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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 become successful students."
And the Florida PTA Mission directs it 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 the budget cuts passed in our state legislature in early 2009. In fact, Duval County Public Schools is anticipating a $125 million budget shortfall for the 2010/11 school year. In these circumstances, a strong movement is needed to ensure that a stable sources of funding flows into the state's coffers to meet the budget needs of Florida's children.
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Important Update!
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Duval County Public Schools is facing a possible $125 million shortfall!
Here are some of DCPS's recent successes:
+Student achievement in Duval County has continued to improve during the last ten years by almost any measure
+Duval County has experienced significant gains in FCAT performance, with gains in Reading as high as 46%, gains in Math as high as 71%, and 38% in Science and 16% in Writing
+The number of A schools has increased by 630%, from 10 in 1999 to 73 in 2009
+The number of B schools has increased by 314%, from 7 in 1999 to 29 in 2009
+The 2008-2009 graduation rate is up 3.2 percentage points form the 2007-2008 shcool year, and up 7.1 percentage points since 2005-2006
+District grade B
Here is what DCPS needs from the legislature to maintain this success:
+Provide flexibility -- in applying Class Size Amendment, in textbooks, and in permitting additional shift of Capital Millage to Operating Revenue
+Increase public education funding
+Prioritize existing resources -- review Bright Futures Scholarship Program, re-prioritize state budget, cap growth of corporate and McKay Vouchers
+Hold in abeyance -- the Class Size Amendment
Please contact your state legislators (see below) to communicate your concerns about education funding!
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But what can I do ... ?
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Below are some was to stay updated as well as opportunites to join your voice with PTA to invest in children and their education:
Mark your calendar -- Thursday, March 25, 2010 -- Florida PTA's Rally in Tally
Last year's rally was an overwhelming success. You made a huge impact in Tallahassee. We need you to join us again on March 25, 2010, on the steps of the Florida Capitol as we continue to advocate for children and education. Your voices are needed now more than ever, as the budget battle continues. The federal stimulus dollars that are currently funding Florida's education will run out next year. The Legislature needs to take action in 2010 to secure a stable and adequate source of funding for eduction. Rally information is available on the Florida PTA website at the following link: http://www.floridapta.org/Legislative Information/rally information.pdf
Visit the Duval County Council PTA/PTSA website to find out what actions are being taken locally, as well as statewide and nationally, and join in whenever possible. You can sign up to receive emails when updates are posted on the site.
Sign up to receive Florida PTA alerts (click on Action E-List, then on PTA Take Action Network) and respond to these alerts. Also, visit the Florida PTA's Legislation page often for updates.
Visit the Duval County Public Schools website 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 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. The DCPS website has complete contact information for members of the Duval County Legislative Delegation. You can also locate your officials and representatives through the Florida PTA website's CapWiz page. Keep in touch with your legislators through emails, letters, faxes, and phone calls and by responding to Florida PTA alterts. Provide a picture of the impact on your school through real examples. Make your voice heard!
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Legislative Brief from Florida PTA
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Florida PTA Legislative Report #1
February 19, 2010
The Florida Legislature will convene for the 2010 Legislative Session on March 2, 2010. The regular nine week session is scheduled to end on April 30, 2010.
Once again, the budget, or lack of it, is expected to dominate the conversation during this session. Education was funded on federal stimulus dollars last year and will continue to be funded by the same source this year. However, as this program sunsets in one year, it is critical that the legislature makes provisions for a permanent and stable funding source for the future needs of education.
The Legislature must find a way to generate new revenues, to fund education and other children's services. This will be our message throughout session and we hope you will join us not only through your emails and phone calls, but also in person, as we Rally In Tally, on March 25th, to bring this home to our legislators. For more information go to http://www.floridapta.org/legislative.html or contact your County Council.
The revision of the class size amendment to be calculated on school averages rather than actual class size has already passed the education committees in both Houses and is expected to generate vigorous debate. Bills to expand the corporate voucher program have also been filed, further eroding the dollars that could be used to fund public education. A bill to replace the FCAT in math and science in high school with end of course exams is also making its way through the legislature.
PTA will also be active in other areas such as the safety and protection of our youngest children with the passage of a booster seat bill as well as increasing safety for all citizens with a ban on texting while driving. Nutrition, food safety, health and environmental issues will also be a part of our active advocacy efforts.
The lists will be updated at the end of every week reflecting any action that was taken and new bills will be added as they are filed. If there is a PTA position corresponding to the bill, it will be shown under public comments.
We will send out alerts as needed through Capwiz. We will also send out weekly updates through Capwiz and email lists. Please respond to the alerts and forward the alerts and updates to your email lists. Your voice is the most important one and we hear this constantly as we meet with policy makers. They want to hear from you. If you have any questions, please email us at ino@pta.org.
Thank you for your advocacy efforts.
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Related Organizations
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(Information on these organizations is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.)
Children's Campaign, Inc.: http://www.iamforkids.org/default.asp. Children's Campaign has posted the following video on its website: "Televised Town Hall Meeting Available on Website (Video). Produced in cooperation with WJCT Television in Jacksonville, the program is airing in the north Florida media market. The town hall meeting covers the 5 Promises and lays bare the crisis facing Florida's children."
Save Duval Schools website, sponsored by People for Jacksonville's Future, Inc.: http://www.saveduvalschools.org/. The site has links to reach out to State Legislators and an opportunity to share your thoughts with other Duval County residents on its message boards.
UPDATE: In 2009, as the Duval County Public Schools faced a more than $100 million budget deficit due to falling state revenues, a local politico and a prominent school board member had an “aha” moment together. Michael Munz and WC Gentry had met with Duval Schools Superintendent Ed Pratt-Dannals, who reported, incredulously, that the district was required to spend millions on music books even as music teachers were being “surplussed” due to budget cuts! Munz and Gentry, together with nonprofit and business leaders in the community, agreed that when it came to cuts in education, they’d had enough. Munz’s business, The Dalton agency, and other community leaders pulled in Deborah Gianoulis Heald to say it out loud in front of local media: “Enough!” And Save Duval Schools was born. Save Duval Schools is a political issues organization with a simple goal: To give voice to Floridians who want the Legislature to follow Article IX, Section 1 of our constitution, i.e. to fulfill the state’s “paramount duty” to provide public school students with a “high quality” education. It is Save Duval Schools’ position that our lawmakers need to make two things happen in order to fulfill their “paramount duty.” First, we as a state must find or create a steady, reliable income source for public K-12 education. Second, we must invest our local school boards with discretion on how to spend state education funds, without the nonsensical mandates like the “mandatory music books,” cited above. Save Duval Schools founders created a website (www.saveduvalschools.org) through which voters in Florida may directly contact their lawmakers with their thoughts on education funding. Last legislative session, lawmakers let us know that they were definitely hearing from Save Duval Schools—thanks to involved parents like YOU! But in order for Save Duval Schools to continue its impact on the Florida Legislature, we need for involved parents like you to spread the word! If you haven’t already signed up to receive email alerts from Save Duval Schools, please go to www.saveduvalschools.org today and sign on! And please spread the word ... the viability of Save Duval Schools mission DEPENDS on its grassroots—that’s us, PTA people—you and me. Won’t you please help us spread the word about Save Duval Schools? (from the October 2009 DCCPTA News newsletter)
50th No More is "a non-partisan, grassroots organization designed to fight back against budget cuts to our great public schools. Visit the 50th No More website at http://www.50thnomore.org/ to find out more ways to "help Florida's kids get the education they deserve."
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