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Title : The Many Voices Of PTA
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The Many Voices Of PTA

As most readers know, I have been a long-time PTA member and supporter.  Just as I am both cheerleader and critic to Seattle Public Schools, so I am to PTA. 

At this point in time it appears that PTA in Seattle Schools is in flux. 

A small number of schools have abandoned PTA and are not PTOs (Parent-Teacher Organizations, independent of PTA).  I hear from some readers near-weekly about their school considering going this route.

SCPTSA, over the last couple of years, has lost about 800 members.  That is a huge number and probably devastating to the organization in terms of money and advocacy.
I cannot say for certain why this has happened.  I know some of it could be that school PTAs increasingly do not see the value of what the local, state and national PTA boards can offer to their schools. 

They may not like being lectured to about their fundraising.  Until there is a real and calm discussion about fundraising-sharing and what that might look like, hectoring parents on sharing may not be the best method to make that happen.

On January 19th, the Seattle Council PTSA endorsed to the two SPS levies coming up in a Feb. election.  That's fairly late for one of the bigger organizations attached to SPS. 

They have two statements; a shorter one at Facebook and a longer one at their website.  They say not a single specific thing about the levies themselves but say on Facebook:

• We will continue to highlight the problematic intersection of school levies for families of color who suffer the greatest opportunity gap and are most likely to suffer economic impacts of regressive taxation.
• We will continue to prioritize advocacy of a racial equity-based financial analysis, modeling, and distribution alongside specific and ongoing engagement of families of color regarding funding equity in Seattle Public Schools. 
• SCPTSA supports a Capital Gains Tax and a Working Families Tax Credit to, respectively, fund and restore the burden of this and other regressive taxes.  

Here's some of what they say at their webpage:

• Families of color are not targeted or holistically engaged in the education funding models and applications at the District, nor to inform how the District engages with state lawmakers. For example, the five public Levy meetings in September did not target or authentically engage families of color.  (Editor's note: I don't think the levy meetings targeted or authentically engaged anyone.)

• Outside funding sources continue to sustain, create, and mask inequities at the building and central office levels.  (I'm thinking this may be a swipe at PTA fund raising/spending but hard to know.)

They go on:

1. For families of color and those furthest from justice, SCPTSA supports the passage of Seattle School District’s property tax levies BEX V and EO&P with the understanding that we will push for:

• A transparent, ongoing and formal commitment with Seattle Public Schools, actively engaging students and families, to acknowledge, resolve, restore and report racial incidents in our schools as they occur. This is a fundamental building block of SPS commitment to creating “welcoming environments” and policy 0030 Ensuring Educational and Racial Equity. Racial Discrimination has no place in Seattle Public Schools. When children walk through the door of SPS, it is not consistently true that they will be cared for in the event of racial discrimination. The “threat” of impact is suitably muzzled when a parent or a child cannot enter a school space and find it figuratively open or welcoming because of who they are.

2.  Formal commitment from SPS Administration to partner with SCPTSA, SEA, Seattle School Board and OSPI in the transparent and rigorous analysis of funding equity in Seattle Public Schools including:

• Detailed reporting on outside funding sources and their use, including, but not limited to, PTAs, PTOs, foundations and CBOs
• Analysis and reporting on strengths, weaknesses and opportunities in financial modeling and distribution in SPS specifically pertaining to racial equity
• Analysis of Weighted Staffing Standard based on Equity gap analysis
• Specific and ongoing engagement with families of color regarding funding equity in Seattle Public Schools

I think it good to know this information but I think what will be found is that Title One schools get federal funds that are sharply curtailed to certain spending and that non-Title One schools tend to get more funding from PTAs. 

I think it would also be shown that the bulk of money from foundations and CBOs goes to Title One schools.  What would be great to examine is how those dollars are spent. 

3. Support for efforts such as Capital Gains and Working Families Tax Rebate at state and local levels to respectively alleviate and mitigate the regressive tax burden on our most economically disadvantaged families. While the District can’t control State lawmakers, it can and should acknowledge the burden placed on the families and staff of SPS as a result of limited fundraising mechanisms.

I agree; the district does not pay near enough gratitude to all the funding that PTAs and PTOs pour into SPS.  Nor enough thanks for all the volunteer work done at schools, most from members of PTA/PTO.  Nor enough acknowledgment of all the funding that booster clubs pour into programs.

I also wanted to note a similarity in phrasing from the district's Strategic Plan:


Unequivocal commitment to fiscal transparency. When we focus on ensuring racial equity in our educational system, unapologetically address the needs of students of color who are furthest from educational justice 

And this from SCPTSA:

As advocates for all kids, our obligation is to advocate specifically for those who are furthest from justice in attaining equitable access to education. 

Maybe this isn't such a coincidence as the head of SCPTSA is on the Strategic Plan committee. 


Also to note on the new Strategic Plan since I first wrote about the draft Strategic Plan, staff has since added a definition for "educational justice": 

Educational justice requires safe learning environments, curriculum that incorporates a student’s life experiences and culture, and instruction delivered by high-quality, culturally competent educators. Many students from certain ethnicities have not historically experienced equitable opportunities for all or part of their educational journey (including African and African American, Asian Pacific Islander, LatinX, and Native students). These students are our priority.

And I see by the list of community meetings on the Strategic Plan that they are holding to that priority as I see that seven out of the eight community meetings are in the south end.  Here's a list of the final ones (unless they have more in Feb. but I doubt it).  I cannot believe that the only meeting in the north end for this process is on a Friday at a church. Weird.

Tues., Jan. 22, 5:30 - 7 p.m.
Co-hosted with Somali Moms and Horn of Africa
New Holly Gathering Hall
7054 32nd Ave. S, Seattle, WA 98118

Fri., Jan. 25, 4:30 - 6 p.m.
All Seattle Public Schools community meeting
Co-hosted with Seattle Council PTSA
Seattle Mennonite Church
3120 NE 125th St, Seattle, WA 98125

Mon., Jan. 28, 5 - 6:30 p.m.
Native American community-focused meeting
Graham Hill Elementary
5149 S Graham St., Seattle, WA 98118

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