School Systems and the PTA: Partnering in the Time of COVID-19

Abstract

School systems and parents have fought over control of K-12 education for more than 150 years. However, the COVID-19 pandemic shined a spotlight on the need for school systems and parents to build cross-sectoral partnerships to deliver that education. One vehicle for this cross-sectoral partnership is the Parent Teacher Associations (PTA) found in every school district. Partnering is not a novel idea in education. School districts partner with colleges and universities, after-school providers, and school-based health systems. It is time for educators and their communities to reexamine and strengthen their cross-sectoral partnership with the nongovernmental organization that is already there, the local PTA.