The JSIS PTSA works with the Washington State PTA to advocate for all our children. Our work is directed by our member-adopted resolutions, principles, and legislative priorities.
The WSPTA Advocacy page has great resources you can tap into to become a better advocate.
Watch this video to learn more about how school funding works in Washington State.
Learn about WSPTA's effectiveness in advocating, read end-of-session reports, and more.
News: WA State PTA Opposes Initiatives 2109 and 2117
Make PTA's grassroots advocacy a success by connecting with legislators about our priorities during Focus Day and Focus on Advocacy Week.
To see tips and tricks to be a better advocate at these events, check out the WSPTA Focus on Advocacy website. They have toolkits, recordings, and guides that make it easier for us to understand the process and be better prepared to get involved.
Advocacy is using your voice, speaking up, taking action. It is a way of thinking, a way of being. Advocating together is an excellent way to connect with our family and learn about the things that matter to each member. Research reveals that in a world full of challenges and bad news, people who engage in actions feel more positive. This is true even for very young people, who can often feel the most powerless - something as simple as helping write or send a letter and learning about service can make them feel more hopeful about their future. Everyone, no matter how small, can do something.
Voting is the best way to advocate, it is a privilege, a right, and a responsibility. The outcomes of elections impact all of our futures. So, register to vote, and vote! Every community member of voting age should be registered and vote in every election, especially local ones.
While voting is the most essential act of Democracy, true Democracy is a lifelong process of educating yourself and taking action to keep elected officials accountable and serving the people. As our kids grow and the world continues to change, we need to stay aware of the challenges our communities face. This is a daunting task, but you will feel empowered when you put the time and mental/emotional energy we spend complaining (we all do it, and that is part of the process) into doing something, even if it's small.
If you are a PTSA member, you are already an advocate in the largest and oldest advocacy organization working exclusively on behalf of children and youth. For over 125 years, the National PTA has grown into a network of millions of families, students, teachers, administrators, and business and community leaders devoted to the educational success and the promotion of family engagement in schools. PTA advocacy efforts have been responsible for the establishment of kindergarten in public education, free and subsidized school lunch programs, child labor laws, public health in schools, arts in education, juvenile justice system reform and the integration with the NCCPTA (National Congress of Colored Parents and Teachers) among other advancements. Thank you for being a member!
Effective advocacy is easier to do when we know who to talk about what, and when we understand the power structure that can lead to change. Below is an overview of the current structure of governance at a local, state, and national level.
PTSAs advocate at all levels. Click on each one to visit their websites and learn more.
Education is primarily a State and local responsibility in the United States. It is States and communities, as well as public and private organizations of all kinds, that establish schools and colleges, develop curricula, and determine requirements for enrollment and graduation. The structure of education finance in America reflects this predominant State and local role. This is especially true at the elementary and secondary level, where about 92% of the funds will come from non-Federal sources. This means the Federal contribution to elementary and secondary education is about 8%, which includes funds from the Department of Education (DOE) as well as from other Federal agencies, such as the Department of Health and Human Services' Head Start program, and the Department of Agriculture's School Lunch program.
Although the DOE's share of total education funding in the U.S. is relatively small, it works to target its funds where they can do the most good. This targeting reflects the historical development of the Federal role in education as a kind of "emergency response system," a means of filling gaps in State and local support for education when critical national needs arise. Such activities include raising national and community awareness of the education challenges confronting the Nation, disseminating the latest discoveries on what works in teaching and learning, and helping communities work out solutions to difficult educational issues. While DOE's programs and responsibilities have grown substantially over the years, the Department itself has not. In fact, the Department has the smallest staff of the 15 Cabinet agencies, even though its discretionary budget alone is the third largest, behind only the Department of Defense and the Department of Health and Human Services. In addition, the Department provides over $150 billion in new and consolidated loans annually.
As a first step, find your congressional and state district here. Then save the names and contact information for your congressional and state Representatives on your phone for easy access.