News

NY Appleseed and Fordham Law School host Two Decades of NYC High School Admissions: Effects, Equity, and Experiences - Nov. 18
October 31, 2024

New York Appleseed is cohosting a day-long conference with Fordham Law School on November 18th at Fordham Law School titled “Two Decades of NYC High School Admissions: Effects, Equity, and Experiences” where we will commemorate the twentieth anniversary of New York City’s high school centralized admissions process.

The conference will examine New York City’s high school admissions process, the various original policy rationales for its adoption, and what current scholarship and research show concerning its impact on students, families, and schools. The conference will also explore seat assignment systems and decision-making, as well as the effect of the pandemic on how school systems, including New York City, changed admissions for selective schools—and how some of these changes have been rolled back. Finally, the conference will also delve into the public conversation around high school admissions and ask how students, families, and educators would like to make the process more responsive to their goals and needs as well as more democratic.

The link to sign up for the event can be found here. Please note that the registration fee is waived for New York City public school students, parents and guardians as well as for college and graduate students. Please also share with your larger networks!

PTAlink Webinar: Getting Together - Community Building for PA/PTAs - Dec 12
October 31, 2024

Join us Thursday, December 12 at 7pm for another great discussion! At this webinar, PTAlink and parent leaders will share best practices to foster community and inclusivity, as well as, develop institutional capacity and sustainability. Please register for the zoom link in advance. Interpretation must be requested prior to November 26. Please use this form to request interpretation in Spanish or Mandarin.

Check out PTAlink's Fall Webinar! Back to School, Back to PA/PTA Basics
October 15, 2024

In this webinar, PTAlink is joined by FLC Ed Castro and parent leaders, Katrina Long, Camille Casaretti, and Kim Washington, who share executive board member roles and responsibilities, best practices and wisdom.

Check out PTAlink's September Newletter
September 17, 2024

September is a busy time for everyone. PTAlink's Newsletter is here to keep you up to date. PTAlink continues to survey parent leaders and host a webinar on roles and responsibilities for executive boards. Don't miss our Resource Guide to Expedited Elections. And every month we post a featured question. This month's question comes from a PA/PTA seeking language accommodations for non-English speaking families.

Please Subscribe to PTAlink's Newsletter
September 12, 2024

Sign up for PTALink’s Newsletter to keep up with our presentations around the city. We are available to answer your questions and share on all things PA/PTA. Email us at [email protected] and for more resources visit our website PTAlink.org

Take PTAlink's Voices of NYC PA/PTAs Survey
September 12, 2024

PTALink strives to make sure our platform and all our resources remain relevant. If you haven’t already, please consider spending few minutes taking our Voices of NYC PA/PTAs Survey. https://forms.gle/xJBphCNoQ57kNbHn8

Kick Off the New School Year with a PTAlink Webinar! Back to School, Back to PA/PTA Basics
September 12, 2024

Kick off the school year with a PTAlink webinar on Thursday, September 26 at 7pm. PTAlink will present on roles and responsibilities for PA/PTA officers. You will hear from current and former parent leaders and have an opportunity ask questions. Set your PA/PTA up for success by registering here for the Zoom Link.

TAKE ACTION TO SUSTAIN EDUCATION PROGRAMS FUNDED WITH EXPIRING FEDERAL COVID-RELIEF
February 20, 2024

In 2024, education advocates and organizations are rallying to protect programs that had been funded with expiring federal Covid-Relief Funds. Over the last few years, the NYC Department of Education has been using $7 billion in temporary federal COVID-19 relief funds for important programs, such as 3-K, preschool special education, 450 school social workers, community schools, school nurses, restorative justice, 60 school psychologists, 75 coordinators working in homeless shelters, bilingual staff, translation and interpretation, dyslexia and literacy initiatives, and more. But the federal funds will run out in June 2024, and there is not yet a plan for what comes next.

PA/PTA members are important stakeholders in the fight for resource equity as PA/PTAs have valuable first-hand knowledge about these vital programs and how they impact students, classrooms and schools. PA/PTAs and Presidents’ Councils can be important voices in protecting these services from disappearing.

PA/PTAs and Presidents’ Councils Take Action!

  • Educate yourself and your school community on upcoming budget concerns. Use the Call to Action to learn more. Spread the word through flyers already co-created by the Emergency Coalition to Save Education Programs. The flyers are in our Google Drive “Materials for Fairs” folder here.
  • Join the Call to Action yourself! Join other individuals and organizations calling upon elected leaders to develop a plan to continue these essential programs. Sign the form at bit.ly/NYCCTA.
  • Advocate to State Electeds. Share the opportunity for parents to advocate at the state level by emailing their state legislators and other key decision-makers to make sure the final state budget has a substantial increase in funding for our schools to save important education programs.
  • Get more involved by letting organizers know your interest through the online sign-on form: bit.ly/SignCTA

Changes to Chancellor's Regulation A-660
May 5, 2022

On November 17, 2021, the Panel for Educational Policy approved amending CR A-660 to include, among other changes, allowing virtual meetings, virtual voting, and online banking. PA/PTAs now may include 3K and Pre-K parents. See the newly published regulation for all the changes.

