Borgman, D. (1986). Education and the PTA. S. Hamilton, MA: Center for Youth Studies.

OVERVIEW

The Parent Teachers’ Association (PTA) is a national organization of local school units with its headquarters located at 700 Rust Street, Chicago, IL 60611, (312) 787-0977.

Parent Teachers’ Organizations (PTOs) are entirely separate local organizations who have disassociated themselves from the national group. This separation is in order to be free from an assessment of a percentage of dues, and to be free from the guidelines and priorities that they may see as irrelevant to the local situation.

The PTA had 12.1 million members at ita peak in 1962. After a 20 year decline, which reached a low in 1982 of 5.29 million members, the National PTA is again growing. Marshall says, "Parents are taking a more active interest in the schools. They know the education of their children is not up to the schools alone." (1986, June 20. USA Today.)

The PTA tries to direct its attention more directly to issues experienced by parents at the grass roots level. "It took us awhile to realize the needs of parents were changing," Marshall said.

New services "geared to today’s parents" deal with such issues as:

• Children’s health and safety.
• Parenting skills.
• The problems of latch-key children.
• AIDS victims in schools.
• Alcohol-related birth defects.
• Single parenting.
• Cult worship, youth suicide and corporal punishment.

IMPLICATIONS

• Parental school involvement is needed for effective education.
• A national liaison from the grass roots with the government, unions, and teachers’ associations is needed.
• Along with the PTA, we must all be aware of the issues of greatest concern to parents today.

Dean Borgman cCYS