Why PTA Requires Membership: Because It’s Powered by You
The Parent Teacher Association (PTA) is more than just a school-based group—it’s a member-driven nonprofit organization with a mission to make every child’s potential a reality through advocacy, family engagement, and community-building. And at every level—local, state, and national—membership is the foundation of how that work happens. What It Means to Be Member-Driven PTA operates as a…
Category:
Membership
Keep Your PTA Connected: Update Your Officers and Membership Link in Givebacks
As we kick off a new school year, it’s essential to make sure your PTA is set up for success—and that starts with the basics: updating your officer information and confirming your membership join link in the Givebacks database. Why It Matters Keeping your PTA officer roster current in Givebacks ensures that your leaders receive important updates, state and…
Category:
Membership
June Checklist for Running Your PTA
Ongoing Tasks Attend any board and membership meetings Read meeting minutes and offer corrections Prepare reports for board and membership meetings Get educated: take advantage of in-person and online training opportunities Be familiar with your responsibilities and fulfill them Review and ask questions about the monthly financial report Actively engage in a plan for membership…
Category:
Leadership
June Checklist for Councils Supporting Local PTAs
Ongoing Tasks Offer support to local PTAs who may be struggling with any of the SOA requirements. Work with your region director to support any local PTAs with fewer than 25 members or any local PTAs without an approved membership waiver to ensure they remain “in good standing.” Encourage local PTAs to enter next year’s…
Category:
Leadership
July Checklist for Councils Supporting Local PTAs
Ongoing Tasks Remind local PTAs to complete any end of year tasks in Givebacks. Please also use Givebacks to report your newly elected 2025-2026 officers. Offer support to local PTAs who may be struggling with any of the SOA requirements. Work with your region director to support any local PTAs with fewer than 25 members…
July Checklist for Running Your PTA
Month-by-Month Board To-Do List Welcome to the new PTA year! PTA’s fiscal year runs July 1 – June 30. Each month we will post monthly task lists for you to use that will help develop your calendar for the year. The dates listed reflect best practices. Ongoing Tasks Attend board and membership meetings Read meeting…
Category:
Leadership
WSPTA Requests Vetoes from Governor Ferguson
Washington State PTA joined other statewide associations to request a veto of a bill that would reduce state funding to students enrolled in Alternative Learning Experience programs in eight school districts and a “section veto” of a bill that would make the inflationary growth rates different for per student enrichment levies and per student local…
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Advocacy
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Legislative
And That’s a Wrap: Legislature Adjourns
By Marie Sullivan, legconsultant@wastatepta.org After an exceptionally tough and challenging session, the Washington State Legislature adjourned around 6:30 PM on April 27th, the final day of the regularly scheduled 105-day session. When the 2025-27 operating budget was revealed by the Conference Committee on Saturday, April 26th, one of the best bits of news was that…
Category:
Advocacy
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Legislative
State Association Letter to Legislators on School Funding
Washington State PTA and state K-12 education associations sent a letter to the legislature expressing their disappointment and frustration with the lack of significant investment this session in public schools and our state’s 1.1 million students. PTAs are encouraged to borrow liberally from the letter and/or send your own stories to legislators before they adjourn…
Advocacy in Action: No Harmful Budget Gimmicks
Advocacy in Action! Danica Noble testified against HB 2050, a bill that would shift apportionment payments from February, March, and April and replace the funds in August. This budget gimmick would help the state balance its fiscal issues, but will create a cash flow problem for school districts, and worsen their financial instability. Listen to Danica here.