Advocacy

Is Your PTA an Outstanding Advocate for Children?
For more than a century, PTA’s members have been a powerful voice for the health and education of children. Your advocacy efforts have ensured that all children continue to have the opportunity to meet their potential in safe and nurturing settings.  In recognition of that hard work, the national PTA organization will present the second annual Outstanding Advocacy Awards at the March 2009 National Legislative Conference.  The 2009 Outstanding Advocacy Award will be presented to a PTA that, through their dedication and leadership, affected child related policy, regulation, or legislation to support PTA’s mission and goals.  Two awards will be presented, one to a state PTA and one to a unit, council, district or region PTA.  The state PTA will receive $1,000 and the unit, council, district or region chosen will receive $500.  The monetary award may be used only to cover direct expenses for PTA work.  In addition, awardees will each receive two all-expense paid* trips to the 2009 National Legislative Conference and be recognized at an awards ceremony on Capitol Hill on March 12.  Criteria and application materials are available at www.pta.org/AdvocacyAward. The deadline for nomination for both awards is December 1, 2009, so nominate your PTA soon!

To learn how you can attend the 2009 National Legislative Conference, visit www.pta.org/LegislativeConference.

PTA Advocate of the Year Award
Do you know an impassioned and compassionate leader, dedicated to moving PTA forward and committed to ensuring that others would follow?  2008 marked the passing of one of PTA’s greatest child advocate leaders, PTA national president (2001-2003) Shirley Igo.  Shirley was a model of public service and volunteerism throughout her life.  To honor Shirley, the national PTA organization will present an annual award to one individual who most exemplifies the qualities that made Shirley a true advocate for all children. The nominee must be a current PTA member and submitted by someone other than the nominee.  The person chosen to receive this award will receive an all-expense paid* trip to the 2009 National Legislative Conference in Washington, DC and be recognized at an award ceremony on Capitol Hill on March 12.  Please visit www.pta.org/AdvocacyAward for details on how you can nominate someone you believe is deserving of this award.  The deadline for nomination is December 1, 2009. 

To learn how you can attend the 2009 National Legislative Conference, visit www.pta.org/LegislativeConference.

Outstanding Advocate of the Year Application Cover Letter

Outstanding Advocate of the Year Local/Region/District/Council

Outstanding Advocate of the Year State

Shirley Igo Advocate of the Year Award

The Legislative Advocay Chairperson is Mary Meacham, please contact Mary if you have questions or would like to be a part of the Alaska PTA Legislative team.

Legislative Advocacy Committee

The Legislative Advocacy Committee is appointed by the President with the recommendation of the Second Vice President for Legislation. Members of this committee must be PTA members but not necessarily members of the Board of Managers. The Legislative Advocacy Committee is responsible for the legislative program, resolutions and other tasks as assigned by the Second Vice President for Legislation.

The Responsibilities of the Committee are as follows:
Legislative Program:

Resolutions:

• Approve resolutions to be submitted to the delegates of the Alaska PTA Convention and prepare for distribution;
• Reject all resolutions that do not meet established criteria;
• Combine two (2) or more resolutions if deemed appropriate by the committee;
• Edit or adapt resolutions if necessary to make them appropriate for convention action;
• Obtain consent of the submitting group for substantive changes
• Inform submitting groups of the disposition of their resolutions and the committee’s rationale for the action;
• Present resolutions with a recommendation to approve or disapprove; resolutions may also be presented without recommendation;
• Distribute in advance and present to the convention body all resolutions that meet the criteria and qualifications established;
• Report to the Board of Managers and the state convention the disposition of the resolutions; and
• Review Alaska PTA resolutions on all non-election years and recommend retirement if deemed appropriate.