What is “Advocacy”?
Whether PTA members realize it, they have indicated their commitment to advocacy by joining the PTA so that together we share one voice that speaks on behalf of children. PTA members are dedicated parents/adults and teachers in a school, council, state, or National PTA who serve as advocates by participating in PTA and school work groups, and, for instance, PTA committees and school improvement teams.

Advocacy is defined as the act of mobilizing individuals to spark changes in programs and policies at the local, state, and national levels that benefit children. Much of what a local PTA is does to improve laws, policies, and conditions in the school and surrounding community falls under this category.

Some examples of this that might sound familiar to you are:

• Participating in parent-teacher conferences
• Joining the PTA
• Learning about testing and curriculum in the school to support your child
• Working on PTA and school committees
• Setting up a telephone tree to keep parents informed about what’s going on at school
• Discussing education and other child-related issues at meetings with other parents
• Reaching out to those parents who do not usually participate in PTA
• Providing testimony at the state legislature on regulations, policies, and laws

Many public policy changes begin at the local unit level where PTA members have the ability to influence and recruit parents, the community, and decision makers to continue demanding positive change.Parent involvement is an important element of advocacy.

Can PTA support a candidate for school board or other elected office?
No. This is absolutely prohibited by the Internal Revenue Service.Local PTA units may not intervene or participate, either directly or indirectly, in any campaign for any candidate for public office. To maintain its tax-exempt status, PTAs must be very aware of this rule.

Can local PTA units sponsor a candidates forum?
Yes, provided the intent is to provide a venue for information sharing whereby all candidates for a particular office are invited to speak to the public, or the membership, about their qualifications for election to hold office. It is essential that all candidates be invited in order to avoid the appearance of partisanship or discrimination.

Can a PTA officer run for an elected office?
Yes, a PTA officer may run for an elected office provided that person clearly separates both roles (PTA officer from candidate; candidate from PTA officer) and wears only one hat at a time. A candidate should never use his or her PTA affiliation to further the campaign efforts.

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