About the PTA
PTA Meetings
The Oxford Parent Teacher Association (PTA) holds general meetings the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 6 pm. After some brief PTA business, meetings may feature speakers on a variety of academic, family and school subjects and provide a forum for discussion and information exchange between families and staff.
Role of the Parent Teacher Association
Fundraising
The PTA’s fundraisers are crucial to paying for school programs, enrichments and supplies, such as art classes for all classrooms, kindergarten music classes, field trips, books and teacher supplies. See the Who Funds What page to see just how much the Oxford community’s contributions via the PTA keep Oxford’s curriculum robust in post-state budget cuts.
Building Community
Fundraising is only one part of the PTA. Our goal is to provide many community-building events and opportunities too – fun events, meetings, communications, and service projects that bring our Oxford community together and allow us to get to know one another. The bottom line is that family support and community presence help our children to grow up healthy, smart and strong, so the collaboration of parents and guardians with our school takes on critical importance. Parent and guardian contributions of time and talent through the PTA enrich and strengthen our school community, and our children’s experience. PTA volunteers serve as room representatives, classroom assistants event coordinators, and fundraisers. Whenever there is a need for help, we ask our parents and guardians to pitch in on behalf of what is best for our children and our school community.
Join the PTA
If I Join the Oxford PTA, Then What?
By joining the Parent Teacher Association, with its dues of $10 per year (sliding scale, no one will be denied due to funds, you can also donate additional $10 to sponsor another family subsidized membership), you’re contributing to the money we’re raising for the school. Most proceeds go directly to the PTA budget for Oxford’s enrichment programs, and a smaller portion goes to the regional and national PTA organizations to pay for insurance and to keep our membership in good standing.
Fill out your name and email address to be added to the PTA membership roster. Those active in the last 30 days may vote.
BSEP Funding in Berkeley
20 percent of all funding for BUSD schools has been provided through a local tax measure known as BSEP (Berkeley Schools Excellence Project) since 1986—the intent of the special tax is to make up for the low level of state funding ever since California voters enacted Prop 13 in 1978 and bring funding per student up to the U.S. average. It now provides $25 million to our schools.
BSEP funds ensure small class sizes, classroom support, instructor training, program evaluation, libraries, technology and many other programs “essential for excellence”.
On November 8, 2019 voters in Berkeley gave a resounding “Yes” to Ballot Measure E1, which means the Berkeley Unified School District will receive at least $28 million per year in special local tax funding through BSEP for the next eight years. The reported 88.65% approval was the highest ever achieved for the BSEP special tax measure, which requires at least 66.7% to pass. [Note: BSEP is not the same thing as the Berkeley Public Schools Fund, a non-profit that provides grants to teachers.]
Facts about BSEP at Oxford
Key Oxford programs provided by the BSEP tax:
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1/3 of our classroom teachers (which lowers class size)
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The entire school library (staff and all materials)
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Music program
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School counselors
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Technology services
And site discretionary funds that provide:
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20% of literacy coach
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20% of technology teacher to help students and teachers
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Kindergarten aide
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Instructional assistants for math and literacy for differentiated instruction
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After-school tutoring for reading and math
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Substitute teachers for collaboration and assessments
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Time for teachers to review data, collaborate and plan
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Funding for materials and supplies for math, art and P.E.
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Additional funding for the counseling program
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Counseling Support for students
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Art Program
How BSEP funds are governed
A school district committee called the Planning and Oversight (P&O) Committee advises the School Board on spending the funds for district-wide programs such as libraries and music, and each school has a School Site Committee (the SSC) that advises on how to spend the discretionary funds that are given to every school on a per student basis—about $230 per student at every school, which comes from BSEP. Let Principal Cornwell know if you are interested in serving on the SSC or the District P&O Committee!
Primary Source of Flexible Funding = PTA
Funding for enrichment programs is provided primarily by the Oxford PTA. The PTA has to raise >$140,000 per year, roughly $550 per student. Not everyone in the Oxford community can afford $550, but if you are able, please donate.
A few examples of what donations support:
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$9 pays for one month of physical education (PE) for a student
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$16 pays for the art supplies and playground equipment one child needs for the year
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$61 per student pays for art instruction for the year
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$435 per student pays for our kindergartners and fifth graders to receive individualized support from instructional assistants throughout the school year
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$2,000 pays for one month for all of our kids and teachers to receive technology and keyboard training
There are many ways to help, including and beyond $$:
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Join the PTA to support Oxford with $10 in annual dues and votes on important issues.
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Volunteer on community building / fundraising events and more—contact the PTA for more info.
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Shop and give—send precious pennies Oxford’s way as you go about your regular routine.