As our country and school communities become more diverse, our PTAs are working to become more diverse in their membership and leadership as well. Tohelp PTAs with that process, National PTA released the new Diversity and Inclusion Toolkit at the 2015 National PTA Convention at a breakfast honoring this year’s Jan Harp Domene Diversity and Inclusion Award winners.

The toolkit is based on best practices from across the country in reaching out to underrepresented groups in your community and provides information for PTA leaders at both the state and local level. Key take-aways for starting or enhancing diversity initiatives are:

  • Assemble a diversity committee
  • Set goals, milestones, and realistic expectations
  • Try new ideas
  • Communicate with community groups and leaders
  • Celebrate your successes

Additional information is provided on how to grow your PTA’s membership by engaging with non-traditional audiences.
This information walks you through the process of reaching out to those communities by:

  • Doing a self-assessment
  • Creating effective messaging by adapting to non-traditional audiences
  • Promoting meaningful family engagement
  • Creating community connections
  • Making your PTA an information resource for parents, families, educators, and community groups

National PTA’s diversity and inclusion page will serve as a repository for best practices and programs, allowing the toolkit to continue to expand. The page also includes a recorded webinar covering some of the material in the toolkit.

As PTAs continue to work to fulfill their mission to make every child’s potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children, the Diversity and Inclusion Toolkit provides a critical resource in reaching out to all families and all children.