Arizona PTA CALL TO ACTION:

Resolutions Deadline;

Proposed Resolutions to be considered by the convention body must be submitted in written form to the Resolutions Sub-Committee in care of the state office post mark or hand delivered by December 15.  

Resolutions Package
Resolutions Proposal Form

Call the AZ PTA Office or your Region Director

To request the video presentation “Birth Right Forever” from the Children’s Land Alliance Supporting Schools on how Trust Lands supports school funding.  You can also call the Arizona State Land Department direct at 602-542-4631 for more information specific to Arizona or to request a presentation.

 Visit their website at; http://www.land.state.az.us/

"To secure adequate laws for the care and protection of children and youth."

The Arizona PTA’s Legislative Platform defines the specific fields of interest, which are within the scope of Arizona PTA’s work for children and youth. The platform becomes part of the legislative action program. The Legislative Platform, adopted by delegates at the Arizona State PTA Convention, determines how action on legislation may be taken by units, councils, regions, and the Arizona PTA. Any Arizona PTA action on legislation must represent the official position of the organization. While local PTA units are encouraged to support this platform, no local unit may actively oppose it after its adoption by the delegates at the Arizona PTA State Convention.

Legislative Platform

• The Arizona PTA supports legislation to assist communities in developing educational and prevention programs and laws to protect children from physical, sexual, emotional and mental abuse, or neglect.
• The Arizona PTA supports standardization of child abuse laws nationwide.
• The Arizona PTA supports the establishment of services and their funding to meet the behavioral health needs of the children.
• The Arizona PTA supports full funding for all state and federally mandated programs.
• The Arizona PTA supports statewide equal opportunity and quality in the education of all children.
• The Arizona PTA supports compulsory education to the 12th grade.
• The Arizona PTA supports local, state and national efforts to fund a viable solution that addresses student dropout and truancy issues.
• The Arizona PTA supports a ban on all radio and television advertising of alcoholic beverages directed towards children and youth.
• The Arizona PTA supports legislation that allocates funding to mandate Licensed Registered Nurses, at the appropriate ratio, in each school district.
• The Arizona PTA supports legislation that would require a comprehensive parent involvement program in every school, that seeks to involve parents at every level of education.
• The Arizona PTA supports Drug-Free and Safe School Zones throughout the state of Arizona. 
• The Arizona PTA supports mandatory HIV/AIDS education in grades K-12. 
• The Arizona PTA supports legislation to abolish the use of the cargo area of light trucks/pickup trucks as a passenger area. 
• The Arizona PTA supports the concept of decentralization of schools when models are used that promote an environment in which all parents are valued as shared decision makers. 
• The Arizona PTA supports full, equal, and adequate funding for all public schools. 
• The Arizona PTA supports Goal 2000 legislation and the appropriate funding that accompanies the legislation.
• The Arizona PTA supports legislation requiring a bicycle helmet be worn by anyone 14 years or under while riding a bicycle. 
• The Arizona PTA supports legislation that prohibits the sale of look alike drug products to children under the age of 18 and requires these products to be put in a location that a buyer would have to request to purchase them. 
• The Arizona  PTA supports teacher preparations and specific training to effectively involve and include parents/families in the education process of their children as a requirement for University/College graduation, accreditation, certification, and re-certification.
• The Arizona PTA encourages local units to work with school districts and schools to implement continuous teacher educational programs for parent/family involvement.
• The Arizona PTA supports restricting the admittance of minor children to R and NC-17 rated films to ensure no one under the age of 17 is allowed to view an NC-17 film or is allowed to view an R rated film without the knowledge of an adult.
• The Arizona PTA opposes tax limitation that would impede the ability to provide adequate services for children and youth. The Arizona PTA opposes tuition tax credits for the education of public and non-public elementary and secondary students.
• The Arizona PTA opposes any educational voucher proposals for public and non-public elementary and secondary school students.
• The Arizona PTA opposes all forms of corporal punishment in any educational setting. 
• The Arizona PTA opposes the assessment of fees that directly impact a student's ability to receive a passing grade for a class.
• The Arizona PTA opposes the assessment of fees that impede a student's ability to participate in extra curricular activities because of income level.
• The Arizona PTA supports Child Access Prevention Laws that would require adults to store UNLOADED guns in a place that is inaccessible to children, and to use a device to lock the gun to further reduce the risk of accident, suicide and homicide.
• The Arizona PTA supports the development and implementation of school district policies that will address sexual misconduct; and encourage the inclusion of annual mandatory training for all employees having direct contact with children.
• The Arizona PTA supports the collaboration with the Arizona Legislature to introduce legislation to develop clearly defined monitoring and follow-up practices for the Arizona Department of Health regarding the notification to parents of the existence of all infectious diseases, infectious illness, and other health concerns in the classrooms that maybe listed in, but not limited to, the maintained list of infectious disease that is provided by the Arizona Department of Health.

Arizona PTA Legislative Platform Priorities 2006-2007 

Education

• Supports initiatives and/or legislation that maintains and/or increases funding for public education.

• Supports adequate funding for education and child-related programs, and opposes policies that restrict the availability of such funding

• Supports the use of public funds for public schools only

• Opposes vouchers or tuition tax credits

• Supports legislation that provides funding to schools for limiting class size in kindergarten through third grade, to 18 or fewer student

• Opposes “high stakes” tests

Health and Safety

• Supports legislation requiring a bike helmet be worn by children

• Supports legislation to abolish the use of the cargo area of pickup trucks as a passenger area

• Supports legislation for education on gun safety, Child Access Prevention Laws and use of a device to lock the gun to further reduce the risk of accident, suicide, and homicide

• Supports adequate funding for child related programs such as violence prevention, after school programs, and child health

• Supports policies and programs that address the prevention, intervention, and elimination of bullying

Parent Involvement

• Supports initiatives and/ or legislation that include parent involvement language in education, and other child-related legislation and regulations.

Adopted; May 6, 2006