2019 Virginia PTA Proposed Legislation Program (PLP) Julie Shepard - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

2019 Virginia PTA Proposed Legislation Program (PLP)

Julie Shepard NOVA District PTA Advocacy Chair advocacy@novadistrictpta.org

September 2018

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1

Our Legislation Program

2

The PLP Process

3

PLP Documents

4 5

Resources Goals: PLP Items and Talking Points

Your Legislation Program

Our Legislation Program

• BOD - Virginia PTA Board of Directors
• PLP - Proposed Legislation Program
• LAI - Legislative Action Item = seeking change in law
• PS - Policy/Position Statement = statement on general issues
• GA - General Assembly = House and Senate of Virginia

Warning…Acronyms Ahead!

Our Legislation Program

• Based on member participation - all positions are voted on

by all members

• Includes our LAI’s (seeking legislation), Position

Statements (general positions) and Resolutions (voted on at Annual Meeting)

• PLP is voted on by PTA Members in the Fall
• All approved items become part of our Legislation Program
• Member participation can drive change
• Member votes help reinforce our advocacy mission!

Your Legislation Program

The PLP Process

PLP Process

• VA PTA Advocacy Committee seeks input from

membership for the PLP each year

• VA PTA Advocacy Committee drafts recommended items

based on last year’s GA session as well as issues of interest to membership

• PLP goes out to all VA PTA unit leaders and is available to

members on our website in August

• Vote is conducted at each local unit and they report votes
• Final vote is announced and approved items are included in

legislation program

How Does This Work?

PLP Process

• Members should engage with VP of Advocacy and

Advocacy committee all year long

• We use member input to drive positions and legislative

priorities

• Reach out to your District Director with ideas and concerns
• Respond to our annual survey sent in the Spring
• Stay on top of issues by following us on Facebook and

reading The Voice

• Encourage issue discussion in units

When is input needed?

PLP Process

• The PLP documents go out to local PTA leaders in

the August mailing

• The PLP documents are also available on our website
• VA PTA creates a training power point for Districts to

record webinars and present training workshops

• Units are encouraged to use the PLP to demonstrate
• ur more than 100-year history in advocacy

Where can I find the PLP?

PLP Process

Ways to Get Out the Vote!

Deadline for voting is October 10, 2018

• Use online voting i.e. survey monkey or similiar site
• Post PLP in public places
• Design your own form for tallying
• Remember one vote per member
• Voters MUST be PTA members
• Consider working with your membership chair
• Combine with your back to school activities

Your PLP Documents

The PLP Documents

• Virginia PTA supports legislation that implements and fully funds resources to support

students’ mental health needs.

• Virginia PTA supports legislation that implements and funds school safety measures and

the effective use of Threat Assessment Teams to improve the learning environments of

• ur public schools.
• Virginia PTA supports legislation and policies that incorporate career and technical

education (CTE) into K-12 classrooms, paying special attention to real-life career options and opportunities for training.

• Virginia PTA supports legislation and policies that seek to recruit and retain effective

educators, especially in high-poverty areas, remote locations and hard to fill positions.

Four Position Statements for 2019

The PLP Documents

Letter to Presidents

The PLP Documents

Letter For Members

The PLP Documents

PTA Member Ballot

The PLP Documents

Tips for Getting Out The Vote

Your PLP Items & Talking Points

Mental Health Position Statement

• There are so many ways to support our students’ mental health needs in schools - but each school

has a different set of needs. We support fully funding resources needed in each school - but also statewide efforts to increase funding around mental health services.

• VA PTA has additional legislative positions seeking school nurses in every building and reasonable

ratio of guidance counselors in order to create safe and healthy learning environments.

• Parents should always advocate for programs that support the mental health of the students in their

buildings.

VAPTA supports legislation that implements and fully funds resources to support students’ mental health needs.

PLP Items and Talking Points

Threat Assessment Teams Position Statement

• Pursuant to legislation several years ago, every public school has a Threat Assessment

Team in order to insure the safety of schools both from within and from outside.

• VA PTA supports legislation that effectively funds these teams as well as safety measures so

that our members can advocate for these safeguards within their buildings.

• Threat Assessment Teams should strive to create thoughtful communications plans so that

parents and community members are aware of procedures and protocols.

VA PTA supports legislation that implements and funds safety measures and the effective use of Threat Assessment Teams to improve the learning environments of our public schools.

PLP Items and Talking Points

CTE Position Statement

• VA PTA has a long-held position supporting CTE in our schools. This position creates

additional goals for programs - specifically supporting CTE programs in all classrooms, not just in our CTE schools and buildings.

• CTE is an important and necessary course of study for all students, especially in a time of

growing college tuition costs and commitment to create well-rounded students.

• The Virginia “Profile of a Graduate” devotes significant resources and recommendations in

the field of CTE - so we would like to continue to support those efforts around Virginia.

VA PTA supports legislation and policies that incorporate career and technical education (CTE) into K-12 classrooms, paying special attention to real-life career options and opportunities for training.

PLP Items and Talking Points

Recruiting and Retaining Teachers Position Statement

• This position closely resembles the stance from our partners at Virginia Education Association.
• Like many states, Virginia is in the midst of a teacher shortage. The toll this takes on our teachers in

schools, our students, families and administrators is real and difficult to overcome.

• VA PTA supports legislation and policies that attempt to make real change around recruiting and

retaining teachers.

• Special attention must be paid to rural locations and hard to staff positions.

VA PTA supports legislation and policies that seek to recruit and retain effective educators, especially in high-poverty areas, remote locations and hard to fill positions.

PLP Items and Talking Points

YOUR RESOURCES

Virginia PTA Resources

Resources

https://www.vapta.org/advocacy

advocacy@vapta.org www.vapta.org Kim Chandler, VP of Advocacy Virginia PTA Advocacy Resources Virginia PTA website

Northern Virginia District PTA Resources

Resources

http://www.novadistrictpta.org/h

• me/advocacy/

director@novadistrictpta.org

http://www.novadistrictpta.org/

Debbie Kilpatrick, District Director NOVA District PTA Advocacy Resources NOVA District PTA website

PLEASE VOTE!

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2019VAPTAPLP

THANK YOU