Parents in Support of the Whole Child

The National PTA has signed on as a partner in ASCD's Whole Child Initiative, joining more than 40 other whole child partners that represent a broad swath of the education, arts, and health and wellness fields.

ASCD's partnership with the PTA is significant because the Whole Child Initiative is grounded in the belief that responsibility for educating and supporting the whole child neither starts nor stops at the schoolhouse door. That means businesses, community agencies, policymakers, and families must align with schools to provide conditions that support learning for each student.

Moreover, outside of educators, parents are the single largest group visiting the Whole Child Initiative's Web site. More than 40 percent of the site's visitors identify themselves as parents, a percentage that has steadily grown since the site launched just over two years ago.

ASCD Executive Director Gene Carter says ASCD will collaborate with the PTA to provide these parents with the resources and expertise they need to ensure that their children are receiving comprehensive education and support services.

Educators: Does your school encourage and support parent involvement? Parents: Do you feel welcome to contribute at your child's school?