Every year, California public schools welcome hundreds of thousands of new students and their families into school communities across the state, from rural towns to urban neighborhoods. Last year, transitional kindergarten and kindergarten alone accounted for almost 10% of the state’s total public school enrollment. Approximately 569,000 families entered the public school system last year, either with a new student or as a new family to public education. This annual influx presents California State PTA with a tremendous opportunity to grow and diversify our membership. It also raises a significant question at the start of each new school year: How can California State PTA welcome families into PTA?
Welcoming all families is the first standard in best practices for establishing long-term family-school partnerships. For over 125 years, California State PTA has served as a trusted leader in advancing meaningful family engagement. Our exclusive School Smarts program comprehensively addresses all standards for family-school partnerships and introduces the power of belonging through PTA. This evidence-based curriculum for TK-12 parents and caregivers features an interactive train-the-trainer model. Offered in person, hybrid, or virtual formats, the program can be implemented at individual school sites or district-wide to bridge the gap in family engagement at the local level. It is customizable to each school community’s needs and is available in six languages. Over seven sessions, the program introduces core organizational focus areas and empowers families to navigate the public education system, build community, and help children and schools succeed.
Why does family engagement matter?
Research consistently shows that authentic family engagement is the strongest predictor of improved student outcomes and school climate, particularly for low-income, non-English-speaking, and other at-risk groups. School Smarts parent/caregiver graduates report being better equipped to actively support, encourage, monitor, and advocate for their children. Empowered with confidence, and information, graduates routinely serve on influential decision-making bodies including PTA, and school or district committees, such as School Site Council (SSC), English Learner Advisory Committee (ELAC), or Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP). Ultimately, School Smarts builds a robust PTA leadership pipeline, bringing diverse, vital voices to the table in support of California State PTA’s mission.
How can we bring this program to our school?
Family engagement is a necessary year-round investment to meet families where they are and integrate them into our school communities. The California Department of Education recognizes family engagement as a funding priority for school districts through the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP). School Smarts helps districts meet this priority by providing an evidence-based family engagement program that delivers measurable results.
Most School Smarts academies have been funded through the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP Priority 3), and Title I (Part A) funds. Districts may also leverage School Site Council and PTA funds to support implementation. Talk with your school or district administrators about these funding opportunities to bring School Smarts to your community this school year. Together, we can strengthen family engagement, build local capacity, and expand California State PTA’s statewide influence.
Visit capta.org/school-smarts to learn more about the program. Ready to bring School Smarts to your campus? Contact our team today at programsupport@capta.org to get started.