GENERAL
The mission of PTA is to make every child’s potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children. In order to make every child’s potential a reality, the WI PTA is interested in advocating for the whole child this includes but is not limited to public education. We advocate for children’s health and safety, wellness, mental health, nutrition, growth and development. We educate families, educators, and communities about trends that will endanger or adversely affect a child’s potential and advocate to inspire change in policies or state law.
We also work to make sure that the PTA culture is diverse, inclusive, and equitable for everyone including our children, regardless of race, sex, identity, abilities, or zip code.
CCRI
CCRI is our College and Career Readiness Initiative that began in
Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
What is ESSA? The Every Student Succeeds Act was passed by the U.S Congress in December of 2015 to replace No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) signed into law by George Bush in 2002. It was then signed into law by President Obama Decemeber 10, 2015. This bipartisan measure reauthorizes the 50-year-old Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the nation’s national education law and longstanding commitment to equal opportunity for all students. The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) was first signed into law in 1965 by President Lyndon B. Johnson. ESEA offered new grants to districts with low-income students such as federal grants for textbooks, library books, funding for special education centers, and scholarships for low-income college students. Additionally, the law provided federal grants to the state’s education agencies to improve the quality of elementary and secondary education.
National PTA, our constituent associations and advocates across the country are seeking to empower all families to be active participants in the state and local implementation of ESSA to ensure equity and opportunity for all students. Click on the Roadmaps below to learn how you can get involved in ESSA implementation at the state, local and school level:
The U.S. Department of Education released a new guide for states to use while developing their education plans under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). While ESSA requires meaningful stakeholder engagement, the new guide does not compel states to include a description of how they are engaging stakeholders while developing their plans. National PTA is extremely disappointed that stakeholder engagement is no longer prioritized in the new guide.
To assist state and local PTA members as they work to ensure state leaders include a description of how different stakeholders have been meaningfully engaged in the implementation of the new state education plans, National PTA has put together this stakeholder toolkit, which contains template letters, sample graphics and messaging you can use when talking to state leaders.
Additional ESSA Information
For additional information and resources, please click on the links below provided by National PTA.
Collaborative Stakeholder Engagement
ESSA What does this Mean for our Child?
ESSA – Quick Guides on Top Issues
Questions You Should Ask as a Parent
Strategies to Help with Implementation
The Education Trust: The Every Student Succeeds Act: What is in it? What does it mean for equity?
National Education Association: Take Charge on ESSA!
“What Makes a Good ESSA Report Card?” webinar recording: What Makes a Good ESSA Report Card.