Part of the National PTA’s threefold mission is to speak on behalf of all children and youth before governmental bodies and other organizations. For over 100 years, PTA volunteers have used their time, energy, experience and knowledge to bring about changes in laws, policies and programs for the benefit of children.
On March 19, Cobb voters will be asked to vote to extend the one cent sales tax (SPLOST-Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax) to supports capital improvement projects for schools throughout the county. The current one-cent SPLOST tax expires on 12/31/2013. Please take the time to become educated about what the renewal of the SPLOST will do for schools in our area and correspondingly, our community.
Below are links to two informational write-ups regarding the upcoming Education SPLOST referendum. The first link provides an overview of the SPLOST initiative, and the second details what the schools in the Walton cluster will receive (which includes a full rebuild of Walton). In addition, a link to the Education SPLOST website is provided.
What happens at Cobb schools has a direct impact on your child(ren)’s education and an indirect impact on our community and home values. Please become an informed voter. Voting is scheduled for March 19 with early voting beginning on February 25 through March 15.
Walton Cluster List of Projects
To learn more about PTA’s deep tradition of advocacy, read the history of those efforts and the courageous women who spoke on behalf of children. Universal kindergarten, child labor laws, hot lunches, immunizations and standards for family engagement are just a few of the issues that PTA advocates have supported. National PTA has just issued its 2013 Public Policy Agenda which emphasizes family engagement, school safety, and Our current focus is demonstrated in the legislative priorities seen here:
Georgia PTA Legislative Priorities 2012-13
Support Student Achievement:
- Support multiple criteria be used to determine promotion and retention and not rely on the results of a single test.
- Support efforts to increase the graduation rate in Georgia.
- Support funding for all students who need help beyond the school day to meet grade level and high stakes test expectations.
Support Family Engagement:
- Support multiple opportunities for parent/caregiver involvement in decisions regarding school policies and curriculum.
Support Adequate Funding for Education:
- Support public K-12 schools with adequate state funding, reflective of the actual costs of providing the state-defined services.
- Support equitable distribution of state funding to K-12 schools.
- Support public funding for K-12 education in public schools exclusively.
- Oppose any efforts to use public funds for private schools.
Support Local Control/Local Decision Making:
- Support the right of local Boards of Education to manage and control local public schools.
Support Health and Safety:
- Support efforts to reduce bullying.
- Support efforts to reduce childhood obesity and to promote healthier children through physical education and nutrition programs in regular school programs.
- Support updating the Juvenile Justice Code to better meet the needs of children.
Be an advocate for every child!
Adopted: October 20, 2012
