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. As a PTA leader, it is your role to advocate for your child—and every child in your school and community.
According to National PTA, “PTA advocacy means supporting and speaking up for students in schools, in communities, and before governing bodies and other decision-makers of policies or practices affecting students.”
To learn more about the role of advocacy, watch our PTA university video, Titled Advocacy 101
Get Organized and Making a Plan
Step 1: Identify a Legislative/Advocacy Vice President.
The primary responsibility of a local PTA Legislative and/or Advocacy Vice President is to serve as the link between PTA’s Public Policy program and your members. Begin by making sure advocacy is a regular conversation point—on your agenda at meetings, in your social media, and as updates via email. Learn more about the roles and responsibilities of a legislative or advocacy chair.
Step 2. Discuss Ways to Support Your School Improvement Plan.
Ask your principal for a meeting to talk about how your PTA can support the school improvement plan. Send a representative to your school community council meetings. Identify one to three objectives that will engage and empower families to be part of the solution at your school. Use the School of Excellence program as a road map to strengthening your family-school partnership around a specific school improvement goal.
Step 3. Mobilize Around a Specific School or Community Improvement.
The PTA can amplify your members’ voices to make positive changes for students in your school and community. Maybe your issue is advocating for a safe route to school for students. Or perhaps your classrooms are overcrowded, or your roof needs major repairs.
Step 4. Learn from PTA’s History.
For more than 120 years, PTA has influenced national policies and practices that promote children’s education, health, and well-being. The results of PTA’s advocacy include early childhood education, kindergarten, child labor laws, juvenile justice system, school lunch programs, and much more. Learn more about our History
Step 5. Use and Understand the National and Utah PTA Public Policy Program to determine action on state and local legislation.
The Utah PTA Public Policy Program is the primary authority for public policy action and statements by Utah PTA on state and local legislation and administrative policies and regulations. Utah PTA can only speak to items where a Resolution or Position Statement are in place. Study the Utah PTA resolutions to gain a better understanding of the Utah PTA advocacy efforts.
Step 6. Sign Up for State and Federal Action Alerts.
Join the Utah PTA Take Action Network for notifications when PTA members are needed to take action on significant state legislation or policy alerts.
Utah PTA Action Alert Sign Up
National PTA Take Action Sign Up
Step 7. Save the Date --- Utah PTA Advocacy Conference and Utah PTA Day at the Capitol.
Join the Utah PTA commissioners and learn about the critical issues facing Utah’s children at the annual Utah PTA Advocacy Conference in the fall. Let your legislators know that Utah PTA is paying attention and taking action by attending Utah PTA Day at the Capitol during the legislative session.
Step 8. Join the Utah PTA Advocacy Facebook Group.
Share with other PTA leaders what you are doing to advocate for the children in your school. Get updates from Utah PTA commissioners in the areas of community engagement, education, family life, health, individual development, safety, and student development.
Step 9. Get Involved in Statewide Advocacy Efforts. Join a Utah PTA commission or the Legislative Advocacy Committee.
Encourage your Legislative/Advocacy Vice President, any member of your PTA, or take the opportunity yourself to join a Utah PTA commission or the Legislative Advocacy Committee (LAC).
Commissions in the areas of community engagement, education, family life, health, individual development, safety, and student leadership meet three to four times per year and discuss current issues related to the topic of the commission. Community Partners from outside organizations provide meaningful information and allow attendees to become better acquainted with the needs of children throughout the state.
All Utah PTA members are invited to join LAC. This committee meets once per month during the school year and weekly during the legislative session. This committee discusses and recommends the positions Utah PTA should take on legislation and other policy issues.
Step 10. Increase Utah PTA Advocacy Efforts by Submitting a Resolution.
Is there an area where you feel that Utah PTA should be advocating for children? Check to see if there is a resolution in place and if not, then submit a resolution on that topic.
A resolution is a call for action. It is a statement which may give direction for that action, such as legislative directives and policies, and state and local community involvement. A resolution may also memorialize, commemorate, or express appreciation. Local PTAs, councils, regions, and Utah PTA commissions and committees may submit resolutions for consideration to the Utah PTA Resolutions Committee. For more information about submitting a resolution for Utah PTA consideration, please visit the Resolutions Toolkit