When our school started looking at starting a parent group we looked at both the PTA and PTO. We chose the PTA because of the National, State and local support, training and personal contact being a phone call away. This has been the best decision in our case. The new Principal of our school wanted to do away with the our PTA because he had hired a fund raising coordinator and did not want funds raised in the name of the school placed in a separate account. Many Principals do not like the lack of control of how funds are spent and that the membership body decides on how funds are raised and spent. In our case the local PTA President met with our board and the Principal and his Fundraiser Coordinator. It went from somewhat heated situation (we thought we would have to dissolve our PTA) to having a lot of issues resolved. They were wonderful explaining the benefits of a PTA and how PTA can help our school get legislation passed with issues that our Charter School deals with. It has been a wonderful partnership ever since. The Principal did state that he like having resources that not only our board can get to but the staff and parents too. As Pres. if I have a problem the local support is wonderful. I have called on local, state and National for help and they are incredible. Partner that with the PTA Today site and you can lead with confidence.
So far the PTA has been the better decision for our school. We have gotten far more for our dues than we could ask for. The laws that PTA has changed alone are worth it. Again, do what is best for your school and students.
I tend to agree more with Doug's position. I'm simply pro-parent group. I have a lot of experience with PTOs and built one from the ground up. Our current school has a PTA. Whatever works for your group is what you should do.
I don't prefer one over the other, but I have to say the PTA does provide a lot of resources - training, materials, templates, online community, best practices. I don't necessarily support all their political efforts. On the other hand, they successfully lobbied for a change in sales tax interpretation that benefitted every non-profit fundraising group in Texas. No other group had the clout or desire to make that happen. And the benefit far exceeded any dues paid.
The other thing I think a lot of us have to admit is that many of our good PTO practices and procedures came indirectly from the PTA. I'm not suggesting any deliberate copywrite violation, but there's case after case where someone learned to do it "right" as a PTA officer and then later tranferred that ability and knowledge for use later in a PTO.
Lastly, how much you agree/disagree with their organizational and political efforts is a personal decision. I'm not aware of too many groups (church, work, local government) where MY ideas align 100% with theirs. Each person has to decide how important this is in the bigger picture, to continue to belong or not, to fight for changes, or to accept the status quo.
The bottom line is - I do believe the PTA has a lot to offer and contributes significantly to the parent group environment. Should you be a PTA instead of a PTO? Not necessarily. Do what works for your group. But the organization does have vlaue in my opinion.
My wife and I have been involved deeply in both local and state PTA programs for 15 yrs. In that time our school district has never needed the state PTA for any problems and when we did ask for help they were unable to accomodate. In that time we have given them well over $100,000.00 and recieved nothing in return accept furthering their liberal political agenda (Fox News report) www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,26850,00.html
You can buy a lot of insurance for the $9,000.00 dollars we give them each year in dues.
If you're a PTA in California, your $1,000,000 Workers Compensation and Employer's Liability, and your $1,000,000 General Liability is only $202 per year.
I'm a member of both local school-based PTO's and a town-wide PTA. They do very different things and I'm a big advocate of both.
Besides insurance and non-profit 501(c)(3) status, I think the main issue some have is what do I get for the portion of my dues that go to the state and/or national PTA. Well there is an awful lot that those PTA dues provide in terms of resources, leadership training, legislative efforts, etc. etc. but those items may or may not be of value to you or your group.
The best thing to do is to become an informed consumer as they are both great organizations that have a lot in common (kids, schools, teachers, parents, community) with some overlap in services and goals but not entirely.
