Like so many other parents, I contributed money to the PTSA. But where did my money go? I decided to find out. See what I learned, by reading this series...

The Mystery of the Missing Money

Episode #1

“Class Resources—Staff @ 250 each”
That’s what the budget said. But what are class resources, and why do we need to pay for them? Here’s what I found out.

The district allocates money to each school. That budget covers school wide items such as maintenance agreements for copiers; copy paper; pencils and pens; crossing guard flags, jackets, etc.; training for staff; and toilet paper and paper towels. The money the district supplies amounts to a mere $97.50 per student. There is no budget for individual classroom supplies.

The money the PTSA supplies goes to things like containers, puzzles and learning games, books, art supplies, pencil sharpeners, and so on—the basic supplies that teachers need for their classes. And $250 doesn’t really cover it. Did you know that each year most teachers spend money out of their own pocket for classroom supplies? Are you asked to spend your own money for your job? (I just charge my clients.)

Mystery item #1, solved. And my conclusion? It’s money well spent!

~ I. M. Basset
 

Episode #2

“Instructional Personnel”
Yet another item on the PTSA budget. What does it mean? Aren’t the teachers the instructional personnel? Who are these mystery people...

Ah. They’re the ones you see early in the morning out in the cold rain, huddled under their umbrellas at the crosswalks, ensuring our children get to school safely. The same people who help out everyday inside the school: working with the kids in class so the teacher can give those Dibble tests, working with individual children, making photocopies, and supervising the playground during recess.

I found out that IA’s, instructional assistants, is the code name for these helpers. But perhaps it should be invaluable assistants. The one-on-one reading time they give to children (which the PTSA money funds) is especially helpful.

These men and women provide important one-on-one time with an adult instructor. According to teachers, IA’s are critical to your child’s education. Another mystery item solved. Thank goodness we can afford to hire these “invaluable assistants!”
 

~ I. M. Basset

Episode #3

“Accelerated Reader”
Okay, I’ve heard of this one. Accelerated Reader, AR, is the software that kids use to test their comprehension of the books they’ve read. I’ve seen notes come home setting the monthly AR goals for my child’s class.

Is it truly valuable? Definitely. I interrogated several teachers and, according to them, AR plays an important role, supporting the classroom work in reading. Kid’s love AR and the goal of earning points motivates them to read more. The tests they take on the computer provide important information to the teacher, indicating the child’s comprehension and reading level. Teachers use that, along with their own experience with the child, to evaluate the student and ensure he or she is working at the appropriate level.

Did you know that AR is an extra enrichment activity? That means that it’s done outside of and in addition to regular classroom work. In some cases, it requires parent volunteers to help kids take the tests—especially the younger kids. AR takes not just money, but volunteer time.

I guess I can check AR off my list. But before I do, I think I just might try out one of those test. Do they have one for Encyclopedia Brown?
 

~ I. M. Basset

Episode #4

“Teacher Training & Stipends”
Another cryptic item in the PTSA budget. Okay, teacher training I get. Teachers sometimes go for special training or to observe how teachers at other schools are implementing programs in their classes. But what are the stipends for?

Well, part of this budget item covers teacher training, something I’m all for! The stipends portion covers substitutes, who cover for teachers in training. More importantly, though, the stipends pay for teachers who work with kids outside of the classroom.

In particular, this budget item pays for the two teachers who work with the student council. And it covers the teacher who acts as liaison to the PTSA. She attends the bi-monthly PTSA board meetings—providing critical input to the board—as well as the General Membership meetings. She’s tasked with gathering information from the teachers to provide to the PTSA and communicating PTSA decisions and information back to the teachers. The stipends also cover the two teachers who run the all important math clubs. Lastly, they cover the cost of a teacher participating in the Ways and Means committee meetings.

Training and stipends are alright in my book. So far, the PTSA money seems to be well spent, but I’m still on the case, and I’ll let you know what else I find out.
 

~ I. M. Basset

Episode #5

“Teaching Grants”
That one puzzled me. It turns out that Teaching Grants is money the PTSA supplies for teachers to buy supplemental materials for students in their grade level. The district pays money for core curriculum materials, but anything beyond that has to come from other sources. When a teacher wants some additional materials, this budget items gives them a way to purchase them.

I have personal experience with teaching grants. I help out in my daughter’s class, which used a teaching grant to purchase several games for the 2nd grade. The kids take turns playing them during reading period. The games are terrific learning tools. One of them is called “Fact or Opinion.” The kids draw a card and read a short paragraph, with one line highlighted. They have to decide whether the statement is a fact (such as the “the sky is blue”) or an opinion (such as “Stanley Dry Cleaners are the best”). Another game has the kids rolling dice and landing on specific words, such as “washer” and “dark”. They have four cards with suffixes (such as “ly” and “er” and “est”) and they have to see if they can match a suffix to the word.

Having seen the kids excitedly playing the games and putting their skills to the test, I can tell you that this is a great use of PTSA money. I’ve watched these second graders gain a better understanding of what fact and opinion are, and improve their reading skills at the same time. So, I’m checking off this budget item.

~ I. M. Basset