Question: Should PTO pay for several teachers salaries?

Our school district is thinking of cutting School Site funds (state) to each school. The Principal gave us the PTO budget for 2012-13 without our input. It includes NEW budget items and School Site Program items,which is all salaries. Questions I have: 1) Our bylaws state our mission is to support enrichment and recognition programs. Are teachers salaries considered enrichment programs? 2) With the district budget and cutbacks unknown,our Principal wants to pass next years budget (2012-13) now without the new board,can that happen? If so , how or why? 3) The Principal made the budget without our consent or input and does not have voting privileges,is this ok? I think I know the answers but need some feedback. The budget does't even include PTO funded activities or expenses therefore would be over budget. 2012-2013 President

Asked by Anonymous

Answers:

Advice from PTO Today

Craig writes:
It sounds to me like your principal is trying to do an end run around the district budgeting process so the school won't lose any teaching positions. He wants the PTO budget approved now so he can say to the district, when cuts are made, that he already has funding in place. If that's the plan, it seems completely unrealistic. I can't imagine any school district allowing the PTO to fund several teaching positions. If something goes wrong with PTO fundraising during the year, the district would be on the hook for tens of thousands of dollars—not a risk any district is likely to take. You could probably derail the whole plan by letting the district office know what's going on. Or you could point out to the principal that when it comes to fundraising, there are no guarantees. Ask him about his contingency plan if you fall short—or even come nowhere near his goal. I think it's also completely reasonable to tell him you can't make that kind of commitment—at all or at the very least until the new board is in place. After all, he's asking you to take on a huge obligation—and one that doesn't necessarily fit your mission. Good luck.

Community Advice

NeillRay writes:
Whoever provides the funding gets to decide how to spend the funds.

Community Advice

callalilly writes:
I think your State Board of Accounts (or whatever it's called there) would have someting to say about this if your books got audited. I'm sorry some teachers' jobs are going to be cut, but PTO can't cover their salaries.

Community Advice

SailAwayAK writes:
In our school district a parent group can not pay for staffing saleries. However, what we have done is chosen to support other things in the school. We spend close to $30,000 in our building each year to offset other items such as text books, cirriculum, field trips, and other activities. You could also look into funding the schools supply budgets, electricity, rents, & improvements.

Salaries are a hard number for the school. The Principal needs to budget likewise but you all can help to offset many other costs in the building.