1. PTA Nonpartisan Policy
2. Texas PTA opposes vouchers
3. National PTA "This week in Washington" weekly newsletter
4. Meeting your legislators
5. Memorandum about the proposed "4 by 4" course requirements
6. Update on Uniform GPA Rules

PTA Nonpartisan Policy

Texas PTA Legislative Alert Action Request

A pro-voucher rally is scheduled at the Capitol in Austin on February 7.

Call To Action: Please call or e-mail your legislators to affirm Texas PTA’s position opposing vouchers. Use this link to determine your local legislators: http://www.txpta.org/txlegiscont.html.

Our position: Texas PTA supports our system of public education as the major vehicle for perpetuating the basic values of a democratic system of government. This system must be strengthened and continue to be governed by public officials accountable to the public and supported by adequate funding. Texas PTA opposes voucher systems or tuition credits for nonpublic school tuition and other education-related expenses.

10 Reasons to Oppose Private School Vouchers

1. Texas cannot afford to finance private education as well as public education.
   There would be only two ways to pay for vouchers—take money from already under funded public schools or raise taxes. Both are unacceptable.
2. Tax dollars for private education won’t fix student achievement problems at public schools.
   The best way to assist all low-performing students is by strengthening their public schools and addressing individual learning problems directly. Vouchers could take away tax dollars from the public schools where children have the greatest needs.
3. A voucher would be a ticket to nowhere for most children.
   Private schools can choose to accept or reject any student, and many have long waiting lists and only admit top students. On average, religious schools reject 67% of all applicants. Elite private schools reject nearly 90% of applicants. “Choice” does not reside with parents but with private school admissions committees.
4. Parents have an expanding array of choices for the public school their child attends.
   Among the many public school options, parents may transfer their child to another public school in the same or a neighboring school district, or enroll their child in a public magnet school, public charter school, school to work program, or an evening high school.
5. Vouchers don’t create a “competitive marketplace”.
   Competition is based on an even playing field; there is no fair competition when “competitors” play by different rules. Public schools have to accept all applicants, private schools don’t. Private schools are not required to provide transportation, special education, bilingual education, free and reduced price lunches, and many other programs that public schools provide.
6. The State of Texas should not spend tax dollars to pilot test a bad idea.
   Tax-funded pilot projects should only be conducted to test good ideas. Vouchers are a bad idea! A pilot voucher program would not be a “lifeboat” for some students, as claimed. A voucher system would be the Titanic, draining needed funds from public schools where most of the students would remain.
7. Vouchers would destroy the “private” in private schools.
   Parents of children in private schools don’t want the status quo disturbed for their children—they want their schools to be truly private. Private schools accepting tax-funded vouchers would become subject to government regulation. Schools likely would have to change admission requirements, implement state-required testing, comply with discipline and expulsion laws, and allow voucher students to be exempted from religious activities.
8. Inserting the word “private” doesn’t make a school good.
   There is no proof that private school vouchers would improve students’ academic performance. In fact, students attending private schools under the Milwaukee and Cleveland voucher programs did not outperform their public school peers.
9. Vouchers would promote further religious and economic stratification in our society.
   Private elementary and secondary schools have been founded primarily by two types of entities: (1) religious denominations seeking to teach academics interwoven with their religious doctrine, and (2) wealthier parents wanting to give their children an advantage over other children. Tax-funded vouchers for private schools would increase divisions between rich and poor and among different religions, threatening the future of our American democracy.
10. Public policy should respect parental choice but provide for all students.
    The best public policy is to provide parents with even more choices within the public schools, which serve 94.5% of Texas children. Legislators should concentrate on making all public schools stronger, safer, more challenging and accountable. Public tax dollars should be spent only to improve public schools—not to assist the small number of parents who choose to enroll their children in private academies or religious schools.

National PTA "This week in Washington" weekly newsletter

If you are interested in reading past issues or in receiving the weekly newsletter directly in your email Inbox, please go to www.pta.org/ia_newsletters.html.

Texas PTA Legislative Call To Action

Another campaign season has ended, thankfully, and it's time to make our voices heard with the new and not so new members of the Texas Legislature. The next Texas Legislative Session begins January 9, 2007; and many issues affecting the welfare of the children of Texas will be considered.

Now is a perfect time to meet with your legislators, both senator and state representative, in your communities. The next 6 weeks are relatively quiet for legislators - the elections are over and the session has yet to begin - so they are usually available to meet with constituents.

Below you will find information on:

1. who your legislators are;
2. how to contact them;
3. and how to conduct a meeting with them;
4. You'll also find talking points on the issues that Texas PTA has identified as priorities for the upcoming legislative session.

