32nd Annual Advocacy Day: Legislative Challenges Facing Education

32nd Annual PTA Advocacy Day is this Friday, March 23, from 9:00am to 2:30pm at the Crow Canyon Country Club.The theme for the day is Legislative Challenges Facing Education and the event is sponsored by the Las Trampas Creek Council of PTAs and the San Ramon Valley Council of PTAs.

We will hear from Jonathan Kaplan, the California Budget Project,  Bill Clark, Associate Superintendent of Business and Administrative Services, Contra Costa County Office of Education and Patty Scripter, Director of Legislation, California State PTA.  Each will enhance our understanding of the challenges facing education in our state.  We will have the opportunity to hear from our local elected state representatives during the Legislator Panel including, Senator Mark DeSaulnier, Assemblymember Susan Bonilla, Assemblymember Joan Buchanan, Assemblymember Nancy Skinner. The Legislator Panel will again be moderated  by John Fensterwald, a journalist at the Silicon Valley Education Foundation and editor and co-writer of the online Thoughts on Public Education and Educated Guess. An afternoon breakout session will round out the day, as we continue to explore specific topics in education and advocacy.  The choices are:  California School Finance 101; Mobilizing Your Community; Understanding Special Needs Funding; and The Digital Classroom.

The San Ramon Valley Council of PTAs and the Las Trampas Creek Council of PTAs are both part of the California State PTA. The San Ramon Valley Council of PTAs supports the 33 PTA units in the San Ramon Valley Unified School District. The Las Trampas Creek Council of PTAs supports the PTA units in the towns of Lafayette, Moraga, Orinda and parts of Walnut Creek.  

The PTA is the nation’s oldest, largest and highest profile volunteer organization working on behalf of public schools, children and families, with the motto “Every child, one voice.” PTA volunteers work in their schools and communities to improve the education, health and welfare of all children and youth. The PTA also advocates at national, state and local levels for education and family issues. The PTA is non-profit, nonpartisan, non-sectarian and noncommercial.