National PTA’s mission is focused on effective family and community engagement: to make every child’s potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children.
Use these effective leadership strategies:
- View your work through the lens of the Four I’s of Transformative Family Engagement: Inclusive, Integrated, Individualized and Impactful.
- Welcome all families, school staff, and community members in a way that values their unique strengths, abilities, and interests. PTA creates inclusive environments by embracing and valuing diverse perspectives and building intentional, authentic relationships.
- Communicate effectively by listening and deeply understanding the perspectives of their community’s families, teachers, administrators, and students; by offering an individualized experience by communicating frequently and through a variety of methods, including personalized outreach; and by using feedback to create programs tailored to families interests and needs.
- Focus on student success by planning PTA programs that are integrated connected and aligned with the broader education system to support student achievement and well-being.
- Identify and advocate for specific school improvements. PTA leaders serve as a resource for parents, helping them navigate the school and community and speak up for their students’ unique needs. Create a lasting impact by providing opportunities for families to develop knowledge and skills that will enhance their children’s educational experiences.
- Create a board that works like a team by sharing power and growing the volunteer pool with different perspectives; resolving conflicts in a positive, productive way; showing children by example how teamwork can make their world a better place.
- Collaborate with outside organizations or companies and provide a critical link between families, the school and the community. PTA leaders are the champions of school community and pride.