The PTA and Ballot Measures
What PTAs May and May Not Do Around Elections

Hosting a Candidates Forum

Questions for Hosting a Candidated Forum

Planning Election Activities

2012 PTA Election Guide  - Learn how your PTA can participate in the upcomng elections, identify upcoming elections, locate your poling place, and register to vote.

If every American child had access to clear, consistent K-12 academic standards?

If, no matter where you lived, or what your economic status was, or how many times you moved during your child’s school years, he or she had access to the same educational standards as his or her peers in a different school? 

If parents knew what to expect and teachers knew what to teach?

Learn More about Common Core State Standards

Ohio PTA Position Statement Charter Schools

      
Charter/Community Schools must:

•   Be open to all students

•   Abide by all federal and state laws which protect the health and safety of children, prohibit discrimination, and comply with the Freedom of  Information and Open Meetings Acts and Americans With Disabilities Act

• Comply with federal and state laws governing public schools which require fiscal responsibility and accountability

•  Comply with federal and state laws governing public schools regarding student assessment and reporting the resulting data

•  Be accountable to the school boards in their local school districts; those with no location (Internet/electronic schools) should be accountable to the state school board

•  Ensure that professional faculty and staff are highly qualified as defined by No Child Left Behind Act, 2002, for the positions they hold and receive ongoing education throughout their employment

•  Involve parents or guardians in meaningful ways including: decision making, communication, volunteering and collaborating

•  Have a mechanism for independent evaluation to determine if they are providing students with an education at least comparable to the public schools in their area Routinely evaluate their mission and monitor the progress of fulfilling their specific mission of innovation as stated in their contract

Charter/Community Schools must not:

• Be sponsored or operated by for-profit organizations, nor be affiliated with a non-public sectarian or religious school

• Divert money from public schools

• Charge tuition or fees not charged by public schools

Ohio PTA Board of Directors Position Statement on Criminal Background Checks for Volunteers

The Ohio PTA Board of Directors recognizes the importance of safety for children when working with volunteers and therefore has the following position on criminal background checks for volunteers: (Adopted by the Board of Directors at the 7.29.00 Special Meeting)

• Criminal background checks on volunteers are one method of obtaining information about a record that may exist on an individual that could affect the safety of children.

• Volunteers that represent PTA or PTA programs and work directly with children are encouraged to work within a supervised environment.

• The method of submitting to a background check should be in place in each community and be readily accessible.

• The Ohio PTA will provide its members with information regarding current legislation addressing criminal background checks but will not assume liability for individual volunteers’ legal responsibilities.

• The financial responsibility for administering any background check should not negatively impact the volunteer organization or the volunteer activity. 

• Confidentiality of all volunteers’ personal information must be protected.

• Criminal record checks should be valid for a minimum of one year.

• The state of Ohio should further develop technology that allows the sharing of criminal background information between counties within the state of Ohio and between all states nationally.

Ohio Core Resolution

Whereas, Ohioans are being challenged to compete in our global economy for advanced manufacturing, healthcare and technology jobs. More than two-thirds of new jobs require some type of post secondary education; and

Whereas, research supports that students who complete a rigorous high school curriculum will earn an average of 13% more than peers, are more likely to earn a college degree and currently only 24% of Ohio’s students complete a rigorous curriculum which has been proposed by Governor Taft, and

Whereas, eight states have moved to implement a rigorous curriculum between 2008 and 2012 and an additional 11 states are considering such action, and

Whereas, the Ohio Core will require four years of math, three years of lab based sciences, two years of foreign language, four years of English, three years of social studies, one half unit of health and physical education and three elective units, including least one unit or two half units chosen from among the areas of business/technology and fine arts, and

Whereas, the Ohio Core will also focus remedial and developmental education on Ohio’s two year college campus, be a requirement to admission to public aided four year colleges and require students to take a college and work ready assessment; and be it

RESOLVED THAT, the Ohio PTA Board of Directors support the concept of challenging our students to be successful through completing a rigorous curriculum, and be it

Resolved that Ohio’s school districts need to have the resources to provide such a curriculum through qualified teachers in the areas of math and science, adequate classroom physical space and supplies which do not exist and be it

Resolved that access for remediation and developmental education will be universal throughout the state, not just at two year community colleges which are located in select areas of our state and be it

Resolved our PTAs through its units and councils will advocate to our decision makers to provide our school districts the resources to prepare our students for the challenges ahead to meet these expectations.

Adopted by the Ohio PTA Board of Directors on May 20, 2006

PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT for EDUCATORS

2008

Ohio PTA Board of Directors support the belief that educators serve as positive role models to students and their families. As a result they are responsible for preserving the dignity and integrity of the teaching profession according to the highest ethical standards. This includes devoting themselves to providing a safe and nurturing environment in which all students can learn, free from harassment or intimidation.

Educators in Ohio strive for excellence through high expectations that they hold for themselves and their students in alignment with the Standards for Ohio Educators and the Ohio Academic Content Standards for Students.

Ohio PTA Board of Directors support and promotes the Licensure Code of Professional Conduct for Ohio Educators.

Ohio PTA Board of Directors opposes any educator engaging in criminal activity (including the use of alcohol on school property or illegal drugs) as evidenced by a criminal conviction, guilty plea, finding of guilt, or participation in a court-ordered diversion or treatment in lieu of conviction program. Educators shall accurately report any criminal activity to the local board of education or governing board, superintendent/designee, state education agency, federal agency

or state or federal law.

Ohio PTA Board of Directors recognizes that educators are entrusted with public funds and school property in the course of performing job duties and must maintain a high level of honesty, accuracy and accountability to ensure that privileges are not used for personal gain.

Ohio PTA Board of Directors support educators making decisions that are not based on bias or prejudice regarding students or families, influenced by socioeconomic status of families or gifts given by families or businesses.

Ohio PTA Board of Directors support discipline at both the state and local level be imposed on educators who violate one or more of the principals of the Licensure Code of Professional Conduct for Ohio Educators and set forth by the State Board of Education. Discipline imposed must follow all local contractual provisions, including but not limited to due process, progressive discipline and just cause. This discipline may include the authority to suspend, limit, revoke

or deny licenses; or issue a letter of admonishment.

WHERE OHIO PTA STANDS -

This is a Resource Guide to Ohio PTA legislative activities.   If you want further information, please contact the
Ohio PTA office for a copy of the resolution.

RESOLUTIONS HANDBOOK -

A Resource Guide for Ohio PTAs to write resolutions for consideration at the Ohio PTA Annual Convention. 

Sequestration in Ohio

The impact of federal budget cuts is expected to be about 8-10% overall for Ohio. According to a report by Sen. Tom Harkin, Chairman, Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies, states and local communities would lose $2.7 billion in Federal funding for just three critical education programs alone – Title I, special education State grants, and Head Start – that serve a combined 30.7 million children. Nationwide, these cuts would force 46,349 employees to either lose their jobs or rely on cash-strapped States and localities to pick up their salaries instead. In Ohio, 752 Head Start jobs would be lost, 3, 608 fewer children would be served, and $22.4 million would be cut from the federal allocation.