Our PTG (of course, a different name from others) has complete charge of our account. We have our own account and all funds are separate from the school! The school has their own fundraisers and we have our own. The principal can speak at the meetings and request money for specific things but they all need to be voted on at our meetings! Ultimately, the control is in the hands of the parent group officers and it's members. Do not let the principal think that he/she has the power to do that. Good Luck!
The only way to ensure complete monetary autonomy is to form your own independent corporate status. Having your own bank account does not make you a seperate corporate entity from the school. Schools may have many accounts for many of their sub-entities.
Lisa we are a pto that is incorporated and 501, our funds are in our own account and our principal has no legal control over them. Yes we need to work through him to have our events , function in the school, etc but legally we control the money.
"When you stop learning you stop growing."
Originally posted by LisaRNinAL: Comment posted on our school's forum after we switched over to a PTO. Comments anyone?
"I am not saying this is good or bad, but the PTO also does not control their own money...the principal has legal control over ALL funds that are not PTA (although he/she may allow the funds to be spent without his/her influence). The PTA is the ONLY organization in a school that is allowed to have funds that are NOT controlled by the principal (separate account)- ALL other funds in a school are required to go through the main office books and thus the prinicpal can use them as he/she deems necessary. Now, if the principal decided the $600 extra at the Middle school goes to put spas in the teacher lounges (highly unlikey) he could do that without the OK of the PTO board. In a PTA, the PTA board controls what the money is spent on and they decide if they want to use it for spas in the teacher lounges or lights for the football fields!
Hi Lisa -
As others have noted, there's no truth to the above. PTOs can be every bit as independent as PTAs. If you guys get your own EIN # and your own 501(c)(3) status, then you'll have the exact same legal standing as your old PTA. No difference.
Best to look into your by-laws, and district regulations. There have been school districts that have limited fundraising organizations within their schools.
If you have your own 501(c)3 and there is no clause in your by-laws or the district's Regs. maybe someone is just trying to throw a wrench into your group.
As a PTA board member I know that our state and local units do not spread false rummors.-I am also a PTO member at my daughter's school.
Please do not think I am not bashing the PTA. I am a PTA member at another school and have been a PTA board member as well. But our state's PTA did try to threaten and intimidate us when we decided to become a PTO. We became a PTO strictly for monetary reason. We felt the $600 in dues that we sent off could be better used purchasing things that the school needed. The statement that was made that only the PTA could govern it's own funds, sounded just like the stuff our state PTA was telling us to try and keep us from changing over.
