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What Do You Get For Your
PTA Membership Dues?
First a little about dues. Each individual unit sets their own amount of dues. The unit's dues must be at least $5.00 of which the National PTA receives $2.25 and the Pennsylvania PTA receives $2.75. Anything over and above the $5.00 minimum belongs to the unit to use as they see fit.
As you will see that for much less than the price of a single value meal, not only are you getting a tremendous amount of support but also you are helping every single child.
What are the advantages of being a PTA?
PTA is the largest volunteer child advocacy association in the nation and provides parents and families with a powerful voice to speak on behalf of every child and the best tools to help their children be safe, healthy, and successful - in school and in life.
With an abundant network of services and training and over a 100-year tradition of representing the needs of children nationally. The chief advantage of PTA over independent groups is PTA's potential for unified action, an unfitted attack on major problems, a unified push for improved legislation, an opportunity to act as a forum for ideas, and provides a chance to meet with others and discuss mutual concerns. Information is readily available online at the National PTA website www.pta.org or the Pennsylvania PTA website www.papta.org.
PTA was started over 115 years ago in 1897. Though many people do not understand the full scope of PTA, they realize
¨ PTA represents a force in the nation that speaks for all children.
¨ PTA policies are adopted only after much study and discussion thus providing safeguards for units in their policy and decision-making. The policies are the guiding principals, which all levels of PTA must follow.
PTA is a non-profit, non-partisan national organization. It works on behalf of its members to help unite parents, teachers, and the community for the common good of ALL children. It provides state and national information, influence, and recognition to help members advocate for the health, education, and safety of all children and youth. PTA is known as the “go to” group for parent involvement.
Working together, members are able to create a healthy, nurturing environment to help improve the lives of all children and youth.
¨ All officers and board members, whether national, state or local, are unpaid volunteers.
¨ All members speak with a unified voice on behalf of all children, as highlighted by the PTA tagline: everychild.onevoice.
Here is a breakdown of the benefits you get at the National, State, Regional, Council and Local PTA levels:
National PTA
¨ Maintains a National PTA office in Alexandria, VA (formerly in Chicago) and provides leadership to close to 6 million members nationwide with qualified staff members who carry out lobbying, development, communication, member services and program work.
¨ Sends a representative to every state convention each year.
¨ Offers Just Between Friends program for On-line Membership and Dues Reporting.
¨ Customized membership marketing tools available online.
¨ National Reflections Program - nationwide cultural arts program
Legislative Influence
¨ Members have clout and a powerful voice in government because of PTA’s nearly five million members.
¨ Maintains a Legislative office in Washington, D.C. - works with national organizations and federal elected officials and provides information regarding federal issues and advocacy training to all PTAs.
¨ Advocates for children and youth - changing laws for children.
¨ Provides legislative news and alerts as well as background information on key issues on the National PTA’s website
¨ Provides an Advocacy Kit.
¨ This Week in Washington electronic newsletter, when Congress is in session, updates members on legislation that affects families and public schools.
¨ Members can get information about the PTA perspective on current federal legislation by calling National PTA’s toll-free legislative hotline (888) 4-ALL-KDS (425-5537).
¨ Prepares members to advocate for children before government entities, organize and conduct programs, work with the media, and encourage parent and community involvement by providing training and information through workshops, videos, and written materials.
¨ Provides E-newsletters on parenting and legislative issues.
Resources/Publications
Provides numerous resources/publications including, but not limited to:
¨ www.pta.org - The National PTA’s website where your PTA tools and information are easy to access at all times.
¨ Annual Resources for PTA – Simple, quick-reference guides with tips on unit finances, legislative information, membership drives, leadership development, and marketing and public relations that are developed and sent to all local presidents. Also available on CD-ROM
¨ PTA Fundraising Essentials magazine.
¨ Provides Our Children magazine, PTA's flagship publication with parenting articles by experts on children's health, education and well being; and information on advocacy efforts; the latest news that affects children and youth. It includes success stories from PTAs around the country. The online version is accessible to all members.
¨ Professionally designed public service announcements (PSAs) to aid in membership recruitment.
¨ Provides parent involvement resources.
¨ Offers Teacher Appreciation Week ideas.
¨ Provides “The Official PTA Kit” with brochures and other useful items.
¨ Offers Online parenting resources, including select articles from Our Children magazine.
¨ Offers Discounted member rate for PTA's annual national convention, magazine subscriptions, and more.
¨ Provides the PTA Takes Action Update Report, a regular e-blast to state and local PTA members who keep federal officials apprised of PTA’s legislative issues and priorities.
¨ Assists local PTA units in developing strategies to effectively address concerns in their community
Leadership Development
¨ Committed to developing leaders who can carry out the vision, mission, and values of the PTA.
¨ Holds the National PTA convention to inform and train leaders.
¨ Provides annual training to state presidents and state office staff.
¨ E-Learning Courses - on-line leadership training opportunities.
Partnerships
¨ Local PTAs provide parents, teachers, and community members the opportunity to work together to improve the lives of children and youth through programs that address health, education, and social concerns.
¨ Local, state, and National PTAs cooperate with other child and youth-oriented organizations to combine resources in addressing child-related issues.
¨ Offers discounts and special offers from a host of PTA sponsors and community partners. Ex. Nickelodeon, Parenting Magazine, and AIM (Association Insurance Management)
¨ Exclusive National PTA member benefits and sponsors can be access online.
