The Idaho Congress of Parents and Teachers is an educational organization that seeks to unite the forces of home, school, and community in behalf of children and youth.

The mission of Idaho PTA is threefold:

1. To support and speak on behalf of children and youth in the schools, in the community, and before governmental bodies and other organizations that make decisions affecting children;
2. To assist parents in developing the skills they need to raise and protect their children; and
3. To encourage parent and public involvement in the public schools of this nation.

The Purpose of the PTA is:

• To promote the welfare of children and youth in home, school, community, and place of worship.
• To raise the standards of home life.
• To secure adequate laws for the care and protection of children and youth.
• To bring into closer relation the home and the school, that parents and teachers may cooperate intelligently in the education of children and youth.
• To 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.

1. SUMMARY

   We are a powerful voice for children. As times change the Idaho Parent Teacher Association (PTA) must also change and adjust to remain the premier child advocacy organization in the state. This strategic plan points the way for the Idaho PTA to make substantial improvements in our organization while staying focused on our mission, purpose, vision and values. This strategic plan identifies the strategic objectives, goals and tactics that the Idaho PTA has established for the next several years. The objectives and goals include:

   1. Increase and Diversify Membership

      Goal 1: Increase and diversify membership by increasing the number of units in good standing to 125 by June 2008

      Goal 2: Increase membership in the Idaho PTA by 10%.

   2. Enhance Communication

      Goal 1: Enhance communication with all members of the Idaho PTA.

   3. Promote PTA through PR and Marketing

      Goal 1: Disseminate information to the public in an effort to strengthen the visibility of the Idaho PTA and to increase the credibility of Idaho PTA.

   4. Develop Leadership at all Levels

      Goal 1: Develop effective leaders for all positions on the board and for chairs of standing committees.

      Goal 2: Make committees a priority at all levels

   5. Enhance and Build Non-Dues Revenue

      Goal 1: Identify programs/areas that need additional funding and what that funding will accomplish. Then obtain funding from outside resources.

   6. Increase the PTA's Advocacy Voice

      Goal 1: Help parents be advocates for the children in their schools, school districts, in the state and nationally

      Goal 2: Increase Idaho PTAs recognition as an advocate for Children

      Goal 3: Increase Student Involvement in Advocacy

   7. Increase Parent and Student Involvement Through Participation in Programs

      Goal 1: Increase awareness of the programs that are available and improve participation

2. VISION/MISSION/VALUES

   PTA Vision

   Make every child's potential a reality

   PTA Mission

   PTA is

   • A powerful voice for all children
   • A relevant resource for families and communities, and
   • A strong advocate for the education and well-being of every child.

   PTA Values

   Collaboration: We work in partnership with a wide array of individuals and organizations to accomplish our agreed-upon goals.

   Commitment: We are dedicated to promoting children's health, well-being, and educational success through strong parent, family and community involvement.

   Accountability: We acknowledge our obligations. We deliver on our promises.

   Respect: We value our colleagues and ourselves. We expect the same high quality of effort and thought from ourselves as we do from others.

   Inclusivity: We invite the stranger and welcome the newcomer. We value and seek input from as wide a spectrum of viewpoints and experiences as possible.

   Integrity: We act consistently with our beliefs. When we err, we acknowledge the mistake and seek to make amends.

3. SWOT ANALYSIS

4. Strategic Objectives
   1. Increase and Diversify Membership

      Idaho PTA has had an increase in membership each year for the past 4 years. However, there has not always been a corresponding increase in the number of units. Also, not all units show an increase in membership.

      Goal 1:

      Increase and diversify membership by increasing the number of units in good standing to 125 by June 2008.

      Barrier or Gap Analysis and Options

      Barriers/Gaps/Issues	Options for Reaching the Objectives
      Limited time and $ resources Lack of a coordinated effort Loss of existing units	Develop a targeted approach to obtaining new units Establish Regional Extension Liaisons Obtain a sponsor for parent involvement Better service and communication with existing units

