Continuously refining SEL goals and practices to meet the unique needs of each community will be integral to the achievement of social and emotional competencies.

To ensure all requirements of a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization are met, a unit must notify the district PTA president of any proposed change in association status at least 60 days before the unit votes to make such change. Inasmuch as a change of status represents amending the association bylaws, a 30-day written advance notice is required to all PTA members. The proposed change of status requires a two-thirds (2/3) vote of its members recorded in the minutes. It is the responsibility of the district PTA president to know the status of every unit within the district PTA and give information and advice on the procedures to be followed. Specific PTA procedures are outlined in the California State PTA Advanced Leadership Tools, which is available to council and district PTAs.

Changing Name: When an association votes to change its name or the school district changes the school’s name, the district PTA must send a Change of Status Form and an amended set of bylaws to the California State PTA parliamentarian for approval. Upon approval, the Change of Status Form will be sent to the state office. At the next meeting of the California State PTA Board of Managers, the change will be presented for approval. A charter with the new name will be sent without charge.

Becoming a PTA/PTSA: When a PTA votes to become a PTSA, the district PTA must send a Change of Status Form and an amended set of bylaws to the California State PTA parliamentarian for approval. Upon approval, the Change of Status Form will be sent to the state office. At the next meeting of the California State PTA Board of Managers, the change will be presented for approval. A charter with the new name will be sent without charge.

When the bylaws are changed making the unit a PTSA, the California State PTA recommends that provision be made for at least one position on the executive board to be filled by a student.

The unit bylaws should be reviewed for further information – amendments, officers, election of the nominating committee, and elections. It is strongly recommended that the entire set of bylaws – each article and section – be reviewed.

Dividing: When one PTA is serving two or more public schools and wishes to organize a unit in each school, the members may vote to divide into two or more associations. Consideration of a division should be undertaken only in consultation with the principals of the schools involved, the council president (if in council), and the district PTA president. Decisions need to be made regarding unit names, division of assets, chartering, etc. The district PTA must send the Change of Status Form and an amended set of bylaws to the California State PTA parliamentarian for approval. Upon approval, the Change of Status Form will be sent to the state office.

Combining: There may be a number of reasons for combining associations, such as the closing of one school or duplication of activities. Consideration should occur only in consultation with the principals of the schools involved, the council president (if in council), and the district PTA president. Decisions will need to be made on name of the unit, funds in unit treasuries, bylaws, officers, etc. The district PTA must send the Change of Status Form and an amended set of bylaws to the California State PTA parliamentarian for approval. Upon approval, the Change of Status Form will be sent to the state office.

Transferring: When a school district reorganization or boundary change has become effective, it may be necessary for a PTA to transfer from one district PTA to another. The unit should report this change in writing to its present council (if in council) and district PTA, with a copy to the state office. The district PTAs involved will use procedures outlined in the Advanced Leadership Tools to complete the transfer. Other reasons for transferring should be considered in consultation with the council president (if in council) and the district PTA president. The district PTA must send the Change of Status Form and an amended set of bylaws to the California State PTA parliamentarian for approval. Upon approval, the Change of Status Form will be sent to the state office.

Disbanding: Disbanding a unit PTA is of concern to all its members and the community; therefore, steps should be taken to ensure that all will have an opportunity to express their opinions and to allow members to vote whether or not to disband. The district and council PTA president must be notified immediately of any proposal to disband at least 60 days before the vote to disband is taken. Many times, outside help and guidance will give necessary assistance and new direction. Should disbanding be the only alternative, certain procedures must be followed to protect the members and comply with federal nonprofit 501(c)(3) regulations, including meeting notice requirements.

The decision to disband is significant and requires at least two meetings. All concerns should be discussed at a regular or special PTA meeting with a quorum present. All members, including administrators and teachers, must be notified at least thirty (30) days in advance, following the notice requirements of the bylaws, and district PTA representatives shall be present for counseling and guidance and to address the association immediately preceding any vote to answer final questions or concerns.

After discussion, a committee should be appointed which includes representatives of the district PTA to carry out necessary procedures. These would include preparation of recommendations to be brought to a subsequent meeting of the membership for vote. Members must vote on proper disposition of property and funds of the organization prior to the vote to disband as a constituent organization. If the vote to disband is adopted by the membership, the disbursement of all assets must be handled to comply with the 501(c)(3) requirements as detailed in the bylaws.

Each PTA’s bylaws, as a basic policy, provide that the assets of the PTA be used for one or more of the educational purposes for which they were collected and not be given to individuals.

