Committee reviews PAC/PTO spending and parent engagement; staff to survey school-level participation

The Instruction and Support Services Committee on March 26 received a year-to-date PAC/PTO expenditure report and discussed parent engagement, low participation at some schools and internal deadlines for encumbering funds.

What the report showed: Presenters said 98% of required action plans have been submitted and provided a breakdown of spending ranges across elementary and high schools. At the elementary level, presenters reported six schools with 89% or more of funds spent, seven schools between 50% and 75%, seven schools between 25% and 49%, ten schools between 25% and 49% (the transcript gave overlapping ranges), and six schools at 24% or less. At the high school level, presenters reported two schools at roughly 70% spent, and others ranging from 48% to 0%; one high school lacked an action plan earlier but that was resolved, presenters said. Presenters said they were working with executive directors, community liaisons and principals to increase PAC/PTO spending and to encumber funds before the district's internal deadline; the district extended the internal encumbrance deadline to April 21.

Parent engagement and training: Presenters said they provided one-on-one training for PAC presidents on planning, budgeting and entering purchases into the district system. Committee members and parent leaders discussed practical barriers: some PAC presidents are new and need one-on-one help, some purchases stall in administrative signoff steps, and some schools have low turnout for PAC meetings. A longtime parent leader urged the district to provide more hands-on support, to publish a district calendar of PAC events and to rebuild a district-level PAC structure to centralize support. Committee members proposed asking principals to post PAC meeting dates on school websites and to send flyers to the district office so the communications team can share them.

Deadlines and process: Presenters emphasized that PAC funds must be encumbered or spent per internal city deadlines; they said the grants office gave a one-time extension to April 21 to allow principals and PACs time to process purchases. Presenters described ongoing outreach (calls, emails, trainings) to PAC presidents and principals to close remaining action-plan and spending gaps.

Next steps: The committee asked staff to survey PAC health (meeting frequency, event postings, presence of elected officers), to collect flyers for district posting, and to schedule additional parent trainings. Staff said they will follow up on schools with low spending and continue one-on-one support for PAC leaders.