THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, February 17, 1997 TAG: 9702150020
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A18 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: 47 lines
Parent Teacher Associations. There are no more worthwhile organizations to belong to, yet there is nothing exclusive about the membership requirements.
For a nominal fee anyone can join the local PTA: parents, guardians, grandparents, aunts, uncles and anyone else who supports public education.
But signing up with your local PTA is a sure sign of one thing: You care about your school.
Today the National Parent Teacher Association celebrates 100 years of working for better public schools. Membership in PTAs is estimated at 6.5 million, representing 26,000 schools in all 50 states.
That sounds impressive, but a 1991 survey commissioned by the Chrysler Corporation and the National PTA estimated that only 43 percent of parents were members of a parent group at their child's school. That is a national shame.
During their century of tireless service, PTA members have lobbied successfully for child-labor laws, compulsory education requirements, a national public health service, educational opportunities for children with special needs and the establishment of a juvenile-justice system.
The 1991 nationwide survey asked a cross-section of parents with children enrolled in grades K-12, about their attitudes and involvement in public education. Not surprisingly, respondents who were PTA members were more likely than non-members to actually visit their children's school frequently, to volunteer their time in local schools and to spend more time than non-members helping their children with homework.
Additionally, the more educated the parent, the more likely they were to belong to the local PTA.
Educators have known for many years that there is a positive correlation between the interest parents show in their child's education and that child's academic achievement.
PTAs have an admirable record of getting parents involved in schools and speaking out on behalf of children. Advances in education during the past century have been nothing short of stupendous - particularly in opportunities for children needing special help. This is due in no small part to PTA efforts.
PTA members should be congratulated on their first 100 years. Parents of school-age children should join their PTA and help schools face the challenges of the next 100 years.