Legislative Bills

That Utah PTA and its constituent bodies encourage parents and student to promote student attendance and address chronic absenteeism through incentive programs, awards, events, or awareness campaigns.

That Utah PTA support legislative efforts to protect children and youth from communicable diseases through vaccinations or other prevention methods allowing for medical, religious, and personal exemptions

That Utah PTA and its organizations continue to support the right of each student with a disability to have access to an equal education via whatever means reasonable and necessary to specific disabilities, such as Individualized Education Programs (IEP’s) and 504 Accommodation Plans, which may include transportation, therapy, special services/equipment, reasonable accommodations and other supportive services the child requires to benefit from his/her educational program; and be it further

Resolved, That Utah PTA and its constituent associations work to provide for the safety and survival of all children in a disaster by collaborating with schools, cities, first responders and parents by adopting and maintaining an all-hazards approach in the school's emergency preparedness and response plans specific to their school's needs, and be it further Resolved, That Utah PTA and its constituent associations work with Utah schools to educate and train students, parents, staff and first responders on their school's emergency preparedness and response plan by facilitating drills and exercises including evacuation, lockdown, shelter-inplace and reunification, and be it further Resolved, That Utah PTA and its constituent associations urge local and state policy makers to update policies to current standards, facilitate multiagency coordination, promote education and fund comprehensive emergency preparedness plans. Resolved, That Utah PTA and its constituent bodies work with their respective state education specialists, in there districts, schools, and communities to encourage the development and implementation of safe school policies, and and be it further Resolved, That Utah PTA continues to work for enhanced legislation that promotes safe schools.

That Utah PTA and its constituent bodies collaborate with local PTAs and PTSAs of Middle, Jr. High and High schools and community organizations to increase awareness of the problem of teen dating violence, and to help educate families, teens, educators, and legislators about responsible relationships and the causes of teen dating violence and strategies for preventing teen dating violence;

That Utah PTA support adequate funding for and encourage consideration of financial incentives to recruit and retain highly qualified and effective educators, including appropriation of adequate funding to upgrade salary schedules; and be it further
 

Resolved, That Utah PTA and its constituent associations promote and support the adoption and enforcement of laws, at all levels of government, to end the recruitment, force or involvement of a minor in conduct or violence of a sexually nature and all forms of sexual exploitation; and be it further

Resolved, That Utah PTA and its constituent associations encourage and call for members, policy makers, schools and community organizations to actively raise awareness and to address those conditions and situations that contribute to the sexual exploitation of a minor

Resolved, that Utah PTA and its constituent bodies support the right of the people to participate in direct democracy through initiatives and referenda and oppose any legislation that weakens their ability to do so.

Resolved, That Utah PTA encourage the legislature to pass laws that will ensure that the best interests of the child be given primary emphasis in placement matters.

Resolved, That Utah PTA encourage rigor in student academic pursuits, but also value each student's diverse needs and post high school plans by encouraging statewide practices and requirements that achieve balance and flexibility in student curriculum; and be it further

Resolved, That Utah PTA support school rigor in a wide variety of subjects and oppose efforts that too narrowly define academic rigor solely as language arts, math, and science; and be it further

Resolved, That Utah PTA ask the State Board of Education to encourage the implementation of flexible four-year plans as part of the SEOP process for grades 9-12 to help students explore and better focus their high school courses toward post high school plans.

That Utah PTA work to ensure that there are questions asked in prenatal health care about use of alcohol, and that the medical community understand and work to educate people concerning the prevention of FAS/FAE

National PTA Resolution on Distracted Driving Resolved, That PTA and its constituent associations support the adoption and enforcement of laws that restrict the manipulation of handheld and portable communication devices while driving;

That Utah PTA supports legislative action that promotes education or cessation programs regarding substance abuse

That Utah PTA and its constituent bodies encourage district school boards or charter school boards to adopt policies to examine their own chronic absenteeism data; implement prevention programs, positive support, and outreach strategies and services for students and families; and develop community-wide awareness strategies to address chronic absenteeism

That Utah PTA support programs that help mentoring families, including those that focus on the individual or family for a significant amount of time, teaching parenting skills, promoting continuing education, encouraging good health care for themselves and their children, and helping children succeed in school.