Question: What are we suppose to pay for?

I am new to the PTO and the Treasurer! I have no clue what I am doing. What is the role of PTO? We have no teachers on the PTO and the only people who show up for our meetings is 8 people. 6 board members and 2 or 3 parents. We are not a big school and have been open for 3 years. However whenever money is needed we are asked for it and yet get no help otherwise. What exactly are we suppose to pay for? I received a request for funds for AIMS testing supplies i.e. cheetos, peppermints. basketball, soccerball, footballs. What is the district suppose to pay for? Are we suppose to pay for field trips and bus rides? A scrolling marquee for the school? playgrounds and benches? Grass? Any help would be great.

Asked by Anonymous

Answers:

Advice from PTO Today

Craig writes:
The best role for the PTO is to help create a sense of community at the school. Focus on getting parents connected to the school and building involvement. Research shows that helping parents get involved in their children's education will have a stronger positive effect than anything you can buy for the school. Don't worry about getting a small number of people to the meetings. People have limited volunteer time, and you have lots of more important ways for them to spend it than attending meetings. If you have strong involvement otherwise -- good attendance at family nights, enough volunteers to run your events and programs -- you're doing well. As far as what you should be paying for, typically PTOs purchase supplementary items that the school deems important but which aren't funded in the budget. As budgets have gotten tighter, the definition of what PTOs fund has gotten broader. I'd recommend focusing not so much on the what but the how. The relationship between the administration and the PTO should be a partnership. Your president should be having regular meetings with the principal to talk about ways the PTO -- both its money and its volunteer power -- can best help the school. This should be a discussion, not a one-way street. The president (and your other officers) know best what the PTO is capable of accomplishing. The principal has the best perspective on school needs. You shouldn't feel like these funding requests are coming out of nowhere. After all, you need to budget and prioritize. The final decision of what to fund is up to the PTO. Also, don't be afraid to say no. You have a budget just like the school does. Some things fit under it and others don't.

Advice from PTO Today

Craig writes:
I should also mention a few resources. If you haven't been to the Treasurer and Finance & Budget pages, they have lots of articles and tools that you will find useful. In particular, I'd recommend the article What Every Treasurer Should Know. Also, our Treasurer's Toolkit ($39 or free to PTO Today Plus members) includes all the forms you need and a step-by-step guide to the treasurer's duties.