Ballots Are Arriving: How Your PTA Can Help This Election
Ballots for the Nov. 3 general election arrive in mailboxes this week. The Washington State PTA Board of Directors voted to oppose three measures on this year’s ballot, and local PTAs are deciding how to engage. What your PTA can do depends on the action it has taken. Because each measure is decided separately, your…
Category:
Advocacy
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Legislative
Apple Health (Medicaid) Changes Are Coming — Where to Send Families for Help
Federal changes under H.R. 1 (the One Big Beautiful Bill Act) are changing Medicaid eligibility in Washington, where the program is called Apple Health. About 11,000 lawfully present immigrants and refugees lost Apple Health coverage on Oct. 1, and the state Health Care Authority projects 200,000 to 320,000 more Washingtonians could lose coverage in 2027,…
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Advocacy
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Legislative
Can a PTA Require School Staff to be Members to be Eligible for Classroom Grants?
Let’s consider the question of whether a PTA can require staff to be members in order to qualify for classroom grants. The short answer to that is NO, and requiring it would jeopardize the PTA’s tax-exemption. Charging a fee (dues) to apply for or receive a charitable grant violates the IRS private benefit rules. Charitable…
Can a PTA Require Participants in its Programs to be Members?
In this blog, we will address a common question about whether a PTA can restrict eligibility for a program, for example after school enrichment classes, to students whose parent/guardian is a PTA member. In a separate post, we’ll consider the question “Can a PTA require school staff to be members to be eligible for classroom…
National PTA’s Position on the Federal Role in Education: Why It Matters This School Year
As PTA leaders plan for the new school year, one National PTA position statement belongs on your board’s agenda. “The Federal Government’s Role in Education,” adopted by the 2026 National PTA Board of Directors, sets out what PTA believes the U.S. Department of Education must do. It also gives PTAs a clear basis for speaking…
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Advocacy
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Legislative
October Checklist for Councils Supporting Local PTAs
Ongoing Tasks Review the Standards of Affiliation (SOA) Checklist. Host a training or roundtable at council membership meetings addressing timely SOA requirements. Offer support to local PTAs who may be struggling with any of the SOA requirements. At each council membership meeting, share the SOA items that your council has completed to model best practices. …
October Checklist for Running Your PTA
Ongoing Tasks Attend board and membership meetings Read meeting minutes and offer corrections Prepare reports for board and membership meetings Get educated: take advantage of in-person and online training opportunities Be familiar with your responsibilities and fulfill them Review and ask questions about the monthly financial report Actively engage in a plan for membership growth…
2026-2027 Deadline Dates
Please find below a list of important 2026-2027 deadlines for your local PTA and council. Also included is a list of WSPTA office closures and events for the year. You can download this handy list HERE!
Category:
Events
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Governance
Federal Funding for Student Mental Health Is at Risk — Here’s Where Washington Stands
Student mental health services in Washington’s public schools are paid for through a mix of sources: state K-12 staffing formulas, state grants, federal funds, Medicaid reimbursement for eligible services, and regional or local levies. Each layer matters, but the federal piece has become the least dependable — and PTAs have a role to play at…
Category:
Advocacy
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Legislative
Ballots Mail October 16 – Count Backwards from There
Washington State PTA opposes all three initiatives on the November ballot, and PTAs around the state have been adopting those positions as their own. If yours hasn’t yet, leaving enough time for you to communicate your PTA’s opposition out to your community is vital. Key deadlines Ballots are mailed Friday, October 16 — the first…
Category:
Advocacy
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Legislative