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PTA Process Task Force

January 2010

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Task Force Participants

• Alan Gellman • Beth Rhine • Elizabeth Moyle• LaShawn Route-Chatmon• Lisa Hobbs• Lisa Puntillo• Marie-Claude Provencher• Michele Bunker-Alberts• Stephanie McFadden

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Task Force Charter• Scope: Clearly lay out what the goals of the process should be and

should NOT be. • Develop Guiding Principles for program & initiative approvals

• Establish Expectations: Determine what our expectations should be before we would fund a program

• Ongoing Process: Determine what the ongoing process should be (e.g. establish an ongoing committee?)

• Ongoing Relationships & Roles: Identify appropriate ongoing roles in the decision process for: Parents, PTA, Principal, Staff, SSC

• Timetable: Identify timeframes consistent with the expectations

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Scope: Clearly lay out what the goals of the process should be and should NOT be.

What it is What it is NOT•Process to ensure PTA $ are effectively spent on areas of importance, both new and existing, to the school and PTA•Means of engaging the full PTA in setting priorities and approve funding

•Trying to be the expert in academics or what kids need•A barrier to making good decisions for our kids

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Develop Guiding Principles for program approvals

• At least 75% of PTA funding should directly support kids’ development

• Process should be used for all requests >$750• Align to School, SPSA and PTA Missions• Measurable—quantitatively (preferred) and/or qualitatively; SMART

goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Results-oriented, Timebound)

• Strive for a balance between benefitting those with greatest need and broad impact

• Strive for impact within an academic year with capacity for interim reporting and/or modification of program based on interim results

• Process must be sustainable for Principal• Any program that costs >10% of the PTA budget requires formation

of an advisory committee consisting of teacher and parents to help optimize and report on progress. Principal can also request an advisory committee be established for smaller budget items that are resource intensive.

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Establish Expectations: Identify PTA expectations before funding a proposalDefining the Proposal• Clearly describe the proposal and its goals

• What are the program’s goals and benefits?• What is the basis for believing the program will meet the goal?• Is it a priority of the principal? What priority #? • Does the program fit into the school site budget? Has outside funding been explored?

what portion of the program needs to be funded by the grant?• What’s the expected duration of the program?• Does the program fit with the goals of the school, SPSA and/or PTA?

Measuring the Proposal• How many kids are expected to be affected by the program?• Does the program have demonstrated results either at Crocker or elsewhere?• What are the critical success factors?• How will the program be measured?• What are the key milestones? When/how will the program report back to the board?

•If the program requires staff, how many FTEs? •What are the titles and qualifications required for staff?

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Ongoing Process Recommendation: Determine what the ongoing process should be

Recommendations:• Establish an ongoing Prioritization committee

responsible for bringing recommendations to the board• Make up should be the same as the Budget Committee

(VPs, president, incoming president, treasurer, incoming treasurer, principal, up to two PTA members and one SSC member)

• It should be chaired by the PTA president (the Budget Committee is chaired by the treasurer)

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Ongoing Relationships & Roles: Identify appropriate ongoing roles in the decision process for: Parents, PTA, Budget Committee, Principal, Leadership Team, Staff, SSC, Community Members

Tasks / Roles PTA Priority Comm

Budget Comm

Parents Principal Leader-ship Team

Staff SSC Community

Make proposals related to kids development / instructional minutes

X X X X X X

Making prioritized list of initiatives related to kids development / instructional minutes aligned to goals

X

Make Proposal for areas beyond instructional minutes

X X X X X X

Determine fit with goals (school, SPSA, PTA) X X X X X

Evaluate request X

Prepare budget X

Present to PTA board X

Present to PTA association X

Public discussion X X X X X X X

Identify alternative funding (OUSD, grants) X X

Final funding approval X

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Timetable: Identify timeframes consistent with the expectationsGoals for process timing:• Align decisions to school district timing• Ensure ample time to make staffing changes (again, following district timing)• Ensure there’s a means to get community engagement

Step Timing Year 1 Ongoing Timing

Submit all grant proposals. This includes a prioritized list from the principal.

April 1 March 1

All proposals sent for review to Prioritization committee

1st week of April 1st week of March

Prioritization committee meets with Principal and others who have made grant requests (for the non-instructional minutes budget)

1st week of May 2nd week of March

Budget committee meets 2nd week of May 3rd week of March

Board reviews recommendations and budget 1st week of June 1st week of April

Association reviews recommendations and budget

3rd week of June 3rd week of April

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Next Steps

This year:• Use the process for all of the four major

programs (Music, PE, Computers, Library)• Use the process for any pilot that requires

budget• Use the process for all new programs

Appendix

Budget Items Included in / Excluded from Process

Included• Computer• Library• Music• PE• K Aide*• Counseling (if included)*• Reading Intervention*• Aleks Math*• Computer upgrade• Future potential surplus items• All new programs >$750

Excluded• KEEPP (one time program)• Teacher Discretionary funds

($500-750 each)• Scholarship programs (2 at $1k

each; could be included in future)• Principal discretionary ($1,500)• Speech discretionary ($1,300)• Assemblies (individually <$750)• All items <$750

* May be excluded in first year at principal’s discretion