TEXAS PTA
Legislative Positions
I. Education
A.09. School Nurses. PTA supports requiring a full-time registered nurse for every school or cooperative of schools with 1,000 or more students.
B.09. School Counselors. PTA supports requiring a full-time counselor for every school or cooperative of schools with 500 or more students.
C.09. Enrichment TEKS. Texas PTA supports requiring that the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) be taught in the enrichment curriculum to ensure that all children have access to a
well-balanced curriculum.
D.09. Site Based Decision Making Reps. Texas PTA supports requiring parent representatives on the campus and district-wide site based decision making committees be selected by parents.
E.09.High School Degree Plan Options. Texas PTA supports high school diploma degree plan choices that recognize individual students’ natural talents, interests and abilities and prepares all students for a variety of careers and continuing education.
F.09. Inclusion of courses to meet GPA calculations. Texas PTA supports the inclusion of courses needed to meet minimum graduation requirements in Grade Point Average (GPA) calculations.
G.09. GPA calculations for advanced level academic courses. Texas PTA supports extra weight in Grade Point Average (GPA) calculations for advanced level academic courses.
H.08. Dyslexia. PTA supports allowing modifications and/or accommodations on the TAAS Test for students with dyslexia and/or related disorders as set forth by the individual student’s ARD or“504” committee. Such students may be exempt from the TAAS Test until such time that a TAAS Test for dyslexic and related disorders students is developed and field tested.
I.08. Programs for At-Risk Students. PTA supports extended programs for children at risk.
J.06. Mandatory Recess in Our Elementary Schools. PTA supports mandatory recess in elementary schools.
K.06. Alternative Educational Programs. Texas PTA supports the establishment of standards for the educational programs in alternative education settings.
L.06. Dropouts. PTA supports identification and tracking of dropouts at all grade levels.
M.05. Reduced Class Sizes. PTA supports legislation which addresses class size in core subjects for grades 5 through 12 and supports state funding for the costs associated with legislative limitation on class size.
N.05. School Boards and Personnel. PTA opposes mandatory bilateral decision making between school boards and personnel.
O.05. Non-Public School Guidelines. PTA supports requiring non-public schools to meet guidelines that would ensure a quality education for all children.
II. Health, Welfare and Safety
A.08. Expansion of Sales Tax Holiday. Texas PTA supports expanding the list of items eligible for sales tax free purchase during the sales tax holiday weekend to include school supplies.
B.08. Teen Drivers and Wireless Communication Devices. Texas PTA supports legislation that further restricts the use of wireless communication devices, including cellular phones, by youth under the age of 18 while operating a motor vehicle.
C.08. Gun Safety. PTA supports legislation on gun safety and gun safety education.
D08. TB Testing. PTA supports TB testing of children and school personnel.
E.08. Suicide Prevention. PTA supports in-service training for school personnel regarding suicide prevention.
F.08. Random Drug Testing of School Employees. PTA supports legislation that would allow districts to conduct random drug testing of employees.
G.08. Leave for School Involvement. PTA supports legislation prohibiting discrimination by an employer for allowing an employee to use prearranged vacation time or personal leave to
participate in a school activity of the employee’s child.
H.06. Parental Rights Concerning Committing Youth to Mental/ Behavioral Health Care Facilities. Texas PTA supports the retention of parental rights regarding mental/behavior health care decisions pertaining to their children, including commitment to mental/behavioral health care facilities, until the child reaches the age of eighteen.
I.06. Substance Abuse Treatment Facilities. PTA supports increasing the availability of substance abuse treatment facilities.
J.05. CHIP/CPS Funding. PTA supports full funding of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and the Child Protective Services (CPS) in order to protect children and their health.
K.05. Expanded Newborn Screening. PTA supports expanding the screening of all newborns for physical and/or mental disorders that may not be readily apparent to facilitate early detection and treatment.
L.05. Safe Campuses. PTA supports safe campuses and other school district facilities.
