ESSA, IDEA, CCR & LEGISLATION

The Nitty Gritty Explained

Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), (IDEA), and College and Career Readiness (CCR) are terms used throughout school pubilcations, advocacy campaigns, parent groups, and other education-focused organizations. Legislation professionals, advocates and volunteers have worked hard to explain these in easier terms.

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.

Additional Resources:

PARENT-STUDENT GUIDES AND RESOURCES

Wisconsin PTA knows how valuable parents and families are to their students success.  We are parents too!  We would like to share some National PTA’s Parents’ Guides to Student Success available by grade level, College & Career Readiness Resources, Special Education Resources, and so much more!

Local and Council Units can submit their documents to the Wisconsin PTA by using this form.

The following forms are to be used by local units under Wisconsin PTA group exemption that serve one school.

Local Unit Bylaws Template

Local Unit Bylaws Fill-in Template

Local Unit Addendums Template

These forms are for use by local units that serve an area rather than one school.

Community Bylaws Packet

These forms are to be used by local units whom are no longer under the group exemption because they were reinstated by the IRS and now have their own tax exemption.

Reinstated Unit Bylaws Packet

This is for use by councils only – units that belong to a council should use one of the three local unit packets listed above.

Council Bylaws Template

WHAT IS CCR?

CCR stands for College and Career Readiness, an initiative pushed to help…

ADVOCACY

Current Focus Areas

On the local level our units and councils partner with their schools to increase parent involvement and enhance and expand the educational opportunity of all children in their community. They work to improve the health, welfare and safety of all community members and to engage the community in the work of the schools. They provide programs to help families overcome barriers of language, culture and poverty so that their children can succeed in school and grow to be productive adults.
We have been a member of the School Finance Network and have actively participated in the formation of a school funding reform plan and are now actively advocating for the passage of the associated bill in the legislature. We also advocate for full funding of mandated programs.

We partner with the leadership team of the Wisconsin After school Network.

We know that having parents engaged in student learning increases achievement. We help and encourage our PTAs to become partners with their schools and to help the school engage all parents who have children there.

We advocate for a better nurse/student ratio and better trained school staff for improved handling of health issues during school hours.
We advocate for health insurance for all children and have partnered with Badger Care to help spread awareness.
Our annual Walk for Healthy Kids provides mini grants for health and wellness programs. Substance abuse prevention, particularly awareness of inhalant abuse.

ARE YOU A #BELIEVER YET?

More Reasons to Believe in
the Power of PTA

PTA believes together we can make every child’s potential a reality. There is no wrong or right way to be involved – anything you can give, whether it’s time or money, will help to support children’s health, safety and quality of education, and build stronger, more inclusive school communities. Join us today, it only takes a few minutes.

Family Resources

The National PTA shares a large number of resources with Wisconsin PTA (WI PTA). Coupled with the incredible information our sponsors and allies share, we have information for most topics of interest for Wisconsin families.

Awards & Scholarships

Scholarships and awards at the regional, state, and national level are just one of the ways students gain from PTA. Honory Life awards are also given to recognize those who devote their lives to Wisconsin children.

Convention & Expo

Our conventions and expos are a great way to mingle with other parents, leaders, educators, and outside organizations. Hearing how advocacy succeeds, receiving hands-on training They are also one of the biggest sources of operational funds for WI PTA.

Art Ed-Reflections

The Reflections Art Program encourages students to express themselves through creative arts. Visual arts, music composition, photography, literature, dance choreography, film production, and special artist awards given.