State Level (Pennsylvania PTA)
¨ Maintains the state PTA office in Harrisburg to assist local units.
¨ Maintains a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit status with the Internal Revenue Service for all affiliates. This blanket coverage status saves each local unit $850 or more and additionally a lot of time and paperwork, including designing of bylaws which is a requirement for holding the nonprofit status. This privilege allows you to also apply for grant money anywhere in the country. National PTA offers grant writing classes at convention and online.
¨ Provides regular mailings to all presidents.
¨ Maintains the Pennsylvania PTA website, www.papta.org which contains a wealth of information about PTA in Pennsylvania and provides links to relevant information at associated websites.
¨ Holds quarterly meetings of the state board of managers.
¨ Holds annual state PTA convention for all members.
¨ Provides monetary allotments to each of the regions.
¨ Provides 1 free program to each PTA annually.
¨ Offers Membership and other incentive awards.
¨ Conducts Reflections Program - nationwide cultural arts program.
¨ Represents membership on statewide committees and coalitions.
¨ Assists local PTA units in developing strategies to effectively address concerns in their community
Legislative Influence
¨ Advocates on behalf of children and youth in Pennsylvania to secure better laws for children.
¨ Provides Legislative E-newsletter.
¨ PA PTA Takes Action periodical Action Alerts.
¨ Prepares members to advocate for children before government entities, organize and conduct programs, work with the media, and encourage parent and community involvement by providing training and information through workshops, videos, and written materials.
Resources/Publications
¨ PTA in Pennsylvania, provided free of charge to all local unit and council presidents.
¨ A wealth of information such as articles, publications etc. available in the Members Only area of the PA PTA website
¨ Periodical mailings and e-newsletters from the state president.
¨ Brochures on various topics
Leadership Development
¨ Committed to developing leaders who can carry out the vision, mission, and values of the PTA.
¨ Summer Leadership Training Seminars– a series of one-day training sessions with nuts-and-bolts training for local leaders and members
¨ Pennsylvania PTA State Convention – the annual meeting & training for members within Pennsylvania. Legislative program, state bylaws, and state officers are among items decided upon by the members at convention.
¨ Regions and councils also provide additional leadership development.
Partnerships
¨ Local PTAs provide parents, teachers, and community members the opportunity to work together to improve the lives of children and youth through programs that address health, education, and social concerns.
¨ Local, state, and National PTAs cooperate with other child and youth-oriented organizations to combine resources in addressing child-related issues.
¨ Partners with other statewide education advocacy organizations such as
o PAESSP (Pa Assoc of Elementary & Secondary School Principals)
o PIRC (Parent Information Resource Center)
o PSEA (Pennsylvania State Education Association).
o PSBA (Pennsylvania School Boards Association)
o PASA (Pennsylvania Association of School Administrators)
o PSLA (Pennsylvania School Librarians Association)
¨ Special individual offers from corporate sponsors and benefit providers.
Region Level
¨ Advises and trains local units and councils within the region.
¨ Holds regional meetings and conferences, including Reflections Award Ceremonies for regional winners.
¨ Offers periodical E-mails and phone calls to each unit and council.
The Council Level
¨ Acts as a key link in the line of communication between the local, region, state and National PTA. The responsibilities of a council are to Inform, Inspire and Instruct by developing skills, promoting membership and building relationships between local units and providing service to the community.
¨ Communicates with the school board and administrators on issues that affect all schools in its area.
¨ Provides information from the region and state regarding legislation, membership, bylaws and education regulations to local units and council members.
¨ Encouraged to sponsor School Board Candidates Forum for the community in election years.
¨ Provides leadership training for all the local units’ officers and chairmen.
The Local Level
¨ This is the most important division of PTA. All the other divisions of PTA exist to serve and support the local PTAs. Each local unit’s work is determined by the needs of its school and community and the interests and concerns of its members.
¨ Influence legislation on behalf of children at the grass roots level. Some PTAs advocate for local issues that affect the children in their community.
¨ Many PTAs provide parenting education in conjunction with their meetings, including such topics as parent involvement in education, understanding learning styles, building children's self-esteem, helping your child succeed in school, and youth violence prevention, drug and alcohol awareness and prevention, on-line safety, etc.
¨ Offers opportunities for:
o Improving the quality of life and education for today’s young people, to make a difference, to have your opinion heard.
o Study and mental stimulation on matters of importance, find out what’s happening locally, statewide and nationally.
o New friendships
o Meaningful involvement
o Growth through leadership
PTAs get results
¨ PTAs keep parents informed. Involved parents can understand the challenges schools face and become part of the solution. PTAs support education through active participation and advocacy.
¨ PTAs improve children's well-being. PTAs focus on what students need to be successful in their learning, including proper nutrition and safe, healthy environments.
¨ More than 85 rigorous research studies conducted over 30 years show that:
o Kids do better when parents are involved.
o Grades are higher.
o Test scores improve.
o Attendance increases.
¨ PTAs can help schools fulfill parent involvement requirements in the Elementary & Secondary Education Act (formerly No Child Left Behind). Why? Because National PTA's definition of parent involvement is the definition used in ESEA. Getting involved in PTA is the best way to organize parent involvement.
¨ PTAs benefit everyone. Strong schools mean stronger communities. PTA membership is open to anyone concerned with the education, health, and welfare of children.
