2020 Letters to Policymakers

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National PTA regularly communicates with members of Congress and in the Administration about issues impacting children, families and schools. National PTA also joins with other education, civic, civil rights and advocacy organizations to amplify our collective messages to Congress and the Administration. Click on the icons below to read the latest letters to policymakers from National PTA. 

Child Nutrition



April 22, 2020 - National PTA and 48 State PTAs provide comments on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) “Simplifying Meal Service and Monitoring Requirements in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs” proposed rule (85 FR 4094)

COVID-19 (Coronavirus)

November 30, 2020 - National PTA joined a letter sent to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices asking that school personnel be included as a priority group for administration of the vaccines for the suppression of Covid-19.
November 16, 2020 - National PTA joins with education groups urging Congress to act now to provide aid to states and schools during the lame duck period
September 1, 2020 - National PTA joins other education groups to express concern to FEMA's indication that they intend to eliminate personal protective equipment and disinfectants as eligible reimbursable expenses under Public Assistance for COVID-19
August 25, 2020 - As part of NCPE, National PTA joins with numerous organizations in a letter to Congressional leadership to oppose funneling Coronavirus relief funds to private schools
August 24, 2020 - National PTA joins with 125 organizations urging Congress to pass the Pandemic Child Hunger Prevention Act (H.R. 7887).
August 19, 2020 - National PTA urges Congress to extend waiver authorities for the COVID-19 school nutrition rules granted to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) through the upcoming school year.
August 11, 2020 - National PTA urges USDA to use its existing waiver authority available through the Families First Coronavirus Response Act to extend waivers to ensure students have continued access to meals during the pandemic.
July 31, 2020 - As part of the Consortium for Citizens (CCD), National PTA expresses its opposition to the U.S. Department of Education's Interim Final Rule on equitable services in the CARES Act
July 31, 2020 - As part of the National Coalition for Public Education (NCPE), National PTA urges the U.S. Department of Education to rescind its Interim Final Rule on equitable services under the CARES Act
July 30, 2020 - National PTA along with other education groups requests that the U.S. Department of Education withdraw its Interim Final Rule (IFR) on equitable services under the CARES Act
July 30, 2020 - Sixteen education groups, including National PTA, respond to the introduction of the Health, Economic Assistance, Liability Protection and Schools (HEALS) Act
July 22, 2020 – National PTA along with numerous other national groups urge Congress to provide $4 billion in funding for remote learning through the E-rate program in the next COVID-19 emergency relief bill.
July 21, 2020 - National PTA joins in urging Congress to provide $55 million under the Assistive Technology (AT) Act to help address the increased need for assistive technology throughout the country due to COVID-19
July 21, 2020 - National PTA urges USDA to issue additional child nutrition waivers to support access and program operations in for the 2020-2021 school year.
July 20, 2020 - National PTA joins 25 other organizations in asking the U.S. Senate to prioritize and address the needs of children with disabilities, their families, and educators in the next COVID-19 emergency relief bill.
July 15, 2020 – National PTA joins 42 other organizations requesting an immediate federal investment of $10 billion for emergency building repairs and system renewals for our public schools located in our highest poverty communities.
July 9, 2020 – National PTA joins numerous other organizations in endorsing the Supporting Children with Disabilities during COVID-19 Act.
July 8, 2020 – National PTA expresses its support for the Universal Giving Pandemic Response Act
June 29, 2020 - National PTA calls on Congress to Provide Federal Aid to Help Safely Reopen Schools
June 4, 2020 - National PTA joins with 50 organizations urging Congress to pass legislation to rescind the U.S. Department of Education’s equitable services guidance under the CARES Act.
June 2, 2020 - As member of the National Coalition for Public Education, National PTA shares its support of language in the HEROES Act that prevents funding to be use to create private school voucher programs to funnel public dollars to private schools.
June 2, 2020 - National PTA joins 84 national partners in support of extending nationwide child nutrition waivers to September 30, 2020 to safely meet the nutrition needs of the families being hardest hit by the pandemic.
May 26, 2020 - National PTA expresses its support for the HEROES Act and urges congressional leaders to take additional action on critical K-12 education needs in the next COVID relief package
May 13, 2020 - National PTA joins other organizations to request $200 million in funding for school kitchen equipment grants in the next COVID-19 response bill.
May 7, 2020 - National PTA joins with over 80 organizations urge Congress to include funding for school infrastructure as a critical part of the any future COVID-19 stimulus package
April 30, 2020 - National PTA joins other non-profit orgs to urge Congress to include add'l emergency support in the next COVID-19 aid package for (Section) 501(c)(6) organizations, such as trade and professional education associations
April 20, 2020 – National PTA joins other orgs in opposition to insert a new private school voucher program, including a proposal announced by Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to provide “microgrants” to students, in the next COVID-19 relief package
April 6, 2020 – National PTA and other national education groups call for significant and critical funding in five key areas in the next COVID response package.
April 3, 2020 - National PTA and the Learning First Alliance urge Congress to make national and state level tax-exempt nonprofit educational associations eligible to participate in the Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loans.
April 3, 2020 - National PTA, along with 70 other organizations, express our strong conviction that no additional waivers should be provided under the Individuals with Disabilities Act or the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 during the COVID-19 crisis.
April 2, 2020 - National PTA calls on Congress to provide funding for family engagement, remote learning, special education and child nutrition programs in the next COVID-19 relief bill.
March 27, 2020 - National PTA, National Center for Family Literacy and the PACER Center urge Congress to provide $245.5 million in emergency funding for family engagement in education in subsequent COVID-19 relief packages.
March 25, 2020 - National PTA and other organizations urge the U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide additional nationwide waivers to ensure access to meals during this national emergency
March 24, 2020 - National PTA joins statement of education associations expressing disappointment in the lack of direct funding for remote and distance learning in Senate COVID-19 Relief Package #3.
March 24, 2020 - National PTA joins over 370 organizations to express opposition on the exemption of non-profits from accessing small business loans in S. 3548.
March 23, 2020 - National PTA calls for the establishment of an Emergency Connectivity Fund to provide Wi-Fi hotspots, connected devices and mobile broadband Internet service to ensure continuity of K-12 learning during the COVID-19 national emergency.
March 18, 2020 - National PTA joins leading education groups to call on Congress to enact bipartisan legislation to provide policy and fiscal relief to state and local education agencies in response to COVID-19
March 15, 2020 - National PTA and the Learning First Alliance urge Speaker Pelosi to include tax-exempt associations suffering from the impacts of COVID-19 in any federal aid package.
March 12, 2020 - National PTA joins other education groups in calling for the Federal Communications Commission to temporarily allow schools to utilize E-Rate program funding to provide internet access at home during Coronavirus school closures.