1. Finding Your Legislators
   1. To find your state representative: www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us/
   2. To find your state senator: http://www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/senate/members.htm

2. Scheduling a Legislative Office Visit in the District
   1. Call your State Representative's or Senator's district office and ask for his/her scheduler. Be prepared to give your name, home address and phone number, as well as the date/date range you'd like to meet. When asked about the purpose of the visit, let them know that you are a constituent and a member of the Texas PTA and would like to discuss issues of interest to the school children of Texas.
   2. After scheduling your meeting, make sure you get the location, address and directions (if needed) for your meeting and arrive promptly. Be sure to provide the legislator with a folder with information on your Local or Council PTA and with the Texas PTA's legislative priorities brochure. You will probably only have about 20 minutes, so follow the meeting format to the best of your ability. It will help you stay on track.
   3. After your meeting, please send a brief report by e-mail to Texas PTA. Your prompt feedback is very important in helping us coordinate effective legislative strategy. In addition, you are asked to write the legislator a thank you note, regardless of the success of the meeting.

3. Tips for a Successful Lobbying Meeting
   1. Be on time or a few minutes early - but be prepared to wait. Determine the office location prior to the visit.
   2. Be prepared to meet with the legislator or the aide. If the legislator is not available, make your presentation to the staff member as though you would with the legislator. Aides, especially senior staff, have a great deal of responsibility because they do research on issues. They are often able to influence the legislator's positions, priorities and, ultimately, votes. Be sure to get the names, titles and areas of responsibility of all the staff members with whom you meet.
   3. If the legislator has a connection to the organization, it should be noted in opening remarks by the delegation leader and the legislator should be thanked for any support of previous issues.
   4. The pre-determined delegation leader should make sure that introductions have been made, and then begin the meeting by thanking the legislator or aide for their time and past support, if applicable. Then the leader should state the purpose of the meeting, describe Texas PTA, and make sure legislators know of any constituents among the delegation.
   5. In order to engage each of the participants, a different person in the delegation should handle each issue. Move on to the next topic once it is clear that there is agreement and understanding, or a failure to attain agreement during this meeting. You will be provided with a list of Texas PTA priorities prior to your meetings. Please, check the updates at www.txpta.org/members/legis.html. This is a PTA members-only area of the Texas PTA's website. You can find your username and password on the back of your PTA 2006-2007 Membership Card.
   6. Keep the discussion to a total of 15 minutes. The only exception would be if the lawmaker initiates a longer conversation. Be clear, concise, and to the point. Be a good listener and observer and do not over-explain. It is acceptable to refer to notes. Allow the legislator or aide to ask questions, offer their viewpoint and voting record.
   7. Be specific about the action that you would like them to take. When applicable ask for the vote. Get a commitment from the legislator or aide if you can.
   8. If the legislator is "on board" with our issues, solicit his/her suggestions as to actions the organization may take to advance issues of mutual concern.
   9. Stick to the agenda, and remember that you are representing the views of the entire organization. No personal business should be discussed during these meetings.
   10. If you cannot answer a question, commit to finding the answer and contact the state office of Texas PTA for assistance.
   11. Avoid argument. Just state the positions as Texas PTA believes them to be. You may have to agree to disagree. Always be cordial and courteous - no exceptions. We are there to provide a viewpoint from their constituency and to begin to establish a relationship with the legislator.
   12. The delegation leader should wrap up the meeting with sincere thanks for their time, restatement of the legislator's position, and an offer to be of assistance. When applicable, the delegation leader should present position papers at this time.
   13. Follow up with a personal thank-you note when you return home.
   14. Please send an e-mail report with a summary of the visit to kward@txpta.org at the Texas PTA Office.

4. Texas PTA Priorities - Talking Points
   • Improve indoor air quality of school buses.
     Texas PTA is partnering with Environmental Defense, a national environmental advocacy group, to improve the air quality of Texas school buses. The state of Texas is home to over 35,000 school buses that transport children to and from school every day, as well as for field trips and athletic events.

     Several studies report that children riding school buses are exposed to high concentrations of fine particles and other toxic substances inside the bus due to the intrusion of the buses' own emissions into the bus cabin. While school buses continue to be the safest way to transport children, the emissions from their diesel engines contribute to a host of health effects, including dizziness, nausea, increased incidence and severity of asthma attacks, and chronic bronchitis.

     To clean up Texas' more than 35,000 school buses, the state should help school districts by accelerating their bus "replacement" timelines and by retrofitting middle-aged buses with advanced filter technology to clean up diesel exhaust.

     Revenues already collected for air quality purposes are available to clean up buses. Texans are paying this money to the state, but much of it is sitting unspent in the State Treasury. Two funds - the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan (TERP) and one intended to help lower-income Texans clean up old, polluting vehicles - are projected to hold over $100 million of unappropriated money at the end of 2007. Legislators should use these funds to clean up the air our children breathe.

   • Strengthen child passenger restraint laws.
     Texas PTA supports an upgrade to our current Child Occupant Protection Law governing the use of child safety seat devices. Motor vehicle crashes remain the leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children ages 14 and under. Each year, nearly 1,600 child occupants ages 14 and under die in motor vehicle crashes and close to 228,000 are injured as occupants in motor vehicles.

