At the first PTA meeting of the year last night we were informed of all the new changes because of liability/IRS/or staying within the proper guidelines of what the PTA really is. Several members began asking about PTO's. I need to know the first few steps to take towards the possibility of beginging a PTO....for instance: Do you approach the Superintendant? The Board of Ed? Can it be one elementary school or does it have to be the whole district? And lastly, can a PTA and a PTO exist in the same building concentrating on different adgendas?? (Example: PTA: Cultural Arts...PTO: Field trips)
Thank you!

PTO's and PTA's can and do exist in same school districts. Different agendas? A PTO has committees and Cultural Arts is one, and Field Trips is another...etc... A PTO can have as many committees as you would like. I would start with the principal and check with him/her. Good Luck.

Be sure to check your PTA bylaws- I got caught thinking the change would be simple...like not paying annual dues. To dissolve your PTA is a litlle more complicated.

Here's a link to a PTA bylaws page. You'll find the language on dissolution in here:
http://bridge.ci.lexington.ma.us/PTA/bylaws.html

Tim

Here are PTA bylaws from Virginia. Interestingly, the provisions for changing in Virginia are different than the provisions in the MA example above:
http://www.bburg.bev.net/civic/kippspta/revbylws.html

Tim

More PTA by-laws. These from South Carolina:
http://www.lex5.k12.sc.us/ies/bylaws.html#Name

Tim