When a unit votes to disband the unit shall surrender immediately all legal documents, financial and historical records, and all assets, including property to the California State PTA or other PTA organized under the authority of the California State PTA bylaws. The district PTA may hold funds and property of the disbanded unit in trust for a period not to exceed two years. The district PTA will file the change of Status-Disband Form with the state office.

Your PTA was a separate, legal entity with no affiliation to any new or existing group that may form or exist at your site. Therefore upon disbanding, the following came in effect:

• All necessary documents and communication materials via website (PTA or school), newsgroup, etc. must be updated to remove reference to the name PTA. For example, the PTA End of the Year party needs to be announced as the End of the Year party.
• Any events, activities, functions from the moment of the vote to disband and going forward are no longer covered under the PTA insurance, even those which may be funded from the PTA proceeds.
• The PTA’s tax ID number (EIN) may no longer be used.
• Activity with the former PTA’s bank account must cease. No checks should be issued and signed or cash withdrawals be made from the PTA account. Deposits may be made for any checks issued to the PTA.

Charter Withdrawal: The bylaws of the California State PTA provide for the withdrawal of the charter of a PTA for nonpayment of dues and/or insurance premiums. The unit will be notified in writing by January 15 if these required payments are delinquent. If dues and/or insurance premiums are still not paid by March 31, the unit charter will be withdrawn by vote of the California State PTA Board of Managers at its next meeting.

The bylaws also provide for the withdrawal of the unit charter if that unit is not in good standing for other reasons, such as: (a) fewer than 15 members; (b) vacant president, secretary, or treasurer positions; (c) violations of policies, procedures or other sections of the bylaws; and (d) failure to comply with the legal filing requirements of federal or state government agencies for three consecutive filing periods.

Failure to comply with the legal filing requirements of federal and/or state government agencies for a third consecutive filing period results in automatic revocation of tax-exempt status and automatic withdrawal of the unit/council/district charter.

When there are alleged violations that may be subjective in nature, such as those involving policy and/or not following proper financial procedures, the district PTA or the California State PTA grievance committee may be charged with determining the facts and recommending a solution that may include withdrawing the PTA’s charter.

Upon the withdrawal of the charter, the California State PTA has the right to collect and transfer funds, including funds deposited by the unit with a financial institution over which the unit or its officers have or had signature authority or control. The unit shall immediately surrender all records, assets, and property to the district PTA. Property will be held in suspense for a period of two years. Each local association shall, upon withdrawal of its charter by the California State PTA, immediately cease and desist from any further use of the association’s Internal Revenue Service Employer Identification Number (EIN) as a constituent organization under the group exemption number issued to the California State PTA. The California State PTA will file notice with the IRS that the unit is no longer a constituent organization.

In all cases, the unit shall be notified in writing at least 15 days before the charter withdrawal is to come before the California State PTA Board of Managers for action.

Parents and families play an important role in the homework process. They can help children develop good study habits and attitudes that lead to becoming lifelong learners.

Teachers give homework to help students better understand, review and learn more about what has been covered in class. By working on assignments, students learn how to find and use more information on a topic, how to follow instructions and complete tasks and how to be responsible and engaged in learning.

As a parent, your job is not to do the work for them. But, by providing support, encouragement and asking questions, you can help them arrive at the answers themselves.

Homework time and strategies can vary from teacher to teacher and school to school. But most educators agree:

• For children in grades K-2, homework is more effective when it does not exceed 20 minutes each school day
• Older children, in grades 3-6, can handle 30-60 minutes a day
• For kids in middle and high school, two hours of homework maybe assigned

Your child’s teacher can tell you, usually at Back-to-School Night, how much time he or she expects students to spend on homework.

Find out, too, if class assignments, grades and attendance are posted online so you can check on a regular basis. This can be an invaluable source of information that allows you to keep on top of any issues before they become problems.

Ask your principal, school site council or PTA if your school or district has a homework policy, including how to handle homework if your child needs to be absent.

THE POWER OF SCHOOL SMARTS:

School Smarts is California State PTA’s signature program for building authentic family engagement in school. It trains parents/caregivers on how the California school system works, how to effectively advocate for a quality education and how to grow family-school partnerships to support student success and school improvement.

School Smarts is grounded on decades of research that shows how and why parent involvement in school matters. When parents/caregivers are engaged in a child’s school life, it makes a positive difference in academic achievement, as well as attitude and behavior, for students from all neighborhoods.

As studies indicate, a home environment that actively encourages learning is a bigger factor for student achievement than a parent’s income, education level or cultural background.