     The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the American Academy of Pediatrics, as well as other injury prevention experts tell us that children need to be in booster seats from the time they outgrow a car seat until they're about 8 years old and about 57" tall. Strong occupant protection laws that are consistently enforced are one of the best ways to prevent injuries and save children's lives. It is time to close this significant gap in Texas' child occupant protection law.

   • Expand the smoking cessation and prevention programs statewide.
     Texas PTA supports a statewide comprehensive tobacco prevention and cessation program to include school-based and community-based programs, media and enforcement.

     Tobacco costs more than $6.4 billion in health care and lost productivity in Texas each year. Texas ranks 40 percent in spending for tobacco prevention. Exposure to secondhand smoke is associated with an increased risk for sudden infant death syndrome, asthma, bronchitis and pneumonia in young children.

     Texas PTA supports expansion of the successful Texas Prevention Initiative, a Center for Disease Control modeled program in Baytown. At a cost of $3 per capita, the Texas Prevention Initiative has demonstrated results including a $58 return to the state in health care cost savings for every $3 spent on the program, a 36 percent reduction in youth smoking and a 26 percent reduction in adult smoking.

   • Promote improved school nutrition laws.
     Texas PTA supports improved school nutrition laws to protect the integrity of the school breakfast and lunch program to promote children's health, well-being and academic success. Research shows healthy eating habits can improve attendance, energy levels, classroom participation, school behavior, test scores and academic success.

     Because good health is linked to learning ability, it is critical to ensure tomorrow's adults develop healthy bodies and healthy minds through good nutrition.

   • Oppose vouchers.
     Texas PTA supports our system of public education as the major vehicle for perpetuating the basic values of a democratic system of government. This system must be strengthened and continue to be governed by public officials accountable to the public and supported by adequate funding.

     Texas PTA opposes voucher systems or tuition credits for nonpublic school tuition and other education-related expenses.

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   Texas PTA Legislative Memorandum

   Date: November 6, 2006

   From Texas PTA Legislative Action Committee

   Changing the proposed "4 by 4" course requirements may limit students and take away local control of curricula from school districts.

   Position: Texas PTA believes in local control for school districts and does not want districts to be forced to limit the choices students are allowed to make for their fourth year of math and science.

   Background: Colleges and universities are concerned about the number of freshmen who must take remedial courses in math and science. The current Texas Recommended High School Graduation Plan requires only three years of math and science. As a result, most high school seniors do not take a math or a science course their senior year unless it is a requirement of the college or university they plan to attend.

   Last spring, the legislature passed a law increasing the requirements for the state's Recommended Graduation Plan to four years of math and four years of science for students entering ninth grade in 2007-08 and thereafter. The State Board of Education (SBOE) is in the process of drafting rules to implement that law.

   Issue: In September, the State Board of Education proposed a set of rules to implement this law, which allows students more options for the fourth year math and science course selection. The State Board is being pressured to change these proposed rules by limiting the math and science courses seniors can take to make the fourth year math and science courses more rigorous. The Board is considering disallowing Algebra I, if taken in 8th grade, to count as one of the four math courses. In science, the Board is considering disallowing IPC (Integrated Physics and Chemistry) to count as one of the four science courses.

   Students in Texas have diverse interests, talents, aptitudes and skills. All students who graduate from Texas high schools should have the opportunity to design their high school coursework so that it complements their aptitude and talents and allows them to prepare for their career goals.

   Recommendation: The State Board of Education should vote to pass without changes the current proposed rules that allow flexibility in the math and science courses students choose to take their senior year.

   Action: Please encourage all your PTA members to call their State Board of Education member (see contact information below) to ask them to pass without changes the proposed rules for the "4 by 4" graduation requirements (four years of math and science) to allow students more flexibility in selecting courses required to meet the fourth year of math and science. Ask your state board member NOT to amend the rules that would limit students' options for the fourth year math and science courses to meet the 4 by 4 graduation requirements.

   For more information on this issue, please contact Liz Morse, Texas PTA Legislative Action Committee member at morseliz@aol.com.

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   Update on Uniform GPA Rules

   Legislation passed by the 80th Legislature, HB 3851, requires the Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) to develop a uniform GPA methodology to be used by Texas universities in admission decisions, including in the determination of the top 10 percent of high school graduating classes. As a result, school districts will use the new uniform methodology to determine the top 10 percent of a district's graduating class.
   
   THECB has convened several meetings of an advisory committee composed of public and higher education professionals to recommend a uniform GPA methodology. The higher education commissioner, Raymund Paredes, has stated that the GPA methodology should include academic courses that would be predictive of a student's success in college.
   
   Members of the advisory committee have cautioned against too narrowly defining the courses that will be included in the GPA methodology. The committee is scheduled to meet again on September 8 to further discuss the courses to be included in the uniform methodology.
   
   THECB has requested an opinion from the Texas attorney general seeking clarification on several points in the law, including whether school districts will be obligated to use the new GPA methodology.
   
   Commissioner Paredes has said that he does not intend for the new GPA methodology to apply to students currently in high school. He is considering several options for phasing in the new GPA methodology, including a recommendation that it apply starting with the high school freshman class of 2009-10.