Minnesota's children need equitable and stable funding for their schools.  The levy referendums last fall demonstrated that we are moving back to a system of unstable and inequitable funding for our public schools.  The PS Minnesota Coalition has put together a strong framework for engaging in that discussion.  Minnesota PTA supports the following proposals:

• Education financing should be distributed equitably regardless of geography or student demographics.
• An open and aggressive discussion of modifying our school funding structure must take place.

*Parent/Caregiver Involvement

The relationships between the teacher, the student and their *parent or caregiver is vital to the educational success a child experiences.  Two primary areas help to insure that success.   

• Accountability - Any discussion of accountability, report cards, or testing needs to begin with the primary relationship between the teacher, student and *parent/caregiver.  We find ourselves with test results that have little meaning and report cards that often distract from and do not connect that critical relationship.  We must look at accountability mechanisms as ways to connect the classroom and home.  Any system of accountability should also show progress over time, not simply compare one class to the previous class. 
• *Parent/School Relationship -
  • Minnesota PTA supports the National PTA Parent Involvement Standards and the efforts to incorporate *parents into the education process.
  • Minnesota PTA believes that *parents should have the right and responsibility to be involved in all decisions that affect their children's education. 
  • Minnesota PTA believes well-informed *parent input is needed at local, state and national levels of policy-making and administration.

Ready for Kindergarten

The Minnesota PTA supports strong programs that prepare all children to enter kindergarten.  The PTA supports a system that removes the financial barriers for an all day kindergarten option for *parents.  In particular, we support access to pre-K programs for children most at risk.  Early preparedness for school is critical to the success of children as they enter school.  This area deserves significant attention from our policymakers and *parents.   

The Health of our Children

Current rates of childhood obesity and resulting diseases such as diabetes are alarmingly high and the trends and not improving.  Parents and schools must work in partnership, and aggressively reverse these trends.  The following recommendations are a start: 

• First, we must make sure that our children have access to the health care delivery system.  The increase in the number of uninsured children is unacceptable.  The Minnesota PTA supports the Children's Health Security Act as a step toward providing necessary access. 
• The Minnesota PTA supports legislation reinstating the physical education and health requirements as graduation standards. It is critical that physical activity and education on healthy lifestyles be part of the regular curricula. 
• Nationally, elementary schools are dropping recess in order to spend more time in the classroom.  Our children need the opportunity to release energy.   We need to make sure recess stays a part of the school day. 
• The Minnesota PTA supports state and national efforts to improve the quality of the food our children eat in school such as offering healthy alternatives to soda in vending machines. We also look forward to working with legislators to limit trans-fats and other unhealthy ingredients in school food. 
• Minnesota PTA supports state and national efforts to reduce toxic chemical exposure for all Minnesotans, especially children. 

*Parent: A Person Who Brings Up and Cares For Another