You must read your bylaws on what your unit's procedures are on for dissolving your unit. Any money left in your PTA account must be donated over to another non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. So you will need to get the PTO account set up and get it listed as a 501(c)(3) organization with the IRS so you can transfer/donate the $$ over. As far as the advantages from reading this board the only ones I see are that you do not pay dues to National or State PTA. The disadvantages i have read is that you get no annual manuals (as you do with National PTA/State PTA, you lose your voice in legislation, your PTO unit is on its own for finding insurance, liabilty and bonding of officers, Their is no "head" organization you can turn to for information or help and can demand/expect an answer. The have their magazine and this website that you can come to and ask for information, but no guarantee you will get one, or it will be the same answer since each PTO is run independently.

I am trying to find out the advantages of a pto verses a pta. I am the president of a pta in a small elementary school. How does a pta change to become a pto? I do know that we have to dissolve the pta this year and any money left is automatically the property of the pta. I also know that we can vote in the new members of the pto for next year, but I need to be able to let the members know exactly what the advantages are of becoming pto.
thanks,
allegia hatch