1) Does your group have its own set of bylaws ? If so, what do they indicate for votes / spending ? Our bylaws state that we cannot spend any money without a vote of members in attendance. Doing otherwise would be against our organization's bylaws.
2) Does your group have tax-exempt, non-profit status as an independent organization ?
3) Does your group have insurance coverage under the school or district, or under your own organization ? In our situation, we were not covered under the insurance of our school district and had to obtain our own. The school may not want you to be "under" them because of the insurance liability to the school if something happens with the PTO.
4) If your school is part of a school district, how are PTOs at the other schools handled ? Have you talked with your school superintendent ? Are there rules issued by your school board regarding PTOs ?
5) Do you have your own bank account, or does the school hold your funds ?
Keep in mind that you should always work WITH your school's principal, but I personally don't feel that the principal should dictate all spending. There are times when we've wanted to make a purchase and our principal has asked us not to because of school budget issues, or problems that we hadn't thought of. She very kindly asks us for funding for things that she knows are important to the students and that we would support. And, we purchase many more things to improve the school that we ask her to "approve". It goes both ways.
How do you know if your group is under the school or independent?
If it is under the school, how do you make the change to independent?
I believe from the way things are that we are under the school. Our Principle
tells us what and how to spend the money. With out the group voting. I'm lost!
Please help!
