How Do I Make a Difference? School & District Parent Groups

Parent involvement is often touted as the key factor in successful outcomes for students, but what does that mean in practical terms? And how can parents and caregivers make a difference not only for their own children, but for their child’s class, school, or peers across the school district?

Think of parent involvement — or engagement — as a pyramid. (“Involvement” and “engagement” are often used interchangeably. “Involvement” implies an active role in making or carrying out decisions, whereas engagement more broadly implies paying close attention and acting as needed.) The base of the pyramid is what we call child-centered engagement — all the things parents and caregivers do to set their own children up for success, stay informed, and advocate for them as needed. The more parents have the knowledge, information, and tools to support their own children, the more likely our school communities are to thrive.

If you have the bandwidth and desire to do more, you may register as a volunteer and make yourself available as needed for field trips or special events. But if you want to make a difference at a more systemic level, consider getting involved in one of the many parent-run groups or parent-based committees at the school or district level. Here’s a quick overview of the groups and what they do.

parent groups

PTA (or PTSA) / PTA Council - Parent Teacher Association (PTA) is a national volunteer-based membership organization with state, regional, district-level governance as well as school site units. PTAs organize events, volunteers, community-building, and help parents stay informed. PTA’s mission is to engage and empower families and communities to advocate for all children. Anyone can join a school PTA. ("PTSAs" include student members.) PTA Council of PUSD oversees and supports the school-level units.

African American Parent Council - AAPC is a PUSD-chartered coalition of parents, students, schools, and communities that honors and embraces the identity and experiences of PUSD’s African-American families, advocates for cultural acceptance, and mobilizes all stakeholders to transform the system to ensure a high quality education for every student. AAPC has district-level parent leadership, but this year is focused on growing its school site-based AAPC groups.

English Learner Advisory Committee / District ELAC - Required at schools with 20+ students classified as English Learners (ELs). Parents/guardians of ELs attend meetings to learn how to support their EL students, and to advise the principal and school staff on programs and services supporting their EL students. ELACs are represented at the district level by the District ELAC, which meets monthly. (See Instagram post)

Voces Unidas - This is a new parent group committed to strengthening the engagement and empowerment of Latino families across PUSD. To connect with (or become) your child’s school’s representative, contact vocesunidaspusd@gmail.com.

Local Control Accountability Plan Parent Advisory Committee (LCAP PAC) - The LCAP PAC is a parent group that monitors our District’s plans for spending state funds to ensure academic achievement for all students. “LCAP” stands for Local Control Accountability Plan, and PAC stands for Parent Advisory Committee. LCAP PAC meetings are public, and a great place to learn more about how our schools are funded and how those funds are spent. To learn more about the LCAP, check out this parent-friendly LCAP overview,

Committees / Councils with Parent Representation

Annual Funds - Annual Funds are accounts set up through the Pasadena Educational Foundation (PEF) solely for the purpose of raising money for school programs, equipment, or extra staff. A school’s Annual Fund can set larger and longer-term goals, including raising money for salaried school staff. (PTA fundraising is limited to meeting the needs of its annual budget.) Annual Fund committee work is carried out primarily by parents, although the school principal must approve any expenditures.

School Site Council / DAC - Parents and teacher/staff representatives work with their principal to develop and monitor their school’s comprehensive Single Plan for Student Achievement. (See our SSC post.) The SSCs are represented and supported at the district level by the District Advisory Council (DAC).

Community Advisory Committee (CAC) - Mandated by California law, the CAC advises the district on the development of its Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) Local Plan and Annual Services and Budget Plans. The CAC is comprised of parents, community, and staff volunteers who are interested in promoting positive educational change for students receiving special education services. CAC monthly meetings are open to the public, and CAC members can help families receiving special education services navigate the process.

Foster Youth Council - This group is a space for foster parents and guardians to get resources to obtain information about district services for foster youth and to advise district staff and community support organizations about the needs of foster youth in PUSD.