Prevent Unauthorized Recording of Your Virtual Meetings
There is an increasing occurrence of virtual meetings being recorded and posted without consent or knowledge of PTAs. We hope this blog can provide some guidance on steps your PTA can take to try to protect itself from unauthorized recordings. Be Careful of AI Meeting Assistants and Bots Many AI meeting assistants (such as Otter.ai,…
Category:
Safety
Family & Community Engagement | Disability in Schools
There is no better time than now to raise awareness about disability and the profound ways it can touch all our lives. Whether through a family member, a close friend, or personal experience, most of us are connected in some way to someone with a disability. These shared stories remind us of the importance of keeping…
Category:
Family Engagement
The Value of PTA Membership: More Than Just Joining
When people think of joining the PTA, they often imagine fundraising or planning events—but the truth is, PTA membership is so much more. It’s about connection, community, and creating real impact for all children. A Voice for Every Child At its core, PTA is an advocacy organization. When you join, you’re adding your voice to…
Category:
Membership
WSPTA Family and Community Engagement: Family Celebration Calendar – November
The first Friday of each month is “WSPTA Family Celebrations Friday” where relationship and curiosity meet observances. WSPTA highlights student-focused celebrations and wants to know what you and your family observe. Download the November 2025 calendar by clicking on the graphic below! We want to hear about your family celebrations! Fill out the form below…
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Family Engagement
Unauthorized GoFundMe Accounts
In October 2025, GoFundMe created more than 1.4 million donation pages for nonprofit organizations without their knowledge or consent, using publicly available IRS data. This affected hundreds of PTAs across the country, including Washington State PTA and many of our affiliate PTAs. GoFundMe has since made this statement: GoFundMe’s statement. How do I find out…
Category:
Finances
Your PTA and the New Sales Tax
During the last legislative session, Washington State added new services that may be subject to its existing retail sales tax. You can find a list of the services newly covered by the tax on this Washington State Department of Revenue (DOR) website. The one most likely to be relevant to PTAs is the inclusion of…
Category:
Finances
Membership with Meaning: Meeting People Where They Are by Connecting to Their “Why”
One of the most powerful ways to grow your PTA is by recognizing that everyone has a different reason for joining—and that’s a good thing! Whether someone is passionate about policy change or just wants to help with the school carnival, their “why” is the key to making them feel seen, valued, and inspired to…
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Membership
FAMILY & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT | Since Time Immemorial
What are some of the things you enjoy about living in Washington state? How would you describe your family background and connection to our state? Do you have family or friends with relatives who have lived in Washington before you were born, including members of local Tribes, or Native nations? Since time immemorial, the lands…
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Family Engagement
WSPTA Family and Community Engagement: Family Celebration Calendar – October
The first Friday of each month is “WSPTA Family Celebrations Friday” where relationship and curiosity meet observances. WSPTA highlights student-focused celebrations and wants to know what you and your family observe. There are so many opportunities to celebrate this month! Download the October 2025 calendar by clicking on the graphic below! We want to hear…
Category:
Family Engagement
Changes to the Records Retention Timetable in 2025
A PTA should maintain copies of many important documents. WSPTA has a document to assist local PTAs and councils with these timelines called the Records Retention Timetable. The information in this document is gathered from the IRS, various Washington state entities, and PTA experiences. There were several changes to this document in 2025 due to…
Category:
Governance