      Implementation Plan

      Tactics	Responsible Individual	Success Metric	Timing/Completion
      Train Regional Leaders on how to gain new units	State Extension Chair	80% of region board members trained	Nov 1, 2007
      Each region selects 2 school districts to focus extension efforts on	Region Directors	List sent to Membership VP	Dec 1, 2007
      Establish contact with non-PTA schools in the focus districts.	State Membership Chair	Phone contact made with each non-PTA school principal in the focus district as well as with the Superintendent	Nov 1, 2007
      Make Contact with any non-PTA parent groups in the focus districts	Region Director	Phone contact made with the leader of each non-PTA parent group	Nov 15, 2007
      Reach out to administrators so they can see the advantages of PTA	Membership VP	meetings held with the IASA, ISBA, IEA on the advantages of PTA	Jan 1, 2008
      Reach out to past PTA units by sharing with them some of their history in PTA	Membership VP	Letters sent highlighting the units PTA history	Feb 1, 2008
      Organize the Community Outreach Committee	Membership VP	Chair and committee members obtained. Formalized objectives agreed to by the committee. Tasks entered in the task list to implement objectives	Jan 1, 2008
      Make contact with new units within three (3) days of becoming a unit	Membership VP and Region Director	Phone or email contact made	On Going
      Develop area of focus for the National Extension Rep.	Membership VP	Documented plan agreed to by the Membership VP, State Extension Chair and the national Extension Rep. Task to implement the plan entered in the task list	Jan 1, 2008

      Goal 2:

      Increase membership in the Idaho PTA by 10%

      Barrier or Gap Analysis and Options

      Barriers/Gaps/Issues	Options to overcome
      Lack of understanding of the benefits of belonging to the PTA Loss of existing units	Promote PTA benefits at meetings and in publications Nurture existing units

      Implementation Plan

      Tactics	Responsible Individual	Success Metric	Timing/Completion
      Establish a Membership Committee composed of region and local unit membership chairs and others who wish to receive info about membership and PTA benefits	Membership VP	Committee members identified and regular communication established	Sept 1, 2007
      Incorporate PTA benefits in all state training	Membership VP	Benefits presented at each training	On Going
      Send out a summary of PTA benefits to individual members	Membership VP	Sent via email or postcard	Nov 1, 2007
      Train Region and local leaders on the benefits of PTA	Membership VP	Training provided at Fall Conferences	Oct 1, 2007
      Train state board members in the 5 benefits of being a PTA unit and the 5 benefits of being a PTA member	Membership VP	Training provided at Summer Leadership and reviewed at each board meeting	On Going
      Develop a plan to acknowledge and thank current PTA units and members	Membership VP	Written plan with tasks to implement in the task list	Sept 1, 2007
      Train local leaders on OMDR	Membership VP/Exec Director	Training provided at Region Conf, in Idaho's Voice, website, convention	On Going

   2. Enhance Communication

      Timely, focused communication with PTA leaders and PTA members has always been an issue for the Idaho PTA. The PTA must take advantage of technology and contact information to improve communications.

      Goal 1:

      Enhance Communication with all members of the Idaho PTA.

      Barrier or Gap Analysis and Options

      Barriers/Gaps/Issues	Options to overcome
      Limited member contact information Lack of timeliness in updating web page Limited distribution of information	Revamp Web Site Postcard or Newsletter Timely response to PTA questions Develop roles/responsibilities matrix for board members and communicate to members Educate leadership on PTA services

      Implementation Plan

      Tactics	Responsible Individual	Success Metric	Timing/Completion
      Keep the web site of Idaho PTA updated with all information and events	Executive Director	No outdated material on the web site	On Going
      Develop a one page newsletter or postcard with a specific topic to be mailed/emailed to members	President	Timely delivery of newsletter and postcard	Nov, Jan, March
      Respond as soon as possible to all questions/or requests via telephone or email.	Executive Director	Response within 3 days	On Going
      Educate all members of the responsibilities or each board member	President	Training provided or article	At each occurrence
      Take advantage of the ODMR system to collect member contact information and use to electronically send information to members that provide an email address	Board Members	Numbers of members receiving email communication	Evaluate at Feb board meeting
      Educate all leadership on the resources that are available to them in the Idaho Resource Manual (IRM)	Board Members/Extension Chairs	Training Provided at Fall Conferences	Oct 1, 2007
      Have monthly contact with existing units	Region Directors	Better retention of units	Monthly
      Provide a topic for Regional Directors to use when making monthly contacts	President Elect	Reminder emails with topic	Monthly

   3. Promote PTA through PR and Marketing

      There is a lack of understanding by the general public on what the PTA is, the difference between PTA and other parent groups, and the activities of the PTA. Increased PR and marketing would provide a method to increase their understanding and appreciation for the PTA

      Goal 1:

      Disseminate information to the public in an effort to strengthen the visibility of the Idaho PTA and to increase the credibility of Idaho PTA.

