London - great comments. I agree with everything you stated.

This model would be so counterproductive I can't imagine anyone embracing it. Setting up the infrastructure for a parent group is a huge undertaking. The organization matures and evolves over years, carrying experience and best practices forward. The reason most organizations have elections in the spring is so fall school year can be being smoothly, with efforts focused on the mission - the school programs.

Over time, if parents become dissatisfied with the model (PTO, PTA, etc.) they can work to create a new organization and dissolve the old. That's the type of thing that might happen never, or every 10, 20 years. It's a rarity, not an annual event.

I don't think a PTA or PTO can be considered a monopoly anymore than the Red Cross can be. These groups (PTA,PTO and any other service organization) are not profit making businesses and can hardly be classified as dominating the marketplace. If you do not like the red cross, for example, start a charity yourself that does whatever it is you want to accomplish. The same goes for the school groups - don't like the PTA because they aren't giving enough money to the band in your opinion? Then start a new group as a booster for the school band.
The idea of PTA or PTO pitching themselves makes the assumption that these groupa are some how fundamentally different, which they really are not. The character of the PTA/PTO is 100% dependent on the leadership and its members. A PTA at one school will largely be the same as a PTO if the parents involved are the same. Also the PTA may be able to send a representative the the school to "pitch" the PTA however PTOs and other parent organizations are not part of larger national groups and therefore there is no onw to present to the parent body.
In terms of having elections at the beginning of the year, I have found that the start of the year is a very very busy and important time for both parents and the PTA/PTO. There are welcome programs to organize as well as planning for the year's events. If elections were held then the first few months would be lost to campaigning, voting and the getting to know you phase. Also I think new parents to the school might be turned off by the politics etc and might never then fell comfortable to join in the PTA/PTO.

Is it considered a monopoly when at the beginning of each school year parents especially new parents or denied the opportunity to vote rather they want a PTA ,PTO or another parent organization at their school?
For example if a school has always had a PTA then many parents that want to become involved maybe as an officer might be unaware of an parent group like PTO where you can get involved without having to pay a member fee. Asking for membership dues might be difficult for parents to pay. Let’s face it’s in today’s economy to avoid financial hardship everyone is cutting back. Also, many of them may not be interested in supporting some of the political issues that some parent associations support.

Many schools have open house and/or orientation at the beginning of the school year.To be fair to the parents as well as the different organizations each school should allow a representative from each parent group i.e. (PTO, PTA , etc) to come in during orientation and/or open house to give a brief presentation on what their association has to offer. After the parents have heard the brief presentation from every organization parents should be given the opportunity to vote on which parent club they feel will best accommodate the needs of the children and the parents.

Once the parent association is selected, it would be a great time to open the floor for parents that might be interested in becoming officers. This is a great way to get parents involved at the very beginning of the school year and start the process of working together as a team with others parents and volunteers. it’s very difficult to get parents involved. However, once we get them involved it’s the schools and the parent association responsibility to equip, educate, empower and encourage them to stay involved. One of the greatest investments to a child’s success is parents volunteering their time and staying consistent.

Think about it. Why do we volunteer? Because we know this is another tool to help us help our children develop into their fullest potential. To in accomplish this objective it’s imperative that we ‘re educated and stay informed of the pros and cons of each parent organization. Therefore, at the beginning of each school year we should have the right to choose which parent club is most effective in meeting the needs of our parents, children, teachers and community. I look forward to your feed back.