Our schools require dues to be a PTO member.
However, any parent is allowed to attend the school functions and events sponsored by the PTO.
All parents are allowed to volunteers at events sponsored by the PTO.
Any parent is allowed to attend our PTO meetings, but they cannot vote

Not paying the dues only excludes them from obtaining a PTO directory, from being on the emergency phone chain and from holding a position on the PTO Executive board or board. Volunteering is open to everyone!!

JHB;137368 wrote: Note, my PTA is more restrictive in that certain benefits are only available to members, such as the online services, some discounts, and applying for the Senior scholarship. But even so, anyone can attend a meeting, anyone can participate in an activity or serve as a volunteer. Those roles are not restricted.

So while I respect everyone's opinions, I haven't found any situations where dues were a barrier to being involved.

We are in a new school and are thinking about doing this. All parents, teachers and school stafff are members, but if you pay dues then you are a voting member and can get elected to the executive board.

We never had dues until last year.

We charge $3 for 1 parent, $5 for 2. They also get a school spirit item in exchange for the dues.

We did this to have a record of members, to advertise the importance of PTO membership and for voting. Our members must pay dues to vote, but don't have to pay to participate in any activity or speak at meetings. We were having problems with people bringing 8 members of their family to vote on certain issues.

We also have many low income families. Our memberships is on the rise since we started dues and many of them are the low income families.

Onarollpto - I agree wholeheartedly that no one should ever be excluded from volunteering, and what you experienced is a true shame. That has not been the case in those which I've been involved - PTO or PTA when dues were collected. Everyone was welcome.

All - I've been involved in all the scenarios (PTO/PTA, dues/no dues). I'm for whatever works for your group, your situation. Some feel dues are a barrier. I've not seen any evidence of that, and I haven't seen that eliminating them increased participation. If your group doesn't want to charge dues - that's great. Just remember, you do still need to market your group; you still need to promote its existence as well as individual programs. The idea that everyone is automatically a member doesn't, by itself, increase involvement.

I'm sorry for getting off topic:rolleyes:! KL - our PTO did not charge any dues but we have always sent out an optional "pledge drive" form at the beginning of each year and we always had a wonderful response. Especially from the other side of the coin, ie., the parents who did not have the time to volunteer but still wanted to help and would donate $ towards the group for programs, supplies, etc.

My only suggestion here is that if your group does decide to waive dues for the at risk parents, that you should also waive them across the board. Otherwise, I fear you would get a lot of, "Well, how come they can do such-and-such as a member but I had to pay?"

I know others will have some great ideas too. Maybe even a user whose group has a similar situation. Good luck with it!

JHB;137368 wrote: But even so, anyone can attend a meeting, anyone can participate in an activity or serve as a volunteer. Those roles are not restricted.

So while I respect everyone's opinions, I haven't found any situations where dues were a barrier to being involved.

Central NY - there is one! I was asked to help run the middle school PTA after many years with the elementary PTO. I politely declined when I found out from the existing/exiting board that in order to even just volunteer you had to pay the dues. To top that off, depending on what level of $ you wish to give determined just how involved you could get! Example, $ = ability to volunteer at a couple events; $$$ = chair an event. I was not about to take part in a group where I would be in a position to have to tell parents who wanted to give some time (since they don't have the money, it's a low income area) that they couldn't without paying up first.

I honestly haven't had the time to look into how that school's PTA is run and admit I have no idea if that's an individual group decision on how the dues are set up or if it's a national rule. However, as I'm sure there are many who will disagree, I am just completely opposed to having to pay-up just to volunteer.

Just my $.02; with the notion of agreeing to disagree with many.