The National PTA Legacy: The Past, The Present, The Future—The Work that Connects Us

In my last blog, I shared with you the story of what is happening today throughout our country. A story that connects the PTA work of today with the legacy of our founders.

We shared how our unique structure and our long history of serving all children and families made us the only organization perfectly situated to help meet the immediate needs of communities during this time, while also acknowledging and addressing the systemic causes.

Today, I want to share with you in a little more detail about what these PTAs are doing, how these PTAs are doing it and what makes PTA special in overcoming challenges and maximizing the impact.

Tackling COVID-19, Together

Amidst COVID turning our country upside down, PTAs immediately began to tackle this grant work. National PTA asked the PTAs to select one of four priority areas in which to begin this work, knowing that there was a high level of intersectionality between them. PTAs were asked to name a starting priority area only as a way to stay centered when things would inevitably get crazy and the need to pivot would become necessary. The four areas are:

  1. Food insecurity
  2. Remote learning
  3. Device and internet access
  4. Mental health

We learned that the priority areas are even more connected than originally thought and the need was overwhelming in all areas. PTAs began sending home devices, accessories for devices, school supplies, resources for mental health services, wellness and hygiene kits, books and food to students and families. We saw family engagement events online, including chalk walks, food drives and socially distanced spirit nights.  Touchless water fountains, book vending machines, outdoor learning spaces and calming rooms were installed. The creativity was endless.

Because the money quickly advanced from our funder, through our national organization and disseminated across the country, PTAs were able to support families immediately. PTAs pulled together teams to collaborate—families, school administrators, faith-based community organizations, other non-profits, local businesses, school staff and community members. Team building is essential to all community engagement work.

PTAs Change Lives

Collective impact depends on the utilization of all available resources in order to fully maximize them—efforts being coordinated and outcomes being impactful. PTAs are in a unique position to bring together these teams, because highly functioning PTAs already consist of all these folks or have access to these folks. PTAs connected with the right partners to ensure grant dollars went further and impact was maximized. 

Our PTAs received a tremendous amount of support, both before applying for the grant and after being awarded the grant. The support is in the PTA network itself. National PTA was happy to be a facilitator, making our organization the best and most impactful child advocacy organization in existence.  Here is how we are structuring the support.

Step 1: Community Assessment

PTAs are encouraged to engage both families and the community as well as to seamlessly work with school administrators and staff—always. This framework ensured that when PTAs were asked to conduct assessments prior to applying for these grants, there was immediate and meaningful action. Leaders know to listen, engage and empower families.

So, when COVID hit, PTAs were already prepared to quickly assess their community and determine where the greatest need existed, who the best partners might be, and how to pull together additional resources. For the leaders that needed additional help, National PTA conducted mini needs assessment workshops and helped them determine which efforts might have the greatest impact. This also helped leaders pivot—when a planned idea became difficult to implement, they had an understanding of the multitude of needs and could quickly implement another. 

Leader to Leader Community of Practice Calls

These calls, hosted by National PTA, give an overview of the space (mental health, internet and device access, remote learning, food insecurity) in which they are working and then open the time for them to talk with one another, recognizing that National PTA is not the expert—they are. They share ideas, celebrate successes and work through challenges. Being with leaders across the country allows them to think about new and innovative ideas and to hear how leaders in different areas are working around barriers.

Just about every PTA is doing something different with this grant funding. There is no one program being implemented. And, PTAs are having to adjust to unusual circumstances with changing conditions—which look different in every school district across the country.

Networking Let’s Chat Calls

One of my favorite resources that National PTA provides is simply to hold space for leaders to share with each other. We answer their questions and provide updates for the first few minutes and then they take over the call and make it their own.

These calls allow leaders who need to talk with one another a place to do so. To share. To brainstorm. To celebrate. I leave every call with a renewed sense of purpose, a love for our great organization, and humbled by the hard work of our volunteers, especially during an incredibly difficult time.

Story Telling

Lastly, we are working with our PTAs to share their story. To collect it and to tell it. The work they are doing is our legacy—our history. People will look back and say, remember the Global Pandemic of 2020? Remember how PTA came together and supported communities in need and then fought to end the systemic reasons behind the need, like—kids needing to be in school to eat and to have access to mental health services. Remember how quickly PTAs jumped into action? We created worksheets and webinars, support and templates for leaders. We are telling our legacy; we are telling our story.

Our PTA leaders are incredible. They always have been. That’s the reason we’ve survived 120+ years. That’s the reason we’ve accomplished so much. That’s the reason we make a difference. 

It is important to remember that the work PTA leaders are doing now is what connects us to our 120+ year legacy. If people don’t know what we do and who we are—they will not join our cause. I often say, our founders got angry about what was not right in the world and they did something about it. People were so passionate about the work and others joined, attracted by that passion and to the cause.

Put your focus on the work. Build your leaders from the passion.

As a PTA leader, focus on the needs of your community. Listen to your families. Do that work. That is how you connect to a legacy that has lasted for over 120 years. If we are doing the right work, people will follow and they will join your cause and when they believe in your cause, they will join your membership.


