Fees can range anywhere from no dues to I've seen no more than $10, but this is rare. Average dues usualy range between a $1 and $5, But forms are easy to make yourself. All you need is basic membership information(e.g.name,address,phone,how due is paid,ect.) and keep track of it very well. your secretary should be able to undertake this task. I hope your year goes ok, good luck and have a great year.
We ask for money during our pledge drive. If you give at a certain level you get a free t-shirt or other giveaway. Our school district has cut back so much that the kids only get a building, books and a teacher. The pledge money goes toward the extras (like PE, art, assemblies,field trips and supplies). We tell people if they give during our pledge drive they don't have to feel obligated to buy stuff during our fundraising.
The main reason we changed to a plege drive from a membership drive is we are trying to get every parent to feel like they are part of the school. We have many parents who just drop their kids off in the morning and never come into the school. They already feel alienated. With a membership drive we were telling them they weren't part of the "group" if they didn't give money. This way they are automatically a member of our group and they now have an interest in the school - and hopefully "invest" in their child's education with a pledge.
We only publish a list of who has pledge in our school directory (which we give away). No amounts are published and we keep the list private - basically only the board knows who gave and who didn't.
We don't charge a set amount for dues. We do, however, hold a membership drive throughout the year. Families are asked to contribute whatever they want and those families that contribute $25 are put in a drawing for a $25 gift certificate to where ever they'd like. Families receive one chance for every $25 in contributions they make. We also sent out membership letters twice last year -- it brought us in $3000 for doing nothing other than sending home a letter! We do not have membership cards. Every parent and teacher is a member and contributions are voluntary.
A few years ago we set dues at $0 (they had been $10 per family). When we charged dues, you got a free copy of the school directory the PTO produces. Now we just sell the directory outright. All parents (or guardians, or adults who act like guardians, etc etc) and staff are members.
Just curious, mom2m&A, what are the parents "pledging" to do? I am not being smart, just wondering why parents would sign a pledge card. What's in it for them? Are they pledging money or time?
Thanks
We changed our bylaws so every family is automatically a member (free) and instead of a membership drive we run a pledge drive. It has been much more successful for us.
