PTO Council Advocacy Committee for School Funding Reform

Purpose: Our purpose is to voice the concerns of parents in and near the Ann Arbor Public School District on state level school financing issues.  

In order to advance our purpose, the Advocacy Committee has identified the following objectives:

• Advocacy with Elected Officials – We are engaging in active advocacy with Washtenaw County elected representatives to express our desire for stable school funding and the high priority of education funding in the face of difficult budget decisions.
• Parent Education – We are actively educating parents within AAPS on state school funding issues and their ability to effect change.

Top 10 K-12 Public School Funding Advocacy Opportunities

As the legislative session heats up in Lansing, the stakes are incredibly high for students and families. With the threat of over 100 Michigan schools going bankrupt and more funding cuts looming, we must join together at this critical time to influence legislators on behalf of schools.

Please take part in at least one of the advocacy opportunities below. As you decide what your message will be, please read our Talking Points.

• Email Governor Snyder and urge him to establish a stable funding base for schools.

• Call, mail or email your legislators and ask them to fight for guaranteed school funding levels. If you are unsure who your legislator is, use these links to find your Representative and find your Senator.

• Sign an online petition indicating your support for a fair and responsible state budget that fully funds K-12 public education.

• Write a letter to the editor that illustrates how the devastating cuts will impact your school or community.

• Participate in a rally in Lansing to advocate for stable school funding. See Save Our Schools (SOS) for more info.

• Invite your legislator to your school for a site visit. Contact a PTOC member at ptoc.a2advocacy@gmail.com if you’d like help organizing and preparing for your legislator visit.

• Attend a coffee hour or town hall meeting with your legislator. This time of year the legislators want to hear from the people they represent on issues that matter to them, and are scheduling meetings in your neighborhood. See the calendar above for coming events and meetings. Print our Leave-Behind Sheet to share with people you meet.

• Fan our "Ann Arbor PTO Council Advocacy Committee" page on Facebook to get the latest news and advocacy opportunities about school funding advocacy opportunities in Michigan.

• Submit your comments to the House Education Committee.

• Spread the message. Encourage your networks, coworkers, board members, friends, and family members to get vocal and make our message ring loud and clear in Lansing.

Continue to visit this page for updates as the budget and the legislative session evolve in Lansing. Please contact us at ptoc.a2advocacy@gmail.com if you have questions or need specific information about these issues.