Advocacy
Advocacy for All Children
​The PTA’s nationwide network provides parents with the forum and tools to collectively influence the decisions that affect children not only at their schools, but also throughout their districts, within their states, and across the nation. This mission is unique to the PTA.

PTA has been advocating for children and families for more than 129 years. Our work is centered on our historical purposes which have guided our association through the years.

At the council level, the Fort Wayne Area PTA Council advocates for all children by working directly with schools and district leadership on issues that impact student success, safety, and well-being, including initiatives such as #EscapeTheVape, school bus stop safety, and concerns affecting students within our schools and communities. We also advocate with and before the school board, elevate the voices of local PTA units, and work to ensure families have a strong, informed voice in decisions that affect children across our district. Wayne a PTA Council advocates for all children 
PTA Mission
PTA's mission is to make every child's potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children.
​What Does It Mean to Be a PTA?
  • PTAs benefit everyone. Strong schools mean stronger communities. PTA membership is open to anyone who wants to be involved and make a difference for the education, health and welfare of children and youth.
  • PTAs improve children’s well-being by focusing on what students need to be successful in their learning, including proper nutrition, safety and healthy environments.
  • PTAs keep parents informed. Involved parents can understand the challenges schools face and become part of the solution. PTAs support education through active participation and advocacy. PTAs help parents navigate the local educational system to become effective advocates for their children.
  • PTAs help schools fulfill parent involvement requirements mandated by the Elementary and Secondary Education Act–No Child Left Behind (ESEA–NCLB). Why? Because PTA’s definition of parent involvement is the definition used in ESEA–NCLB. Getting involved in PTA is the best way to utilize parent involvement. More than 85 rigorous research studies conducted over 40 years show that kids do better when parents are involved. Grades are higher. Test scores improve. Attendance increases.
  • Every PTA unit selects its own programs and activities. While National PTA creates many successful programs for local units to use, there are no required programs.
  • PTAs are independent of school systems yet collaborate in their local communities with administrators, lawmakers and community-based organizations. They can make the decisions that will best serve their needs.
​Historical Purposes of PTA:
  • To promote the welfare of children and youth in home, school, community and place of worship
  • To raise the standards of home life
  • To secure adequate laws for the care and protection of children and youth
  • To bring into closer relation the home and the school, so that parents and teachers may cooperate intelligently in the education of children and youth
  • To develop united efforts between educators and the general public that will secure for all children and youth the highest advantages in physical, mental, social and spiritual education
National PTA comprises millions of families, students, teachers, administrators and business and community leaders COMMITTED to the educational success of children and the promotion of family engagement in schools.

The PTA difference is directly related to the quality of the association, its mission, its history, historical purposes, and its national network of resources. Local PTA leaders have access to ideas and help from other PTAs across the nation. Most PTAs are registered nonprofit 501(c)(3) associations run by volunteers. PTAs receive benefits that include family, student and school-focused programs, training, guidance in starting and running a nonprofit organization and materials for use in local units and schools.

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