GE Foundation Grant Helps National PTA Expand Common Core Work

National PTA announced today that it received a one-year $240,000 grant from the GE Foundation to further its efforts on the Common Core State Standards.

National PTA will expand its Common Core work by creating state-specific assessment guides for every state that has adopted the Common Core State Standards. The resource will be a key supplement to National PTA's popular Parent's Guide to Student Success which has been used throughout the nation by community partners, school districts and departments of education.

"As the largest child advocacy organization in the country, National PTA has played a leading role in educating families and communities about the Common Core State Standards for years, creating a groundswell of support for this historic reform," said Betsy Landers, National PTA President. "The need for creating awareness of the standards remains a high priority. We believe that new resources focused on assessments and accountability systems must be included in the public dialogue to ensure that parents are knowledgeable about the standards and remain supportive during the transition phase in each state."

The research for the guides has already begun, in collaboration with the Center for Strategic Research and Communication, and individualized assessment guides will be available to every state based on their specific implementation and assessment timelines. The guides will be modeled off the Kentucky Parent's Guide to Assessments. It contains information in parent-friendly language, including a background on the standards and state specific information about their assessment consortium, the testing timeline, sample test questions, impacts on students, new accountability systems and ways for parents to get involved and support their child's learning at home.

Since it began its work on the Common Core in 2009, National PTA and its hard-working volunteers nationwide have educated more than 2.8 million people electronically or in print and trained more than 38,000 people on Common Core and advocacy through educational trainings. For more information on National PTA's efforts on the Common Core, visit PTA.org/CommonCore.

About National PTA
National PTA comprises millions of families, students, teachers, administrators, and business and community leaders devoted to the educational success of children and the promotion of parent involvement in schools. PTA is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit association that prides itself on being a powerful voice for all children, a relevant resource for families and communities, and a strong advocate for public education. Membership in PTA is open to anyone who wants to be involved and make a difference for the education, health, and welfare of children and youth.