BOE Hears Warning on Sharp Drop in PTSA Support at Montgomery High School

Nicholas Mistretta

Membership down more than 30 percent; programs and grants at risk

At the November 18th Montgomery Board of Education meeting, board member Christina Harris delivered a stark message on behalf of the Montgomery High School PTSA: parent participation and membership are dropping sharply, and key programs could soon disappear if the trend continues.

Harris read a letter from PTSA President Jin Patel, who outlined how volunteerism and membership have declined “across the district,” with the problem growing more severe at the high school level.

From August through the start of the school year, 58 families joined the PTSA, Patel reported. Since school began, only 11 additional memberships have been added. Of the total current memberships, 10 are from PTSA board members themselves — leaving just 59 families, out of a student body of roughly 1,600, represented through membership.

Last school year, by the end of September, the PTSA had 165 members. That early-year comparison reflected a nearly 59 percent drop in membership.

A recent push appears to have helped somewhat. After a PTSA newsletter highlighting what Patel called the “dire situation,” membership rose to 113 families. Even so, that number remains about 32 percent lower than at the same point last year.

Patel’s letter noted that the MHS PTSA faces unusual competition for attention and support. Unlike PTAs at younger grade levels, the high school PTSA is “competing against hundreds of clubs, sports booster teams, and classic groups,” many of which run their own fundraisers throughout the year.

To avoid adding to that fundraising clutter, Patel explained, the PTSA relies on just two primary sources of revenue: memberships and the Snack Shack. Both, he said, are down significantly year over year.

“The numbers are concerning,” Harris read from Patel’s letter. “The truth is, without strong parent participation, the PTSA cannot continue to fund and organize many of the programs that benefit both students and their families.”

Some cuts have already been felt.

Last year, the popular interview clinic for students — a program that helps teens practice job and college interview skills — had to be cancelled due to a lack of funds and volunteers. This year, the freshman boot camp for parents was also cancelled. Patel emphasized that those are exactly the kinds of programs the PTSA is designed to provide.

The freshman boot camp, he noted, cost the PTSA approximately $200 to run last year and drew well over 100 parents. Yet despite that strong turnout, “there was not a single PTSA membership sign-up during or immediately after the event.”

Looking ahead, Patel warned that future cuts could affect social events such as the ice cream social and staff appreciation activities. Even more concerning, he said, would be potential cuts to PTSA grant funds, which are relied on by teachers, students and clubs across the building. Reducing or eliminating those grants, Patel wrote, “would have a devastating effect on the entire school.”

The letter stressed that membership itself — even without a heavy volunteer commitment — makes a tangible difference.

“Membership makes a difference whether or not you are able to volunteer your time,” Patel wrote. “By simply joining, you are showing that you value these programs and want them to continue.”

He urged families to consider the impact if even a modest share of the school community chose to get involved, noting that if “even a fraction” of the 1,600 families at MHS joined, the PTSA could restore cancelled programs and potentially create new opportunities for students.

Photo Credit: Nicholas Mistretta/Headlinenewsmontgomery.com