UNDATED -- PTA officials throughout the Bay Area Wednesday rallied the troops in anticipation of a march on the State Capitol to demand more funds for local schools.

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To re-enforce its plea, the PTA released a study that showed that parents were spending $2.8 million a year to supplement the San Francisco public school budget.

Of the parents surveyed, 86 percent reported they were paying for school supplies, 62 percent said they were helping fund elementary school physical education classes and 50 percent said they were assisting in paying for sports and sport equipment.

"The PTA used to raise funds for community events, parent nights, teacher-parent events," said Sandy Fever, a San Francisco PTA member. "But now we are funding librarians and teachers."

The mood was much the same at Terrell Elementary in San Jose. PTA members gathered for a pre-rally, demanding that Governor Schwarzenegger and state lawmakers return adequate funding to California's public schools.

"It used to be when I started in PTA, it (fundraising) was for the extras -- field trips," said Diane Foote, of the Santa Clara County PTA. "Not any more. Extras now are for science teachers, PE programs, art programs, music programs, and little things -- like paper and pencils."

At Terrell Elementary, for example, the PTA organized a fundraiser to pay for a computer lab. Librarians have been cut from schools all over the county so funds to support them must come from the PTA and others.

Foote and others say basic school supplies are also in short supply.

"Our goal is simple," said Joan Cooper, of the San Jose Unified PTA. "We're calling on the Governor to restore money for Prop. 98 and make a commitment to our children's future."

In San Francisco, the parents at Monroe Elementary are paying for the instructor for the physical education class because the district has cut gym classes.

"We have to send a message to the governor that is loud and clear," Fever said. "We're not from any special interest group. We're parents, sending our children every day to public schools that we want adequate funding for public education."

Fever, Foote and others will take their message to Schwarzenegger in Sacramento on Thursday in what is being called the "Caravan For Kids."