Reply to APS Fall boundary questionnaire

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]This is what the Jamestown Elementary School PTA in North Arlington claims to do with their funds based on their website. I think alot of the key is to the afterschool enrichment programs.

Funds the schoolʼs technology needs including laptops, ipads, and other hand-held learning devices
Supplements the teacher training budget by funding professional development for teachers
Provides direct contributions to the teachers for the purchase of extra materials for classrooms and other areas of the school
Enhances the children’s arts education through Artists-in-Residence Programs, whereby artists are brought in and work with the students on a permanent art project
Enhances the childrenʼs music education through funding many musical performances throughout the year
Enhances the childrenʼs reading education through funding the Author-in-Residence Programs, whereby many authors come and read their books to the students
Funds the ever-popular school play
Coordinates the popular After School Enrichment programs and Reflections Contest
Hosts many social events throughout the year to build a stronger community such as the Ice Cream Social, Jamestown Auction, and Spring Fair[/quote]

There is a huge problem with the first 2 things on that list.  PTAs are NOT supposed to be purchasing technology and they are NOT permitted to pay for teacher training.  This has been repeatedly clarified with APS, the Virginia PTA, and CCPTA.  A school's technology needs are to be funded by the school system.  PTAs are to provide support and community building (aka all the other things on that list).  The primary purpose of a PTA is NOT fundraising - it is community building.  The Jamestown PTA should cease those first two activities immediately.[/quote]

Why? So for both those items, it is a concern if a PTA is buying tech that is not compatible, causes integration issues, requires APS to spend more on supporting, etc. As for training, again the training needs to be compatible with APS curriculum, not conflicting/controversial/etc and also not impact teacher's obligations or working hours that conflict with teacher contracts. Now all of those are potential reasons to not allow funding. Also, there should be a minimum level for all schools (e.g. can't have some schools not have sufficient tech/training). Now with all that being said, if PTAs have funding and can avoid the mentioned concerns, then why not let them. I wish our PTA (I'm not Jamestown) would allow MORE fundraising.[/quote]

Because it's against the rules established by the National PTA. If you need more reason than that:  Because a PTA can risk its non-profit status if it breaks the rules.  If you still need more reason: because it's not right from an equity standpoint.

I will clarify the teacher training expenditure - theoretically, it is allowable IF the training benefits all of the students and is not just for the teacher or for a select group of students.  That can usually be rationalized in some manner; but the benefit is often actually more dubious from that standpoint.

If you're itchin' so much to donate or raise more money, perhaps you could do so for the PTAs that don't have much fundraising power and help them do the (legal and allowable) things for their schools that Jamestown's PTA is doing for theirs.[/quote]

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