National PTA Awards Over $700,000 to Local PTA Initiatives, Many with Internet and STEM Focus -- THE Journal

Breaking News

National PTA Awards Over $700,000 to Local PTA Initiatives, Many with Internet and STEM Focus

By Kate Lucariello
11/30/23

The National Parents and Teachers Association (NPTA) has granted over $700,000 in funds donated by major PTA Proud National Sponsor corporations, organizations, and private donors to support local PTAs to foster student success in various programs, of which several are internet- and STEM-focused.

Over 550 local PTAs each received $1,250 as part of NPTA's PTA Connected, Healthy Lifestyles, STEM + Families, and arts education initiatives, the national organization said.

Sponsors that donated funding for internet and STEM initiatives include:

AT&T to the PTA Connected: Ready, Tech, Go! program, for families to discuss screen readiness, tools, and resources to use the internet safely and responsibly;
Google and YouTube to the PTA Connected: Be Internet Awesome program, a discussion of raising children in an online world and developing healthy online habits;
Norton to the PTA Connected: The Smart Talk program, to address digital safety and creating a family agreement for technology use at home;
Discord, to the PTA Connected: Build Up and Belong program, for discussions between teens and their caregivers about community, belonging, and healthy relationships;
Bayer Fund to the STEM + Families Science Festivals program, to make science less intimidating and more accessible, especially to girls and underrepresented students; and
Huntington Ingalls Industries, to the STEM + Families Propelling Our World program to help children explore activities and careers in STEM.

NPTA programs are free and available to all PTAs and schools, the organization said.

"Our association remains committed to increasing family engagement in education, increasing access to educational opportunities, and ensuring that all families and schools have tools and information to best support students' learning, development, health, safety, well-being and success," said Nathan R. Monell, NPTA executive director. "We are grateful to our sponsors for supporting our efforts and making the funding possible, which is needed now more than ever…. [W]e were able to jump from funding 150 to 200 recipients for our PTA Connected: Ready, Tech, Go! program, which will impact thousands more families."

Visit this page for more information on NPTA's programs and how to implement them in a school community or become a donor.

About the Author

Kate Lucariello is a former newspaper editor, EAST Lab high school teacher and college English teacher.

E-Mail this page

Printable Format

Featured

Report Identifies Malicious Use of AI in Cloud-Based Cyber Threats

A recent report from OpenAI identifies the misuse of artificial intelligence in cybercrime, social engineering, and influence operations, particularly those targeting or operating through cloud infrastructure. In "Disrupting Malicious Uses of AI: June 2025," the company outlines how threat actors are weaponizing large language models for malicious ends — and how OpenAI is pushing back.
The Power of Instructional Audio: Boosting Engagement, Communication, and Access in the Classroom

In the face of achievement declines, instructional audio is helping classrooms feel more interactive, making it easier for students to follow along, and even saving teachers’ voices from exhaustion.
McGraw Hill Expands CTE Offerings

Education company McGraw Hill has announced a host of new career and technical education courses, designed to help learners gain professional, technical, and academic skills for workforce success.
Ed Tech Leaders Rank Generative AI as Top Tech Priority

In a recent CoSN survey, an overwhelming majority of ed tech leaders (94%) said they see AI as having a positive impact on education. Respondents ranked generative AI as their top tech priority, with 80% reporting their districts have gen AI initiatives underway, or plan to in the current school year.