Texas PTA's Outstanding Program Engagement Award

PTA’s mission is to make every child’s potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children.

The Texas PTA Outstanding Program Engagement Award recognizes Local PTAs that provide a variety of quality programs throughout the school year, fostering family engagement, student growth, and strong school community partnerships. This award celebrates PTAs that go beyond a single initiative. They are offering multiple opportunities for families to connect, advocate, learn, and thrive together.

Every Local and Council PTA that has offered a minimum of 3 programs during the current school year will receive a digital badge. One Local and Council PTA will be selected as the Outstanding Program Engagement Award winners and will be recognized at LAUNCH.

This award application will be open from March 1 through May 15th.

How to Apply

Throughout the application, please be prepared to provide the following information.

• Your PTA and school information, including your PTA’s Texas PTA ID number
• A summary of all programs conducted this school year, including dates
• Indicate whether the program content originated from Texas PTA, National PTA, locally created, or from another source
• Describe one program that had the greatest impact and why
• Share examples of your impact

• Copies of your marketing initiative and pictures from your event
• Data points (attendance, survey results, etc.)
• Quotes or short stories from families or students

Tips for a Strong Application

• Be specific - Describe programs clearly and demonstrate your PTA’s understanding of your community’s unique needs. PTAs should include a variety of programming each year. Some examples could include Texas PTA’s Connect programs, Healthy Lifestyles, National PTA’s Reflections program, Environmental, or locally curated content tailored to meet the needs of your community.
• Tell your story - Include short anecdotes or quotes that illustrate your PTA’s impact and highlight any collaboration with students, families, teachers, and administrators.
• Use numbers - Attendance, survey percentages, volunteer growth, and describe how your programs reflect diverse voices and perspectives.
• Show growth - Even if your PTA is not yet in the "Transforming" level for all categories, highlight progress.
• Provide clear explanations of how and why your PTA made programming decisions.

Scoring

Judges determine levels by total rubric points. PTAs with the strongest evidence of a variety of programs and their source, family and community engagement, as well as program quality and impactfulness, will score the highest.

• Digital Badge
  • Every PTA that offered a minimum of 3 programs that school year
• Bronze
  • PTA implements 3 programs that provide opportunities for family involvement and student growth.  Programs demonstrate effort toward community connection.
• Silver
  • PTA implements 4-5 programs from at least two different sources. Programs reflect engagement and show evidence of planning and community participation.
• Gold
  • PTA implements 6 or more programs representing a strong mix of programming.  Programs are well–planned and demonstrate clear, positive impact on families, membership, students, and the school community.
• Outstanding Texas PTA Family & Student Engagement Impact Awardees
  • One Outstanding Local PTA
  • One Outstanding Council PTA

Questions?

Texas PTA is here to support you. If your PTA has questions about the award or the application process, reach out to the Programs team at programs@txpta.org.

Interested in Growing Your School's Impact?

PTA is committed to growing family engagement initiatives and offers the School of Excellence recognition program. Over 40 years of research show that increased family engagement is linked to school improvement and student achievement. By enrolling in this program, your PTA and school administrators are making a year-long commitment in identifying and implementing an action plan for school improvement based on PTA's National Standards for Family-School Partnerships.

Additional Opportunities:

The Phoebe Apperson Hearst Awards for innovation in family engagement, named after National PTA co-founder Phoebe Apperson Hearst, recognize and celebrate achievement in building effective family-school partnerships. The awards are presented to PTAs that have earned top rank with their National PTA School of Excellence designation by demonstrating outstanding achievement, engaging families in student success, and school improvement. Local PTAs are encouraged to enroll in and complete the National PTA School of Excellence program to be considered for the Hearst Awards.