California State Parent-Teacher Association

**The mission of California State PTA is to positively impact the lives of all children and families.** Show/hide content **WHO WE ARE** **California State PTA connects families, schools and communities.** We are part of the foundation of our public-education system and a trusted messenger to millions of members, parents, families, educators and allied agencies throughout the state. PTA is the nation’s largest volunteer-led child-advocacy association working to drive improvements in the education, health and well-being of all children and families. We believe every adult has a responsibility to ensure that all children develop to their full potential. We believe parents are children’s first teachers and that parent involvement is essential throughout a child’s educational experience. We believe that family is the basic unit of society responsible for the support and nurturing of all children, and we recognize that “the family” may be defined in many ways. We believe our responsibility includes advocating for the safety and welfare of all children and the opportunity for a quality public education for each child. We’re also part of [National PTA](http://www.pta.org/index.cfm) – the largest child advocacy association in America. **WHAT WE DO** **Working together, we** **promote the welfare of children and youth** in home, school, community, and place of worship; raise the standards of home life; secure adequate laws for the care and protection of children and youth; bring into closer relation the home and the school, that parents and teachers may cooperate intelligently in the education of children and youth; and **develop between educators and the general public such united efforts as will secure for all children and youth the highest advantages** in physical, mental, social and spiritual education.