M.05. School Staff Trained in CPR. PTA supports requiring the presence of at least one adult staff person trained in CPR and first aid at each school building during school hours.
N.05. Alcohol, Drugs and Tobacco. PTA supports strengthening the laws dealing with the use or abuse of alcohol, drugs and tobacco.
O.05. Smoking. PTA supports restriction of smoking in public places.
P.05. Forfeiture and Seizure Proceeds. PTA supports dedicating a portion of forfeiture and seizure proceeds to substance abuse prevention and education.
Q.05. Child Abuse Laws. PTA supports strengthening child abuse laws and case worker funding.
R.05. Laws Governing Day Care Centers. PTA supports strengthening laws governing day-care centers and increasing their availability.
S.09. Door-to-Door Sales. PTA supports banning door-to-door sales by children 17 and under without parental accompaniment.
T.09. Sexually Oriented Businesses. Texas PTA supports regulations and/or legislation to ensure that sexually oriented businesses cannot locate within 1,000 feet of a residential area,
school, religious facility, library, recreational facility, public park, or school activity center.
U.09. State Matching Funds. Texas PTA supports appropriation or designation of state funds at any time to secure the maximum federal dollars available for children’s programs in Texas.
V.09. Tobacco Settlement Money. Texas PTA supports directing tobacco settlement money to programs that benefit children.
III. School Finance
A.09. Priority Funding. PTA supports making primary and secondary public education the number one priority in the state budget appropriation process.
B.09. Proration. PTA supports eliminating the state’s ability to prorate available monies to school districts.
C.08. Staff Development. PTA supports increased funding for professional staff development in public schools.
D.08. Tax Abatements. PTA supports legislation that prohibits school tax abatements and provides alternatives to attract businesses.
E.08. Tax Abatements. PTA supports legislation to ensure that tax abatements and exemptions are not imposed on school districts without public participation as well as concurrence.
F.08. Dyslexia. PTA supports state funding for student needs related to dyslexia and related disorders.
G.08. Equity. PTA supports increased state spending to achieve financial equity without leveling down.
H.07. Local Control. PTA supports local control for school districts.
I.06. Permanent School Fund. Texas PTA supports retaining the principal in the Permanent School Fund and using the proceeds from that fund for public education only.
J.06. Mandated Programs. PTA supports state funding for state-mandated educational programs.
K.06. School Facilities. PTA supports state funding assistance for school facilities.
L.06. Early Grades. PTA supports priority funding for the early grades.
M.06. School Personnel. PTA supports increased funding for school personnel.
N.06. Performance Based Funding. PTA opposes performance-based funding.
O.05. State’s Share of Funding. PTA supports increasing the state’s share of funding to the local school districts.
P.05. Revenue Enhancement. PTA supports any type of revenue enhancement that would continue or increase funding for public education.
Q.05. Funding for Specific Areas. PTA supports continued state funding of pre-K, kindergarten, bilingual education, vocational education, compensatory education, gifted and talented, special
handicapped needs, textbooks, education service centers, libraries and community education.
R.05. TRS. PTA supports cost-of-living increases for retirees and increases in the state’s contributions to the Teacher Retirement System.
Texas PTA Legislative Position Adoption Process
Formulating the state PTA legislative positions begins with recommendations from Local, Council or Area PTAs; Texas PTA Board; or from interim statewide study committees.
Recommendations are presented to the PTA Legislative Committee which is appointed by the state president. The Legislative Committee prepares a "proposed position" and presents it to the
board of directors. Positions approved by the board are mailed to all local PTA units 90 days before the annual statewide convention, at which time the convention body debates and adopts
the final official position of the Texas PTA. Each position automatically stays in effect for five years after adoption.
NOTE: By virtue of the Texas PTA affiliation with National PTA, the Texas PTA supports legislation introduced addressing the National PTA legislative directives, policies and specific
items.
Texas PTA is a noncommercial, nonsectarian-nonpartisan organization that promotes the welfareof children and youth. Texas PTA does not endorse any candidate or political party.