PTA Action Alert

[Elizabeth Pendleton]

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

URGE YOUR REPRESENTATIVES TO SAFEGUARD PARENTAL INFORMATION AND RESOURCE CENTER FUNDING As Congress negotiates a full-year Continuing Resolution (CR) to fund government operations through the remainder of Fiscal Year 2011, Parental Information and Resource Center (PIRC) program funding remains extremely vulnerable. We must remind Congress that schools, students, and parents around the country are depending on this program and ask that they safeguard funding in the FY2011 CR.   There is at least one PIRC in every state and territory. This proposed program elimination affects all PTAs and all parents. Without inclusion of PIRC funding in the FY2011 CR, the sole funding stream for family engagement would disappear.  We must tell Congress that continued program funding is not a luxury, but a necessity: when parents are engaged in education, our nation’s students reap the benefits.   Urge your Representative to join Congressmen Platts (R-PA) and Grijalva (D-AZ) in calling on Congress to save PIRC funding in the FY2011 CR!!   De-funding of PIRCs negatively impacts PTAs, schools and parents.   Why PIRCs matter:   ·         -They provide schools and districts with tools to effectively partner with parents. ·         -They empower parents to advocate for their children and school reform. ·         -They provide training and professional development on effective family engagement to districts and school staff. ·         -They collaborate with state PTAs to engage all public school parents in their children's education. ·         -They train family engagement coordinators in schools. ·         -They convene parent leadership academies to equip parents with skills needed to help their children to succeed.   Annually, PIRCs served more than 16.4 million parents by connecting them to their schools to improve the education of their children. Parents need PIRCs. You can help! Please urge your Representative to include PIRC funding in the FY2011 Continuing Resolution. Take action here: http://www.capwiz.com/npta2/issues/alert/?alertid=36778501&type=CO European PTA members, take action here: http://www.capwiz.com/npta2/issues/alert/?alertid=37033511&type=CO