Advocacy

Did you know that the National PTA/PTSA is the nation's largest volunteer child advocacy organization?  According to the National PTA website, "Parent Teacher Association (PTA) reminds our country of its obligations to children and provides parents and families with a powerful voice to speak on behalf of every child while providing the best tools for parents to help their children be successful students."

And the Florida PTA's Mission Statement means it strives to be a powerful voice for all children, a relevant source for families and communities, and a strong advocate for the education and well-being of every child.

Unfortunately, Florida is currently ranked 50th in the nation in funding education and child services--and this was before recent budget cuts passed our state legislature during January's Special Session.  In fact, Duval County Schools is anticipating a $135 million budget shortfall for the 2009/10 school year.  In these circumstances, a strong movement is needed to ensure that a stable source of funding flows into the state's coffers to meet the budget needs of Florida's children.

Below are some ways to stay updated and opportunities to join your voice with PTA and with other organizations that strive to invest in the future by investing in our children and their education:

• Visit the Duval County Council PTA/PTSA website: to find out what actions are being taken locally and join in whenever possible.  You can sign up to receive e-mails when updates are posted on the site.
• Sign up to receive Florida PTA alerts at http://www.floridapta.org/CapWiz.html (click on Action E-List, then on PTA Take Action Network) and respond to these alerts.
• Visit the Duval County Schools website at http://www.duvalschools.org/static/aboutdcps/superintendent/supermessage_budget_update_2009.asp to find out more about our district's situation and needs.
• Write a letter to the editor.  Share examples and facts about what the impact of these cuts are on your school and community.  Click here for a sample letter to the editor and here for a list of possible talking points from the Florida PTA website.
• Contact your legislators!  Legislators are quick to note that they hear more frequently from tax cut advocates than those who support adequate public education funding. Please make your priorities known to your elected state representatives.  For complete contact information for members of the Duval County Legislative Delegation, visit http://www.duvalschools.org/static/aboutdcps/superintendent/downloads/Legislative_contacts.pdf.  You can also locate your officials and representatives through the Florida PTA website: http://www.floridapta.org/CapWiz.html.  Keep in touch with your legislators through emails, letters, faxes, and phone calls and by responding to Florida PTA alerts.  Provide a picture of the impact on your school through real examples.  Make your voice heard!
• Visit Florida PTA's Legislative page often for updates.

Related Organizations: (Information on these organizations is deemed reliable but not guaranteed)