PTA Advisory Council

Posted: Tue, 10/02/2012 - 3:49pm Updated: Fri, 04/05/2013 - 2:19pm

"The Indiana PTA has a framework for parent engagement. It's a very structured, very organized mechanism to engage parents and work with schools so that parent engagement at the schools isn't just fund raising. It's fund raising. It's decision making. It's policy making. It's the entire package. I think PTA can help shape a school, not just a school's budget." -- Dr. Tony Bennett, 99th Annual Indiana PTA Convention

PTA Advisory Council

In 2009, the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) created the PTA Advisory Council to offer input and support for Indiana's reform efforts, including the development of rigorous standards and high-quality student assessments; the revision of teacher evaluation, compensation, and retention policies; the implementation of a statewide data system to drive instruction; the transformation of persistently low-performing schools; and the promotion of reforms that raise student achievement and close achievement gaps.

The council members represent each region of the state and meet quarterly with Dr. Bennett to advise IDOE on educational matters from the perspective of parents and guardians.

The PTA Advisory Council has collaborated with IDOE on several projects, such as presentations on Indiana's Growth Model and a podcast on the National Standards for Parent Engagement.

PTA Advisory Council Members

  • Sharon Wise: Indiana PTA President, Indianapolis
  • Tina Hartman: Indiana PTA Past President, Membership Chair, Fort Wayne
  • Dee Jones: Indiana PTA Past President, Hammond
  • Deb Fox: Indiana PTA Northwest Region Vice President, Mishawaka
  • Heidi Rueger: Indiana PTA Southern Region VP, Evansville
  • Natalie Jones: Indiana PTA past Southern Region VP, Evansville
  • Maria Wright: Indiana PTA Field Service Representative, Indianapolis
  • Rachel Burke: Indiana PTA Field Service Representative, Indianapolis
  • Theresa Distelrath: Indiana PTA Vice President, Legislation Chair, Fort Wayne
  • Kathie Green: Indiana PTA Northeast Region Vice President, PR/Marketing Chair, Fort Wayne

If you would like to be considered for a term on the PTA Advisory Council, contact the Indiana PTA President, Sharon Wise, at swise@IndianaPTA.org. For more information about Indiana PTA, please visit the Indiana PTA website.