Fundraising for a New School Buidling
March 18, 2022

The Urban Assembly New York Harbor School had a big need: they wanted a whole new building. They knew it would take a lot of dedication, a lot of planning, and a lot of skill-building. Read about how PTA leaders made it happen.

DOE's Virtual Guidance for PA/PTAs
January 12, 2022

The Office of Family & Community Empowerment's (FACE) step-by-step guidance on running a PA/PTA in a virtual environment.

NYSED Health and Safety Guide 2021-22 School Year
October 6, 2021

Health and Safety Guide for the 2021-2022 School Year New York State Education Department.

DOE's Parent University
March 10, 2021

The Office of Family & Community Empowerment (FACE) created Parent University to support parent education. It offers online courses and resources.

DOE's Guidelines for PA/PTAs & Presidents' Councils: "Functioning in the Virtual Environment"
June 9, 2020

The Office of Family & Community Empowerment (FACE) has issued guidelines for PA/PTAs and Presidents' Councils to functions online.

Message about Black Lives Matter
June 7, 2020

PTAlink joins in the call for meaningful steps to dismantle structural racism and stands in solidarity with the Black LIves Matter movement.

PA/PTA Resources-Sharing During Covid-19
June 2, 2020

Read how District 15 PTA leaders worked together to support families in need.

How NYC PA/PTAs Have Spent Their Funds
December 13, 2019

The New York City Independent Budget Office recently released a report titled “How did the city’s public schools use their nearly $13 million in Parent-Teacher Association Grants in school year 2017-2018?." Read the Staten Island Advance's piece.

Thinking about creating a PA/PTA Facebook group?
December 13, 2019

Here's a sample PA/PTA Facebook policy that you can adapt to suit your PA/PTA prepared with help from nonprofit and intellectual properly law attorneys.

Parents Bill Of Rights
December 8, 2019

Parents have asked recently about their rights within their school communities. The DOE has a Parents' Bill of Rights which PA/PTAs can share with their parent members.

Does Your PA/PTA Executive Board Have 3 Mandatory Members?
December 8, 2019

If your PA/PTA board does not have a president, treasurer, and recording secretary, it needs to hold an expedited election. If there are other vacancies, check with your bylaws to see how they should be filled. The Elections page outlines what needs to happen.

Addressing Disparities in PA/PTA Fundraising
December 2, 2019

Chalkbeat's piece on how some Manhattan parents are looking for solutions to PTA fundraising inequities.

Changes to School Diversity Planning
June 12, 2019

Mayor de Blasio and Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza announced that the city will adopt the vast majoirty of the preliminary recommendations made by the School Diversity Advisory Group (SDAG). Included is a provision on PA/PTA equity.

NYC Healthy School Food Alliance
February 4, 2019

A new parent-led, grassroots advocacy group working for holistic school food reform, including scratch-cooked meals, nutrition education, school gardens, and longer lunch and recess times has been making news. Read about them in this recent Daily News piece.

The DOE will have a new Deputy Chancellor
August 10, 2018

Chancellor Carranza has hired Hydra Mendoza, a former colleague from San Francisco, to fill the newly created role of deputy chancellor of community empowerment, partnerships, and communications. She will oversee the Office of Family and Community Empowerment (FACE).

New York City Public School System Will Get a New Leader
December 22, 2017

Carmen Farina is stepping down at Chancellor of NYC public schools.

"Hidden Money The Outsized Role of Parent Contributions in School Finance"
December 15, 2017

This report by the Center for American Progress discusses the impact PTA-supported school funding, particularly what it means for disadvantaged students.

ioby bog: Fundraising if you're not a 501(c)(3)
November 28, 2017

Read ioby's piece on how organizations that are not 501(c)(3)s can raise funds through crowdfunding. 

November Newsletter
November 20, 2017

Read our latest newsletter.

Fundraising Ideas from the author of "Beyond the Bake Sale"
September 11, 2017

This piece on PTOToday profiles Beyond the Bake Sale: The Ultimate School Fundraising Book author Jean Joachim, and offers fundraising ideas from the book.

Highlights from CPAC's August Meeting
August 30, 2017

Read about the highlights and takeaways from the latest Chancellor's Parent Advisory Council (CPAC) meeting.

New PA/PTA Bylaws Template
April 25, 2017

The DOE recently issued its updated PA/PTA Bylaws Template. If your PA/PTA does not have bylaws or needs to revise theirs, the template is a good place to start. It's also available in other languages on the DOE's website.

NY Times: "A PTA Gift For Someone Else's Child? A Touchy Subject in CA"
April 23, 2017

Several years, the Santa Monica-Malibu school board came up with a solution to PTA inequality: pooling the gains from PTA fundraising across the district and distributing the funds equally among all schools. But not all parents are pleased with the plan.

NY Times: "Anger of Principal Prompts Parents to Occupy an East Harlem School Over Night"
April 8, 2017

Conflict between parents and the principal at an East Harlem school has escalated to the point where some parents said they would remain overnight at the school until the principal resigned.

Chancellor's Regulation A-660 has been revised
March 6, 2017

PA/PTA leaders should review the new CR A-660 to make sure they understand their PA/PTA's rights and the organization's practices are in compliance. The PDF contains a summary of the changes.