WAIS PTA Advocacy
The Westchester Academy of International Studies Middle and High School Parent Teacher Association (WAIS PTA) is a nonprofit local PTA (Parent-Teacher Association) organized under the authority of the Texas Congress of Parents and Teachers (Texas PTA), a branch of the National Congress of Parents and Teachers (National PTA).
The purposes of the WAIS PTA, in common with National PTA and Texas PTA, are:
- to promote the welfare of children and youth in home, school, places of worship, and throughout the community;
- to raise the standards of home life;
- to advocate for laws that further the education, physical and mental health, welfare, and safety of children and youth;
- to promote the collaboration and engagement of families and educators in the education of children and youth;
- to engage the public in united efforts to secure the physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social well-being of all children and youth; and
- to advocate for fiscal responsibility regarding public tax dollars in public education funding.
Public schools are facing significant challenges. Despite a close to $40 billion state surplus, the lack of adequate state funding has forced Texas public school districts to make very difficult choices that include closing campuses, cutting staff, and eliminating programs. Texas PTA is runing two campaigns and wants to hear from you!
- Share a story HERE about how the school district budget cuts have impacted you and your family. Have programs been cut? Has your campus had to eliminate counselors or nurses? Have class sizes increased?
- Join in the Texas PTA video campaign to celebrate Texas public schools. Grab your phone, hit record, and tell the world why you love your public school and then upload to social media with the tag #THTXPubEd - click HERE for more details!
If you would like to get more involved and more informed regarding Public School Financial Advocacy then please mark your calendar and join us for the following meetings and events.
We are thrilled to share that Representative Harold Dutton, a member of the House Public Education Committee, will join us and share his insights about the upcoming 89th Legislative Session!
Informational Resources:
- PTA Advocacy information: Subscribe to: txpta.org/newsroom and txpta.org/take-action
- Spring Branch ISD School Finance Advocacy Team web site: https://www.
springbranchisd.com/engage/ committees/sfat - School Finance 101 presentation (items 2 & 3): https://springbranchisdtx.
new.swagit.com/videos/ 10202022-607 - (Slide deck here: https://resources.
finalsite.net/images/ )v1666290379/ springbranchisdcom/ wsckr12yerzy2vmudwi0/Slides_ Meeting_1.pdf - School Funding in Texas (legal perspective): https://
springbranchisdtx.new.swagit. com/videos/10272022-505 - (Slide deck here: https://resources.
finalsite.net/images/ )v1666793803/ springbranchisdcom/ jclk61nro7eig42hpuyy/Meeting_ 2.pdf - The Last School Funding Bill and Recommendations for Advocacy (with former House Rep. Dan Huberty, who authored the bill): https://
springbranchisdtx.new.swagit. com/videos/11172022-774 - (Slide decks here: https://resources.finalsite.
net/images/v1668611826/ and here: https://resources.springbranchisdcom/ ln7qnicvbpa0kouwroru/sfat_ meeting_111622.pdf finalsite.net/images/ )v1668695128/ springbranchisdcom/ oqwjsu0yhj9dpnxpdxgn/Rep_ Huberty_Presentation.pdf