      Barrier or Gap Analysis and Options

      Barriers/Gaps/Issues	Options to overcome
      Lack of respected voice Lack of funds Need for PR network	Use more opportunities to make PTA voice heard Find funding to promote PTA

      Implementation Plan

      Tactics	Responsible Individual	Success Metric	Timing/Completion
      Use Press Releases, Op-Ed Articles, Letters to the Editor, Feature Articles to communicate PTA's positions, Involvement, announcements, and events	Executive Committee	Follow-up with media outlets to see if release was published	After each article
      Work with the Governor to proclaim September as PTA Parent Involvement Month	President Elect	Proclamation signed	Sept 1, 2007
      Develop and publish a Press Kit that provides a quick resource to interested parties	PR Chair	Complete kits	Jan 1, 2008
      Publish a newsletter summarizing news and information that is interesting to the public at large. This newsletter could be distributed (preferably by email) directly to members, school principals, school districts, associations, media outlets, etc.	PR Chair	Published newsletter	Nov, Feb, May, Aug
      Coordinate opportunities for IPTA officers to speak before clubs, churches, service organizations and professional groups that share an interest in the wellbeing of children and youth	Community Outreach Chair/Parent Involvement Chair	Number of opportunities each year	On Going
      Design and procure a professional display booth to be displayed at a variety of public gatherings and conferences	PR Chair	Completed booth	Feb 1, 2008
      Purchase IPTA-logo promotional items to be given away to local unit leaders as gifts of appreciation, to audience members and to Exhibit Booth visitors	PR Chair	Receipt of Items	Apr 1, 2008

   4. Develop Leadership at all Levels

      Effective leadership is necessary for any organization to succeed. The Idaho PTA needs to develop effective leaders to ensure the viability of the organization for another 100 years.

      Goal 1:

      Develop effective leaders for all positions on the board and for chairs of standing committees.

      Barrier or Gap Analysis and Options

      Barriers/Gaps/Issues	Options to overcome
      I can do it myself attitude Fear of asking for help Reduced volunteerism	Start by assigning smaller tasks Train existing leaders on promoting PTA Provide adequate training to new leaders

      Implementation Plan

      Tactics	Responsible Individual	Success Metric	Timing/Completion
      Appoint chairs and assure committees are trained and functioning	President and responsible board member	Reduced vacancies and increases chairs/ committees	Sept 1, 2007
      Communicate position descriptions to those leaders and chairs serving Idaho PTA	President/Exec Committee	Position Descriptions sent to and discussed with each leader	Sept 1, 2007
      Promote the Leadership Awards Program	Leadership Development Chair	Promotional materials developed and distributed	Jan 31, 2008
      Provide training on leadership/team building for state board and local leaders	President	Completed Training	Oct 1, 2007
      Utilize information from NPTA trainings at all levels	Board	Completed Training	On Going
      Offer training to Region Boards specifically	Exec Committee	Completed Training	Oct 1, 2008
      Discuss leadership development at break out sessions during PTA events	President Elect/Conv Chair	Completed Training	Apr 30, 2008
      Board of Director's will take opportunity to thank one another, as well as regional and local unit leaders for a job well done	State Board	Improved Appreciation	On Going
      Improve training for new board members	President	Training plan for each position	Jan 1, 2008
      Improve training for new unit leaders and members	Leadership Development Chair/Region Directors	Training schedule for new units	Oct 1, 2007
      Update/streamline/condense the IRM and get on website	President Elect/Executive Director	Updated info on Web, actual cost savings	Apr 1, 2008
      Increase attendance at convention	President Elect/Convention Chair	Attendance numbers go up	Apr 30, 2008

      Goal 2:

      Make committees a priority at all levels

      Barrier or Gap Analysis and Options

      Barriers/Gaps/Issues	Options to overcome
      Fear of asking for help Lack of understanding of the benefits of committees Lack of people willing to volunteer	Educate leaders on the use of committees Provide assistance from the state board in establishing committees in the regions and local units

      Implementation Plan

      Tactics	Responsible Individual	Success Metric	Timing/Completion
      Write newsletter article about committees and their benefits	President	Completed Article	August Newsletter each year
      Teach committee concepts to all leaders	President/Region Directors	Training topic on meeting agendas	Each board meeting/training
      Build and Utilize talent bank	State Board	Up to date talent bank matrix	On Going
      Increase volunteer retention by knowing, challenging, encouraging and thanking them	Board Members	Increase in volunteers/ more complete committees	On Going

   5. Enhance and Build Non-Dues Revenue

      Financial resources are needed to accomplish the Idaho PTA goals and objectives. It is not reasonable to expect the membership dues to provide all funding.

