Ideas for Better PTO & PTA Meetings (That Parents Will Actually Attend)

Let’s be honest: PTO and PTA meetings aren’t usually anyone’s favorite part of volunteering. But they are essential. PTO meetings are where decisions get made, ideas take shape, and parent groups move their work for the school forward.

The good news? Meetings don’t have to feel long, awkward, or unproductive. When they’re run with intention—efficient, inclusive, engaging, and even a little fun—parents are far more likely to show up, speak up, and stay involved.

Below, you’ll find a menu of practical, proven ideas to improve PTO and PTA meetings. Pick a few strategies that fit your group (and your schedule), see how other parent groups have made them work, and start hosting meetings that parents don’t dread—and might even look forward to attending.

Be More Efficient

• Limit meetings to an hour. You’ve probably heard it before, and there’s a reason for the “one-hour max” rule: If people know for sure that they’ll be home by 8 p.m., they’ll be more likely to show up. If conversations or agenda items are taking longer than expected, make a note to follow up later with people electronically, by phone, or in person. The Kyrene de la Mirada Leadership Academy PTO in Chandler, Ariz., made the process of nudging people along humorous by appointing its secretary the meeting “taskmaster”—each agenda has a time limit next to it, and if a speaker goes over, she gets buzzed by the secretary/taskmaster.

  • "We meet once monthly and never go over an hour. We hit most important topics first so if we can't fit everything in we at least hit what we needed to and table the rest." —Melissa L.

• Provide handouts of what you’ll be discussing (agenda, budgets, details of projects, etc.). Giving attendees the chance to scan (and keep) this information can help you keep to your time limit.

• Eliminate the hassle of attendees having to rush through dinner by providing pizza or having a simple potluck. The Cedar Grove Elementary PTO in Smyrna, Tenn., has themed potluck dinners where the first 30 minutes are spent with attendees eating and mingling, and it has created a noticeable uptick in attendance: “The potlucks have been a true game-changer for us in getting people to come to meetings,” president Tonya Ingram says.

• Create a schedule to send reminders at set times, such as a few days before and then again a few hours before each meeting.

  • "I’m making a quarterly flyer with the days and times of our meetings along with what events are happening that month and if we’ll need volunteers." —Stephanie H.

Be More Inclusive

• Ditch the head table setup. Regardless of whether it’s your intention, it can set a more authoritative mood than your group really wants. Arrange chairs in a circle or in another way that suggests a “we’re in this together” vibe.

• Use name tags for everyone so no one feels uncomfortable about forgetting names or that she’s walking into a situation where everyone else knows each other.

• Consider enlisting an interpreter if a significant portion of your school community primarily speaks another language.

  • "We have a significant number of Hispanic families as well so we asked one of our teachers who speaks Spanish to translate since she’d be attending anyway and she did. It was super helpful!" —Catherine D.

• Use icebreakers to establish common ground and get the conversation going. Come up with your own questions, or download our free printable conversation "chat" starters.

• Think outside the box for child care. You can improve attendance by solving the child care issue for parents. Most middle and high schools require students to do community service, so inviting older middle schoolers and younger high schoolers to babysit during meetings is a good option to start with—some groups have had trouble getting older high schoolers to commit. Another option is having a few parents take turns babysitting.

  • "Reach out to community like Girl Scouts. Or other people needing volunteer hours." —Stephanie B.

• Try different times or locations. If you’ve done what you can and people still aren’t showing up, do a survey to see if more parents would be apt to come at a different time or day. Likewise, a more casual setting like a coffee shop can encourage people to be more free with their conversation and ideas.

• Offer hybrid or virtual attendance options when possible. Even an occasional Zoom option can open the door for parents with work conflicts, caregiving responsibilities, or transportation challenges.

• Lower the barrier to speaking up. Some parents want to be involved, but not necessarily raise their hand in a room full of people. Invite questions in multiple ways (index cards, Google Forms, or chat features to collect questions anonymously before or during meetings.) Build in small-group or table discussions—parents are often more comfortable sharing ideas in smaller settings than addressing the whole room.

• Use plain language (and explain acronyms). PTO/PTA shorthand can be intimidating for new families. A quick explanation helps everyone follow along.

• Offer no-commitment ways to participate. Make it clear that attending a meeting doesn’t mean signing up for a role or committee.

