PTA’s Vision: Every child’s potential is a reality.

PTA’s Mission: To make every child’s potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children.

History

Colorado PTA was founded in 1907 as the Colorado Congress of Mothers and incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in 1915. Since its founding, Colorado PTA has served as a nonsectarian, nonpartisan advocate for the child and for parental engagement.

As the volunteer-run, state chapter of PTA, Colorado PTA acts as the link between the national association, based in Alexandria, VA and the local school PTAs (known as local units) located throughout the State of Colorado.

As a chartered, membership-based organization, each local unit, while maintaining its own autonomy, also benefits from being supported by this state and national structure which provides valuable information, resources, and training. Through this structure, local unit members automatically obtain membership in both Colorado PTA and National PTA as well.

A PTA Code of Ethics

As a PTA volunteer, I realize that I am subject to a code of ethics similar to that which binds the professional in the field in which I work. Like them, I assume certain responsibilities and expect to account for what I do in terms of what I am expected to do: I will keep confidential matters confidential. I interpret “volunteer” to mean that I have agreed to work without compensation in money, but having been accepted as a worker, I expect to do my work according to standards, as the paid staff expect to do their work. I promise to accomplish my work with an attitude of open-mindedness; to be willing to be trained for it; to bring to its interest and attention. I realize that I may have assets that my co-workers may not have and that I shall use these to enrich the project at which we are working together. I realize also that I may lack assets that my co-workers have, but I will not let this make me feel inadequate but endeavor to assist in developing teamwork. I plan to find out how I can best serve the activity for which I have volunteered and to offer as much as I am sure I can give, but no more. I realize that I must live up to my promise and therefore, will be careful that my agreement is so simple and clear that it cannot be misunderstood. I believe that my attitude toward volunteer work should be professional. I believe that I have an obligation to my work, to those who direct it, to my colleagues, to those whom it is done, and to the public. – Author Unknown ~1993

National Standards for Family-School Partnerships Implementation Guide

The benefits of family-school-community partnerships are many: higher teacher morale, more parent involvement, and greater student success are only a few. That is why PTA developed the National Standards for Family-School Partnerships Implementation Guide, a tool for empowering people to work together with an end goal of building family-school partnerships and student success.

Who should use this guide?
Anyone with a stake in improving schools and student achievement can use this tool: PTA leaders, parents, school administrators, school board members, community organizations, and more.

Standard 1 – Welcoming All Families: Actions for making families feel welcomed, valued and connected to each other and the school.

Standard 2 – Communicating Effectively: The building blocks to effective communication between parents, schools and parent groups

Standard 3 – Supporting Student Success: Encouraging parent involvement to heighten student achievement

Standard 4 – Speaking Up for Every Child: Methods for becoming an effective advocate for children and their education

Standard 5 – Sharing Power: Ways to share power between families, students, teachers, school staff and the community

Standard 6 – Collaborating With Community: Resources for connecting the school with the community