      Goal 1:

      Identify programs/areas that need additional funding and what that funding will accomplish. Then obtain funding from outside resources.

      Barrier or Gap Analysis and Options

      Barriers/Gaps/Issues	Options to overcome
      Lack of knowledge on potential funding Resources to search out funding	Train leaders on Grant writing Assign someone to research grant opportunities Become more aggressive in pursuing corporate funding Assign one person who coordinates all potential revenue, traings Board, coordinates efforts - Ways & Means Chair

      Implementation Plan

      Tactics	Responsible Individual	Success Metric	Timing/Completion
      Research and apply for grants	President/Treasurer	Application submitted for one or more additional grants	Apr 1, 2008
      Increase Business Sponsorship participation	President/Membership Chair	100% increase in business sponsors	Nov 30, 2007
      Effectively utilize Convention Program Ad's as a source of revenue	Pres Elect/Convention Chair	10% increase in ad income	Apr 30, 2008
      Increase advertising in the newsletter	President/Executive Director	Advertising income pays for costs	On Going
      Provide grant opportunity information to local units	Treasurer	Grant info included in each Voice issue	On Going

   6. Increase the PTA's Advocacy Voice

      As part of the largest child advocacy organization in the United States the Idaho PTA must stay focused on this effort. The Idaho PTA must use the power of the parent's voices to make improvements for children.

      Goal 1:

      Help parents be advocates for the children in their schools, school districts, in the state and nationally.

      Barrier or Gap Analysis and Options

      Barriers/Gaps/Issues	Options to overcome
      Parents lack knowledge of issues Parents don't feel empowered Parents have a , "what's in it for me" attitude	Train parents about the issues Demonstrate to the parents the power they have Share successes between units Help parent understand what is in it for them and their child

      Implementation Plan

      Tactics	Responsible Individual	Success Metric	Timing/Completion
      Provide advocacy training to leaders and parents	Legislative VP	Completed training	At each state event
      Raise money for legislative activities	Legislative VP	Funds available	Dec 31, 2007
      Focus on advocacy at the school district level	Legislative VP	Completed training	Dec 31, 2007
      Increase attendance at Advocacy Conference and Legislative day	Legislative VP	Increased attendance	Feb 28, 2008
      Promote Federal Legislative Day	Legislative VP	Article or other promotion	Mar 1, 2008
      Find future legislative leaders	Legislative VP	Strong leg committee	On Going

      Goal 2:

      Increase Idaho PTAs recognition as an advocate for Children

      Barrier or Gap Analysis and Options

      Barriers/Gaps/Issues	Options to overcome
      Lack of recognition by the general public Weak relationships with like minded organizations Lack of resources	Work to build relationships with organization heads Be more vocal at the PTA position Get more people involved

      Implementation Plan

      Tactics	Responsible Individual	Success Metric	Timing/Completion
      Work with the IEA to formalize the Education Coalition	President	Formalized coalition	Dec 31, 2007
      Use the media to promote PTA positions	Legislative VP	Press releases etc	On Going
      Use Intellicontact to send out action alerts and use OMDR to communicate directly with LU Leaders	Legislative VP	Action alerts	On Going

      Goal 3:

      Increase Student Involvement in Advocacy

      Barrier or Gap Analysis and Options

      Barriers/Gaps/Issues	Options to overcome
      Reaching students Lack of interest by students Leaders not interested in bringing students to events	Provide resources to PTSA's on involving students in advocacy Make state events more student friendly Get more people involved

      Implementation Plan

      Tactics	Responsible Individual	Success Metric	Timing/Completion
      Appoint PTSA students to the legislative committee	Legislative VP	At least one student on the committee	Dec 31, 2007
      Make it affordable to send students to Advocacy Conference and Legislative Day	Legislative VP	Reduced rate for students	Feb 28, 2008
      Hold activities and workshops at Advocacy Conference and Legislative Day that students would be interested in	Legislative VP	Positive evaluations by students	Feb 28, 2008

   7. Increase Parent and Student Involvement through Participation in Programs

      The ready made programs provided by the PTA and other organizations should be used to increase parent involvement and to increase student participation.

      Goal 1:.