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Be Educational: Bring in Speakers on Topics Parents Care About

Want to boost PTO meeting attendance and give parents something genuinely useful? Add a short, relevant speaker to your PTO/PTA meeting agenda. When meetings double as a mini parent-education event—not just announcements—parents are far more likely to show up—and stay engaged. It also positions your PTO as a valuable resource.

You don’t need a keynote or a full workshop. A 20–30 minute talk, followed by Q&A, is often just right.

Topics parents are asking about right now

Consider speakers who can address school-adjacent issues families are navigating every day, such as:

• Social media & digital citizenship: Current apps kids are using, online behavior, and how to talk to kids about what they see and share.
• Internet safety & screen time: Gaming, privacy settings, online scams, and healthy tech boundaries at home.
• Vaping, nicotine, and substance trends: What’s showing up in schools, warning signs, and prevention strategies.
• Student mental health & stress: Anxiety, peer pressure, resilience, and knowing when to ask for help.
• Growing up & changing bodies: Developmental milestones and how parents can support kids through transitions.
• Bullying & peer conflict: Prevention, intervention, and how schools and families can work together.
• Study skills & learning support: Helping kids stay organized, motivated, and confident learners.
• Financial literacy for kids and teens: Age-appropriate money skills like saving, budgeting, digital payments, and smart spending habits—plus how families can reinforce these lessons at home.

Where to find guest speakers for your PTO meeting

Great presenters are often right in your community!

• School counselors, psychologists, or nurses
• Local health departments or youth organizations
• Police or fire departments (internet safety, substance prevention)
• Parent education nonprofits or district resources

Virtual speakers can also be a budget-friendly option—and make it easier for busy parents to attend.

Bonus tip: Promote the speaker just like an event—headline it in your newsletter, tease it on social media, and mention it in school communications.

Be More Fun

• If you’re not serving a meal, provide fun snacks like an assortment of healthy snacks, like veggie sticks, pretzels, and popcorn, or simple desserts like brownies or cookies. (Keep in mind allergies whenever you're serving food). Some PTOs will even have a theme. Amy G. shares, "Our theme for our first meeting is “Nacho” Average PTA Meeting! We’ll have chips & salsa & whatever else anyone wants to bring." Who can say no to free nachos?

• Get a little silly. Break the ice by asking everyone a funny question like the show they're currently binge watching or the song they’re most likely to blast and sing-scream on their way home from drop-off.

• Offer an incentive. The Sequoyah Elementary PTO in Macomb, Mich., does a prize drawing of four front-row seats to a school event of the winner’s choice and free admission to a PTO event. Those who attend all five yearly meetings have a chance to win a gift card. “In a school of 700-plus kids, the front-row seats are pretty popular,” president Kelly Gebby says.

• While the meeting itself should be limited to an hour, add social time afterward for people who want to stay and get to know each other.

Be More Communicative

• Get teachers on your side. Many groups find it easier to spread the word with teachers' help. Ask them to talk up your events and activities.

• Be an active listener. Show that you take a genuine interest in answering questions and considering new ideas by taking notes and asking follow-up questions.

• Keep on top of events in the school and community so you can use those as topics, or tie the meetings to those nights.

  • Next year I hope to have an administrator at each meeting to give an update on what’s going on in the school. I think that will encourage more parents to come to meetings which will hopefully lead to more involvement. —Christina B.

  • Coordinate with the school where possible. We did ours after family science and family math nights. —Liz D.

• Spread the word! Don't assume people know what's going on, including meetings.

  • I just ask. I have been very vocal about how it takes a team. —Maria B.

Be More Creative

• Give students a role. Invite kids to give short presentations of school goings-on, such as assemblies, musical performances, school plays, etc.

  • We’ve found having grades come sing a song at the general meetings really increases numbers. —Alexa T.

• Add a bit of whimsy. Calling itself a “fun group of wonder women (and men),” the leaders of the Holy Family School PTO in East Tawas, Mich., wear capes and tutus to meetings—as well as to other PTO functions—so they can be spotted easily.

• Hold a themed meeting around a holiday, upcoming school event, or other occasion to create a buzz that increases attendance. (Careful not to get too elaborate, though—you don’t want to create too much work before the meeting even starts. A few decorations and a suggestion to wear something festive should be enough.)

Originally posted in 2017 and updated regularly.