PTA Programs — An Overview

PTA programs are created to organize and support parent involvement in children's education. Our programs are created with leading expert organizations on topics of importance to our members, at members' requests. The programs are user-friendly and are free to PTAs. Within each of the programs offered, you'll find fun activities, helpful evaluation tools, and tips to involve all the key players in a school community. No other parent group can offer the credible, complete, and all-inclusive programs to engage successfully families and communities all year round. You can learn more about the following programs on our site:

PTA Goes to Work — Your gateway to navigating the ever-expanding world of information on career planning and getting your child or student on the path to an exciting and rewarding career. PTA, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), can help you connect to and explore the valuable resources for employment, training and career information.

Building Successful Partnerships — Based on the National Standards for Parent/Family Involvement Programs, Building Successful Partnerships prepares attendees to speak to schools and communities about strengthening parent involvement and implementing parent involvement programs, plans, and policies in their local schools.

Parent Involvement Schools of Excellence Certification — What is it? The Parent Involvement Schools of Excellence Certification program provides schools with tools to assess and enhance their commitment to parent involvement based on PTA’s National Standards for Parent/Family Involvement Programs. After completing the assessment process and submitting an application, schools that meet the parent involvement standards and provide supporting documentation become certified as Parent Involvement Schools of Excellence. Others can use the assessment process to develop a blueprint for improving the parent involvement practices and policies in their schools.

For more information, e-mail the National PTA programs staff.

Reflections — The annual arts program allows more than 700,000 children and youth to express themselves through musical composition, photography, visual arts, and literature. For many school districts with limited funding, this program provides great value to the students and school community at no cost to the district.

Phoebe Apperson Hearst–National PTA Excellence in Education Partnership Award — This award program recognizes a local PTA for its collaborative efforts with parents, families, educators, and community members to in ongoing programs that encourage student success.

Back-to-School program resources help PTAs get children ready for a successful school year, After School  resources promote the benefits of school-based after-school programs, and Teacher Appreciation Week in the spring provides ideas and resources to PTAs so they can recognize the contributions made by teachers to their children’s education.

School/Community Workshops on student achievement, childhood nutrition, prevention of violence and bullying, and other topics provide a framework for PTAs to increase parent awareness of issues affecting their children.