Question: Governing group

Is there a governing group that looks over how a PTO is being organized?

Asked by Mauzy

Answers:

Advice from PTO Today

Rose H writes:
Hi Mauzy,
There isn't any sort of governing body to oversee that. PTOs are typically independent groups and while there are common organizational processes and structures, there is also flexibility so that common practices can be tailored. If you are looking for general information on how to set up your group, there are very helpful tips in these articles:

How To Start a PTO

How To Write PTO Bylaws

Your Group's Legal Status

Let us know if you need more specific information and we'd be happy to help!

All the best,
Rose C.

Community Advice

firefighter464 writes:
No. Think of PTO like you would an entrepreneurial business. No one tells you how to run your company but you, the company founders/workers. Bylaws are the structure, Roberts' Rules are the method, strong leadership is essential, checks and balances absolutely necessary. You can get tons of guidelines/advice here, though. Just as you might your small business administration if you were a small business.

There is no over seeing body (PTO is not school so no school-related body has any say so and PTO is not part of the national PTA organization--which would kind of be akin to being a franchise operation as opposed to your own business). Although there may be tax laws and charitable organizations watchdogs, etc. they really can only act if they get a report of something wrong, see it as big enough to take their time on, and have the money or desire to do so. (Think of that as being like a state saying a contractor needs to be licensed but there are no inspectors hired to check the contractors and even if a customer complains about an unlicensed contractor it takes more than one complaint logged to the bureaucracy before anything is done and even that usually is a fine the contractor can pay and go onto to do it several more times again before anything of any value stops him). No one has any control except the actual PTO over its own enforcement of ethics or rules or structure or budgets or accounts.