Connecting parents/caregivers to their child’s learning is more important than ever. With the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), ‘Parent Involvement’ is a State Priority for developing and reviewing a school district’s Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP). This means the parent voice is an essential part of the process that determines how our schools are funded.

Inclusion is the program’s operating principle. As a fee-for-service program, School Smarts is sponsored by a school district or PTA and is offered for parents/caregivers at no cost. Each Session is family-centered with childcare onsite. And, the curriculum is available in six, home languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, Spanish, Tagalog and Vietnamese. In addition, the program can be presented either in-person or virtually for a school community.

School Smarts is an effective tool for school districts implementing family engagement strategies. Course content is specifically designed to assist districts with their state and federal family-engagement requirements and support their LCAP implementation. Funding options can include Title 1, English Learner Parent Involvement Funds and LCFF/LCAP Funding.

Typically, the School Smarts Program is provided at almost 100 school sites each year across the State. As School Smarts graduates, thousands of parents/caregivers are empowered as community leaders to advocate for their children and schools regardless of their zip code.

Learn More: To find out how to bring School Smarts to your school as an in-person or virtual program, contact: schoolsmarts@capta.org

THE SCHOOL SMARTS ACADEMY: 

As a parent engagement program, School Smarts is tailored to meet the priorities and needs of a local, school community. While each Academy consists of seven, interactive Sessions with curriculum and course materials supplied by California State PTA, a School Smarts Planning Team of parents, teachers and administrators at a school often plans, oversees and runs an Academy.

Academy participants meet weekly with a facilitator, either in-person or virtually, to explore and learn more about:

• Why family engagement in school makes a difference
• How to navigate the education system
• How your school operates and how decisions are made that affect your child
• Why parent engagement in the development and review of a district’s LCAP matters
• Ways to communicate effectively with teachers and administrators
• How to advocate for a quality education
• Strategies and tips to support student learning at home more effectively

Topics such as Common Core Standards, assessments, testing and college readiness are also covered to inform and strengthen home-school partnerships.

Finding ways to enhance a school community is embedded as a learning outcome of School Smarts. The program kicks off with a Parent Engagement Night (PEN) for the whole school community. This in-person or virtual event brings parents and educators together to build relationships and trust. With the PEN, a community conversation on ways to better support student learning and school improvement on campus is also initiated.

In the final Session, Academy participants create group and personal action plans to benefit students and the school community. Action plans often focus on effective ways for parents/caregivers to reinforce classroom learning, to enhance school climate and to improve campus safety.

The impact of School Smarts on a school is enduring. As post-Academy surveys indicate, graduates get more involved in school committees and local PTAs. By paying it forward, the lives of children, families and their community are enriched by School Smarts.

Learn More: Check out the School Smarts Program on our website – capta.org/schoolsmarts

PTA OUTREACH – WAYS TO SUPPORT A SCHOOL SMARTS ACADEMY:

As a PTA leader, you can support a local Academy and its participants in a variety of ways. Remember to coordinate your efforts with other local leaders at the unit, council and district level.

For the school-wide Parent Engagement Night (PEN) and the Academy Sessions, work with the School Smarts Planning Team and facilitator on campus to connect School Smarts more closely with your PTA network by:

Engaging Your Community

• Promote Involvement – Use PTA communication channels to reach out to families from all neighborhoods to participate in School Smarts
• Raise Awareness – Add a link to your PTA social media postings and website for the School Smarts homepage on the State PTA website: www.capta.org
• Welcome Participants – Invite parents/caregivers to join PTA, engage in PTA activities and sign up for volunteer opportunities at school
• Work Together – Explore ways your PTA can assist in completing the Academy’s action plans to enhance student learning, safety and well-being on campus
• Celebrate Success – Showcase School Smarts graduates in your PTA e-news, website or social media

Sharing Your PTA Resources

• Provide Support – Supply information, speakers, interpreters and volunteers as needed and serve as a key resource on how to grow family-school partnerships for student success
• Promote PTA – For an in-person Academy, set up a PTA table to showcase your activities, volunteer opportunities, membership benefits and programs such as the Reflections Art Program
• Get Connected – Arrange for a board member to talk about your PTA’s impact on campus for ‘Session 4: Understanding our school’ and to offer congratulations at the graduation
• Practice Inclusion – Invite program graduates to add their voices to PTA advocacy efforts and your school district’s development and review of its Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP)
• Grow Leadership – Encourage and mentor School Smarts graduates to serve on a PTA committee or board