Education Technology and Student Data Privacy

No letters at this time

Elementary and Secondary Education

December 14, 2020 - National PTA joined a letter sent to President Elect Biden from the National Coalition for Public Education (NCPE), urging the incoming administration to oppose funding private schools with public funds.
December 10, 2020 - National PTA joined education groups on a letter sent to President-Elect Biden on the fifth anniversary of the signing into law of ESSA, urging support for the equity-focused, student-centered implementation of this civil rights law.
December 3, 2020 - National PTA sent a letter sharing National PTA priorities with the Biden transition team.

Federal Investments in Education

November 23,2020 - Led by National PTA, 133 organizations sent a letter to top appropriators urging that a final appropriations package include the Senate level of 15M for the Statewide Family Engagement Centers.
November 18, 2020 - National PTA joins organizations urging that the the House’s approved funding level for Title II-A of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) remain in a final FY 2021 appropriations package.
July 8, 2020 – National PTA expresses its support for the school infrastructure portions of H.R. 2, the Moving Forward Act of 2020.
July 7, 2020 - Lead by National PTA, 130 undersigned organizations request the Congress provide $15 million for the Statewide Family Engagement Centers (SFECs) grant program in the fiscal year (FY) 2021 appropriations bill.
March 11, 2020 - National PTA joins over 125 organizations requesting adequate funding for Title II-A of ESSA which supports state and school district efforts to recruit, prepare, mentor and provide professional development for educators.
January 23, 2020 - National PTA joins other organizations to urge the House of Representatives to include schools in any infrastructure package.
February 25, 2020 - National PTA joins other organizations to urge Congress to reject the President’s FY2021 budget proposal and support increased investments in all federal education programs including those that serve students with disabilities.

Gun Safety and Violence Prevention 

No letters at this time

Health and Safety

November 16, 2020 - National PTA joins members of the Education Task Force of the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) on a letter of support for the Keeping All Students Safe Act (KASSA)
August 13, 2020 - National PTA joins other National Organizations to Call for Rigorous Training and Appropriate Use of School Resource Officers
March 19, 2020 - National PTA joins open letter calling for lawmakers in states across the country to oppose dozens of bills that target LGBTQ people, especially transgender youth.
March 9, 2020 - National PTA urges the House of Representatives to increase funding for the CDC Office on Smoking and Health by to respond to soaring e-cigarette usage rates among youth and the toll tobacco use continues to take on our nation’s health.
March 9, 2020 - National PTA urges the Senate to increase funding for the CDC Office on Smoking and Health (OSH) by to respond to soaring e-cigarette usage rates among youth and the devastating toll tobacco use continues to take on our nation’s health.
February 21, 2020 - National PTA expresses its support for the Protecting American Lungs Act (H.R. 4742), which would impose a tax on nicotine used in e-cigarettes.
February 11, 2020 - National PTA Joins Other Organizations to Comment on the Environmental Protection Agency's revisions to the Lead and Copper Rule.

Juvenile Justice

No letters at this time

Special Education

No letters at this time

Undocumented Youth

No letters at this time