      Increase awareness of the programs that are available and improve participation

      Barrier or Gap Analysis and Options

      Barriers/Gaps/Issues	Options to overcome
      PTA leaders do not see the value of the programs Parents aren't informed about the programs	Improve communication of available programs Provide training on using the programs

      Implementation Plan

      Tactics	Responsible Individual	Success Metric	Timing/Completion
      Increase participation in the reflections program	Reflections Chair	5% increase overall	Feb 28, 2008
      Provide Tips to teachers on how to incorporate the Reflections program into class time	Reflections Chair	Tip sheet to teachers	Nov 31, 2007
      Provide information about programs in each issue of the Voice	Programs VP	Article in each Voice	On Going
      Promote Start The Arts Week	Reflections Chair	Information in the IRM and an article in the Voice	Nov 31, 2007
      Work with the SDE, SBE, IEA, ISBA, and IASA etc in areas that are common to PTA such as parent involvement, and children's health and safety.	Programs VP	At least one joint effort undertaken	On Going
      Work with the PIRC in Idaho to develop a partnership that can increase parents access to the resources PIRC and the PTA have available	Programs VP	A written plan developed jointly with PIRC	Apr 30, 2008
      Research programs developed by others that may be useful to the PTA	Programs VP	Presentation of possible programs to the State Board or Exec Comm	On Going

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   Appendix A - Definitions

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   Summary:

   The summary section is used to identify what the PTA is all about. It can also contain highlevel statements that define the direction of the organization over this strategic planning period.

   This is the first statement that most people will read and it should have impact. I would recommend that you put in sentences that cover how you would like to grow, what you plan to improve on, or how the organization plans to make a difference.

   Vision/Mission/Values:

   The vision, mission, and values statements are intended to be the framework by which your organization operates. Since organizations tend to be large and distributed, it is difficult for them to align their day to day objectives. These statements are meant to empower employees by giving them guidelines on how they conduct themselves. In essence, these statements are meant to develop a like minded culture that has aligned goals. Most organizations focus on performance, accountability, or ethical values.

   The vision statement is like a point on the horizon. It is the first section in a strategic plan that focuses on future direction. It would typically identify where the organization is headed, but not specifically say how they will get there. The mission statement is how the organization sees its value or core competencies. The value statement identifies the qualities and traits that the organization values.

   SWOT - Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats:

   This section is self-defining, but it is usually the starting point for an organization that wants to define itself. Strengths are what the organization does well or has to its advantage.

   Weaknesses are what the organization does not do well and areas where it needs improvement. Opportunities are things the organization may be able to capitalize on given a little planning and work. Threats are what potentially keep the organization from meeting its objectives.

   Strategic Objectives:

   Strategic objectives can also be referred to as goals, but to be consistent with the PTA extension plan format, goals were incorporated into this plan. The strategic objectives should be viewed as 100,000 foot objectives for meeting the organizational vision. These are usually specific enough for all employees to understand the purpose.

   Goals:

   For this plan, goals are used as a way to further quantify the strategic objectives. This should be seen as a 50,000 foot view for meeting the overall strategic objective. A good way to identify goals is to see the strategic objective as multi-phased project and each goal as a step towards reaching the strategic objective.

   Barrier or Gap Analysis and Options:

   This section is completed for each identified goal. The SWOT analysis sections for weaknesses and threats should be used as a basis for filling out this section. This is a good section for identifying additional SWOT weaknesses and threats, because participants can more easily identify these items when they are working on tangible concepts. Therefore, when more items are added to the SWOT analysis, the SWOT analysis becomes an even better tool for building a comprehensive plan.

   Implementation Plan:

   The implementation plan should be viewed as the 10,000 foot view of the way strategies and goals will be accomplished. This section is made up of four components. The tactics could also be called tasks but tasks usually denote specific step-by-step work activities to accomplish something. This document uses the term tactics because it is a common strategic planning concept. When creating an actual project or business plan, to implement a strategic objective or goal, an organization should identify lower level tasks that can be tied to each tactic listed in this plan.

   The next component is the responsible individual. This is usually the owner or the person who is accountable for this tactic. However, it does not have to be the specific person doing all the low level tasks to accomplish the tactic. For example, when a governing body wants a status on a tactic, they don't want to talk to twenty different people working on implementing the tactic, they want one person to be accountable.

   The next component is the success metric. This can sometimes be confusing but it is really a simple concept. This is how the organization determines if the tactic got them closer to the strategic objective or goal. For instance, the strategy is to climb Mount Everest. The goals are to reach each base camp. The tactics outline the plan for getting to each base camp. The success metric is the safe arrival of each team member at each specific base camp.

   The final component is the timing and completion. This would be analogous to a project start date, duration, and end date. It is when interested parties can expect the tactic to be completed.