Kelly Langston is an independent contractor supporting project management for National PTA’s programs and partnerships.

Emergency Relief Funding – Part 1 of a 3 Part Series

The National PTA Legacy:  The Past, The Present, The Future – The Work that Connects Us

National PTA was founded over 120 years ago. This is how long PTAs have been doing work in our communities. Let that sink in…

And today, the work continues. PTAs are alive and active in over 21,000 units and in PTAs continue the work our founders started to ensure every child reaches their potential.

I’d like to share a story with you. In this three-part series, we’ll take a look at our 120-year legacy – the past, the present, the future and the work we do that connects us.

Due to a generous donation from TikTok, PTAs across our country are able to support their local communities during a time of need. And nationally, a National PTA Community Action Fund was started. The immediate goal was to address the impact of COVID-19 on families and in under 4 months, $1,270,000 was distributed to 223 local and 11 DCR (council, district, and regional) PTAs. However, true to our PTA legacy – the story is so much greater.

Why this Worked? 

National PTA has a reputation and a history of doing public health work in communities for over 120 years. We’ve been bringing partners together, engaging families and involving communities. PTAs know what needs families have and how best to address them. And, PTA is prepared to then advocate for lasting systemic change.

The PTA structure is uniquely designed for a situation like this, while each PTA is built and situated around their community’s needs and strengths, each PTA member is also a member of their State PTA and the National association. This allows each PTA the ability to zero in on the issues, funding and policies that most effect the families and students in their school communities, while also working collectively on state and national funding and policies – knowing that they all are tied together.

National PTA is the only advocacy organization structured this way. “PT-others” don’t have this ability to mobilize all units, to bring together national funders, disseminate funding and resources across the country and to use collective voices to speak on issues – because there are no state or national collective organizations.

When a large national funder like TikTok came along and offered , well before systems were in place to support children and families – our PTAs were ready.

How this Worked? 

The first cohort, Phase 1, was awarded on June 1st to 110 PTAs and it was open to PTAs enrolled in the National PTA School of Excellence Program (SOE).  Having a group of PTAs that had already assessed their school communities, built partnerships and engaged families was critical.  We needed this money in the communities quickly and these leaders knew exactly what needed to be done and had the systems in place to do it.

After awarding the first cohort of grantees, we began working with the next group of potential grantees.  We were able to provide intense technical support to these leaders as they worked to assess their community, develop their grant idea, write it and submit it – all while the first cohort was well on their way to implementing their grants and meeting their families’ needs.

Phase 2 was highly competitive, and the quality of the grant applications was dynamic. We soon realized that there were so many applications and only a tiny fraction of them could be funded with the available funding. National PTA began looking for additional dollars and due to an amazingly committed staff, additional funding was secured.

The second cohort, Phase 2, was awarded on August 20th to 122 PTAs. However, there are still many PTAs left without funding and this is heartbreaking.

National PTA continues to provide leaders support while learning best practices and developing resources.

Themes to Share…

Theme One –

National PTA remains a connector between necessary resources and the communities most in need. There is a long history of fighting for the most vulnerable. Today, large funders trust us to get funding into our communities even before systems are in place to help our families. And, not only are our PTAs able to do this quickly, each PTA is a 501c3 and has the oversight to properly manage the funds while at the same time unleashing an army of wildly passionate advocates to ensure those in need are cared for and have a voice.

Theme Two –

PTA leaders are worried and concerned about the unknown, but they aren’t giving up. They are fighting to be a voice for the voiceless. There is little certainty, except uncertainty. They are creative and we are seeing the most innovative ideas and stories as these grants are implemented (make sure to read part 2). These leaders are resilient. They are pivoting as plans change, again and yet again. These leaders are making sure they are part of the conversations, that the families’ needs are not overlooked and ultimately that the students’ safety is never dismissed.

Theme Three –

The work must continue. Our structure allowed funding to quickly get from our national organization to our local PTAs and into the communities. It is beautiful, please go join a PTA if you haven’t already. But, we realized that much of the work being done mustn’t stop.

For example.

The fact that kids need schools in order to eat or have access to mental health services, and the reality that so many youth will get behind because they don’t have reliable internet access at home or the devices needed, means our PTAs have advocacy work ahead of them.

COVID-19 was a big highlighter marking what needed to be seen for years. These leaders are ready to tackle the systemic issues now so profoundly highlighted for all.

Theme Four –

The need was underestimated, and overwhelming and National PTA was simply unable to meet the needs of the close to 1000 PTAs requesting funding. National PTA is still looking for additional funding and because we are the greatest organization for children and youth with a long legacy, I have no doubt that it will be found!

Stay in Touch…

If your PTA needs support, reach out to us. Follow us on social media and sign – up for our newsletters- this will guarantee that you see any new opportunities as they become available.

It’s hard to believe our amazing organization has been making a difference for all children for over 120 years and it is overwhelming to think where so many of these kids would be had it not been for our incredible founders. Our PTA volunteers and leaders at every level, backed by a brilliant staff, are some of the hardest working and most loving humans I know.

Together, we make a difference!