Is the PTA Still Relevant?

Posted by Sue Blaney on Jun 14, 2011 in Blog | 5 comments

There is only one answer to that question: unequivocally “YES!”

Everyone knows the PTA. But not everyone has a good understanding of why the PTA is important and what it does. While some communities have chosen to have their parent organizations remain independent of the PTA, I see some real advantages in connecting to this national organization. Having just spent several days at the PTA Annual Convention in Orlando, Florida, let me share what I have observed.

There is tremendous value in learning from your peers: The PTA Convention gathers leaders from around the country – thousands of them! Connecting with peers and interacting with PTA leaders enables valuable sharing of best practices, research, resources and more. Being independent may look attractive at first, but the benefits of being linked to a larger body are pretty compelling.

The PTA has power and is a respected authority: The PTA is recognized nationally and prides itself on being “a powerful voice for all children, a relevant resource for families and communities, and a strong advocate for public education.” As they fulfill this promise, they influence legislation on a state and national level and keep the interests of children front and center.

The PTA can reach people in high places: You can get more done when you have friends in high places. The PTA partners with numerous national organizations and has an open channel of communication with powerful government leaders. Michelle Obama taped a special video message just for the PTA Convention, demonstrating just how high their friends really are. That’s the kind of access that can make a real difference!

Continuity of leadership at the local level: One challenge often faced in parent groups is the changing leadership year after year. When there isn’t much continuity from one leadership team to the next, programs lose momentum, relationships waver and the parent organization isn’t able to accomplish its full mission. PTA’s usually take care of these issues by building a succession structure into the organization.

The National PTA has the resources to provide valuable, evidence-based programming: Parent groups are famous for focusing just on fundraising activities. And while this aspect of what they do is vitally important, it shouldn’t be all they do. The National PTA offers a variety of programming that enables local PTAs to deliver value far beyond the bake sale.

They value collaboration: The PTA knows that each and every community has it’s own influencers, culture, personality and needs. Collaboration is the key to success in each community, and that is emphazed and valued from the top down.

You can tell I was impressed last week. All the people I met at the PTA Convention are committed, smart, passionate and skilled leaders and organizers. If you haven’t looked at the PTA in a while, give it a new look now and consider becoming a member.