1. Together is Better: Your Building‐Unit Partnership in Advocacy
Lisa Christoffel
NYS PTA Resolutions Coordinator
November 2018

2. What does Advocacy Mean?
Advocacy is an activity by an individual or group which aims to influence decisions within political, economic, and social systems and institutions.
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

3. Agenda What it means to be an advocate
How to understand your members’ concerns
How to raise issues within your building and your district
Real world examples

4. What it Means to Be an Advocate
Being an advocate means you speak up on behalf of yourself or others to achieve a certain goal.
Example: You advocate for your child when you speak to a teacher about homework expectations or testing accommodations.
You advocate for all children in NYS when you attend Convention and vote on resolutions, or send a Take Action to your legislator.

5. Representing Members’ Concerns
Step 1: Assess how you’re getting member input
- do you survey them once/year?
- do you ask for input on topics before PTA meetings?
- do you have an agenda item in your meetings where you discuss parent concerns?
Step 2: Once you’ve identified member concerns
- assess who is able to help address those concerns
- gather any information ahead of time that’s available, including PTA positions that might help
- set up time for discussion either directly with administrator or at advertised meeting if required
Step 3: Communicate to your members

6. How to Raise Issues in Building/District
Identify: What is the issue of concern?  Is it one that needs to be addressed at the building or district level? Who is it who can help you with that specific issue?
Research: does PTA have positions on this? Are there laws that address it? Are there policies that address it?
Plan/goal: what do you want to have happen? Do you just want to know what the building/district is doing? Do you want to see a change implemented?

7. Real World Examples Safety concerns after Newtown shooting
Buses lined up in parking lot
Using removal of recess as punishment
District planning to increase classroom sizes due to budget cuts
District cutting arts programs (or languages, or whatever) due to budget cuts
Long term suspensions disproportionate for minority students
School supply costs too high
Schools using PTAs as personal pocket books
Others?

8. Any questions?
Contact Information
Lisa Christoffel
NYS PTA Resolutions Coordinator