Yup, you could even start your PTO before taking a formal end-PTA vote. There are literally no restrictions timing-wise between those two actions.

Tim

Thanks Tim

I understand what you are saying, I think.. Once we vote or decide to dissolve the PTA ,we can immediately start the PTO. There will be no money in the PTA account. We have taken steps to set up all the non profit accounts. We can at that point do our Spring fundraiser as a PTO to start up funds.

Hi almost --

To clarify one point/one of your questions:

Your new PTO and your old PTA are completely separate entities (or should be). So there is no rule nor any best practice that says you have to wait until the PTA is officially defunct before doing anything with the PTO.

If you start a PTO now (get an EIN, for example -- like a social security number for an entity), then you can do whatever you want with the PTO now.

It's a common mispercpetion that your are turning your PTA into a PTO. That's what it feels like and what it will look like to your general population of parents, but -- technically, behind the scenes -- what you are really doing is two separate actons: 1) winding down a PTA; and 2) starting up a wholly new PTO.

Tim

Thank you for your encouragement. As I said we have only 64 members in a school of 600. I really don't think it should matter to the GA PTA if we are a unit or not. They aren't getting that much from us. We are going to stand firm and do exactly what you said with the money spent and then we start our PTO.
Once it is decided that the PTA is going away can we at that point do any fundraising as a PTO or do we have to wait until the end of the year which is June 30. Also was it your local unit that provided a check list or the state? Thank you so much for your help and info.

Good luck with your vote. While I am no expert, here is my personal opinion: Hang tough and don't be intimidated. Intimidation tactics by the GA PTA only make me question what are they so scared of? If something really is good and valuable...people will want to keep it around without being threatened. Our school is in Sandy Springs, and we suspect that many schools in North Fulton are also considering becoming PTO's. People have suggested to me that the Georgia PTA is afraid that it will become a trend in metro Atlanta. While one school leaving won't affect the GA PTA's financial bottom line...several schools leaving would - especially in metro Atlanta.

Here is what I think is important to remember about the Georgia PTA. There is NOTHING in the bylaws (which you have undoubtedly noticed) instructing a local unit on how to dissolve. It only says that upon dissolution that you must turn over your funds to another 501(c)(3) with similar purposes. If the Georgia PTA tells you that you aren't following the bylaws...ask them to tell you exactly which bylaws you aren't following. We have asked, in writing, several times since December for them to show us the by-laws they allege that we are violating in our plans for dissolution, and they have never provided that information.

Instead, they refer us to a checklist they sent us (AFTER they found out we planned to dissolve)...which is nothing more than a word document which no one has ever seen before. It is not referenced anywhere in the by-laws we agreed to follow. As a local unit, we agreed to follow the bylaws - NOT any & all "secret" rules that the Georgia PTA decides to create on their own and impose whenever they don't like what we're doing. They cannot randomly impose self-created checklists that exist outside the by-laws on local units, anymore than I (as co-president of our PTA local unit) could randomly decide to impose my own set of rules on my membership outside of the bylaws. Could I say that all memberss must also wash my car before they are allowed to discuss a budget amendment? I don't think so! The checklist is nothing more than a written intimidation tactic to me, and is in no way binding on ANY local unit. I would urge all local units to consider my point of view on this. Also, the checklist is ridiculous...one part suggests a 2/3 vote is required, and in another place it says "unanimous". It also requires a list of names of everyone who wants to dissolve...which is a little too much like union thuggery or KGB-like in my personal opinion. Why would they need those names??!

In the end, YOU control your destiny...NOT them. If the overwhelming view at your school (at mine we have 650 members in the PTA- with a school population of 550 students, and only 2 families have expressed objections to becoming a PTO!) is to go PTO...then do it! Will a PTA exist at your school next year if there is no one to run it? So, why even vote to dissolve? Why not word the vote to say "we want to be a PTO next year" and ignore the word "dissolution" entirely? Finish out your year as a PTA (or the shell of one), spend down your money, and walk away? Start up your PTO next year with new money, and you're on your way!

Don't get all tied up in feeling intimidated. Ask yourself, what can the PTA really do to you?? Be angry? Um, ok. Threaten to take your money? No money left. Threaten to pull your charter? Um, ok. We weren't gonna need it anyway.

Again, this is all my personal opinion. You need to do what you feel is best for your school. In my personal opinion, you take away a bully's power when you look them straight in the eye and say "I'm not gonna take that from you".

So glad to find this about the GA PTA. The PTA at school is voting next week to dissolve our school unit. We should have all of our money spent. We have heard horrible stories about schools in our area trying to dissolve the PTA and backed out because they were told they did not follow the bylaws in dissolving the PTA.
So my question is: What happens when the parent's voice their opinion for a PTO but we do not get the number of member votes to pass. Can we still dissolve the PTA unit and start a PTO? We have 64 PTA members out of a student body of 600. We sent surveys out and the majority are for PTO but not all are members. We are holding a meeting soon and are getting nervous. thanks in advance!

getting nervous!!