Unit President Legislative To Do List:
Welcome to the wonderful world of Legislation and Advocacy. The fundamental cornerstone of the PTA is being the voice of advocacy for all children, it is charged with that mission that the Legislation Committee moves forward. It's not as glamorous as school clean up day, nor as simple as preparing the budget -- but, seriously, it is the "big picture" issues that really affect our students in the longest and most far-reaching ways. Silent Auctions, book fairs and 'Boxtops' are important efforts, but the big money for our school district in the past few years has come from legislated sources. Recent statewide School Bond and Class Size Reduction have been passed by the voters and legislators as a direct result of the efforts of the members of the PTA. Not to mention, all of the great work that has been done locally.
Please give your Legislative Committee your full support and make their efforts a priority at your meetings and in your communication. Your Council Leadership team and Council Legislation Committee look forward to working with you in the coming year.
Here is a checklist of things you should be doing as you prepare for the next school year and to be aware of over the summer.
- Get a Legislative Committee Chair for your unit, or make sure last year's is on-board for the job. (If you don't have a "Leg. Chair", the President is responsible for legislative matters/action and meetings)
- Sign up for PTA web lists, local newspapers etc. to keep your site and yourself well informed
- 33rd District email: joanej@aol.com
- National PTA News, signup on the website: www.pta.org
- Educational Issues email: edsource@edsource.org / edvoice@edvoice.org
- Check websites for legislative updates and information important to PTA issues:
- rvtlc.blogspot.com (Our legislative committee blog)
- smmpta.org (PTA Council website)
- capta.org (California State PTA)
- pta.org (National PTA)
- Put the Legislative Committee on every month's general PTA meeting agenda for a report. This will let parents/staff know what's going on and how they can participate, and to provide materials or letter templates as applicable
- In preparing next year's budget: National PTA allows units to commit up to 5% of their gross income for Legislative matters. This should include money to send at least 1 representative to Sacramento Safari, also for delegate representatives to State and National PTA Conventions and for communication to keep your unit aware and move forward legislative advocacy.
- Look for more details on planning, hosting and/or attending in the fall:
- 33rd District Legislative Conference held every October
- Santa Monica/Malibu School Board Candidate Forums (October 2006)
- Student Mock Elections (handled by the League of Women Voters)
- Make plans for someone from your unit, yourself, Leg. committee chair and/or member to attend Sacramento Safari (mid-March, 2006), sign up deadline will be mid-December.
- Help Legislative Committee prepare a monthly article for your unit's newsletter on what they can be doing and/or what is being done in Legislative matters.
- Schedule yourself and your committee chair to attend Legislative Committee Meetings tentatively scheduled on the 2nd Tuesday of each month (with some date flexibility.)
- Encourage all adults on campus to vote. Put up a sign in the teachers' lounge and on the parent bulletin boards.
- Review your PTA Toolkit to familiarize yourself with PTA positions specific issues and PTA policies around the duties of unit leadership in matters of legislation and advocacy.
- Ask lots of questions, leave no stone unturned.
June, 2005