Kaylee, you are so right about the perks of having aPTA over a PTO. I have lots of PTA experience and the new school my kids are in has a PTO and for some reason the parents have very little say and the teacher involvement is next to nil. It seems like the PTO in this school is just another forum run by the principal and the superintendent, who both seem to want us parents involved as little as possible, but they sure like the funds that are raised under the title PTO funds, because they spend it on whatever the principal deems important for the school like library books, canopy for the pre-k playground (kids get very little playtime principal feels it leads to behavior problems), etc. I would like to form a PTA, my question is can we do both at a school, I know from talking to other parents who choose not to become involved in PTO mainly because they are use to the PTA and see that this PTO is ineffective.

first of all if you are a pTA now your principal cannot place any funds you have raised to date in a school account. Not legal. That money "technically" belongs to the PTA. You may have some problems with that from your county PTA representative. Secondly, there is no one you need to contact regarding becoming a PTO. There is no major "parent" organization like the PTA. That is one of the perks or disadvantages (however you feel on that issue) to not being apart of the PTA.

Iam sorry to here the princible of your school does not want your input. My small town has a PTO and things are running smoothly. I am the president and we have a new principal this year. We both are under the understanding that the more parents are invovled the more children see that education is valuable. Maybe finding out what the root of the problem is and alot of prayer will help if not go to your board. Run! if he's against any parent involvement

I think you are going to have trouble no matter what you are if he has that kind of attitude about parent groups. It's ridiculous. You don't have to have his permission to have a parent group even though he could make it difficult on you pretty easily. If he's said you couldn't have a group or couldn't have a meeting at school then I would go to the superintendent or the school board or even the local paper. Not many people would be on his side.

Our school has had PTA for several years. At the last meeting in May 2000, they wanted to disband. I offered to be president and was voted in. The meeting was not held properly for an annual meeting. The principal does not want the PTA. He has offered a homeroom parents and Title 1 association, with the funds left over from last put into the school account as a line item. This would put him in charge of what we were allowed to do for the kids. I have two daughters in this school and will be there for 4 more years. I want to help all the students. I do not want limitations on what we can offer these children because he is anti-PTA. I believe the parents want an association of some kind, but in the past they would only argue. I feel a PTO would better benefit the students or even just a PO. The teachers do not really want to get involved. They do not attend the meetings. The homeroom parents idea is basically just volunteers, who are willing to come in for art activities or such. Do we have to go through an authority figure to organize a PTO or PO? He is going to block us most of the way. He did not want the Santa's Workshop, but the kids really loved it last year. To disband the PTA, someone from the state organization will have to come in and do it officially, so I am just trying to get my facts before I propose a PTO or PO. Please help with any comments.