Passion (momof3)

You need to do a little homework, not much but a little. You need to check your state laws on disolving a non profit organization and starting a new one. Although you may have found a referance on this web site about starting a PTO while the PTA still exists this can cause a problem. It has to do with the assests of the current organization and two organizations doing the same thing. Many states have laws concerning this which will make it easier for you to do some of theings you may wish to do. As an example in my state there is a 90 day period between the desloving of one organization and the creation of a new organization doing the same thing when they are non profit. In other words if the same people are running the two groups - oops that is a no no! An exceptiont o that would be the two organizations not have the same officers (membership is a different issue) but then they can not transfer assets from one to the other. (An asset here could be the non profit status not just the bank accounts). Many states permit the transfer of the non profit status but the timing of the disolution and the creation of the new organization is important. An example of how this works is the membership vote to disolve the PTA is taken first then a vote to create the PTO immediately follows. The IRS bows to the state requirements on this and if your state permits this sort of thing it will give you 501(c)(3) status with only a notification being made to the IRS (with the appropriate paper work such as the new articles of organization, etc) without having to reapply. If your state is silient on this as some are then a phone call to the IRS would be in order. This all assumes that you are a 501(c)(3) organizationa already.

These are just a few examples of what is possible, so please find out your state requirements before doing anything. I dont see the PTA being much help on getting this info for you though and I would be leary of anyting they said on the matter.

Michelle,
Yours was truly a well informed post. [img]smile.gif[/img]

momofm&m,
Besides what Michelle said, I'd recommend you become one with your current bylaws. No matter which way you and your group decides, it's best to be well informed.
Good luck.

Hi momofm&m-

First, I'm sorry that your experience wasn't a good one. I don't know the specifics of what has happened to make you feel this way. It is possible, that the volunteers in the upper levels of your state and local PTA have forgotten their mission statement and what PTA is all about. Just like you, we're volunteers with lives outside of PTA. There are those of us in the higher levels that do focus on helping our schools and our children. I have been fortunate to work with many in our state that have maintained that focus on children and am grateful for it.
Like Rockne, I would also hate for you or anyone else to be soured on parent involvement.

My opinion on your questions is this (and because I am PTA you can take it however you like, it's just an opinion)
However, I do think that it is a conflict to start one while disbanding the other (before you vote to dissolve) whether you are leaving PTA or entering it. I have said in other posts, although legally, you can do it, ethically speaking (or morally) in doing it as your bylaws suggest and dotting the i's and crossing the t's. It just seems to be the right thing to do. You aren't sticking it to any of the people you named, in doing it the other way. It generally boils down to numbers and they'll move on. However, you'll have the satisfaction of knowing that regardless of your anger, you acted fairly and perhaps better than those who caused your anger in the first place. As a council person, I have only asked that the few who have dissolved, follow the procedures and I have never acted unkindly towards those that were above board.

Lastly, it is quite appropriate to have open discussions at your general board meeting and to notify your membership that this is the purpose of the meeting. And as your bylaws will likely require, that both sides be represented (generally we have had an outside PTA rep, and an outside PTO group leader present their pros. Also, at least for us, recent bylaw changes require a state representative to attend this meeting) It is also more than appropriate to ask them to act kindly. No one wants to be involved in anything ugly and I know that some people's experience has been anything but pleasant. I think that has hurt us but again, we are all just people too. It just hurts those of us who are trying to do what we're supposed to do.

No matter what the end result, you're still a group of parents/caregivers trying to make this better for your children. One isn't better than the other, just different.

Perhaps, if it isn't too late, you can even effect change in the PTA at the higher levels in your area. maybe just telling them how you feel could put them back on track. Remind them of why they started with PTA in the first place.
Whatever the outcome, good luck to you.

Hi momofm&m --

You touch on quite a bit. Let me try and touch on a few of your points:

1. I'd hate for you and others at your school to give up on parent involvement and supporting your school because of red tape and bureaucracy. The involvement is too importnat. you're right that it's very doable to have the great involvement without the bureacracy. 75% or so of all parent groups have that now as independent PTOs.

2. I don't believe that it's a conflict at all to be actively involved in both the winding-down PTA and the starting-up PTO. The written and actual goals of the two organizations will be near identical -- helping kids and helping your school. If one mission of your PTA was to "protect PTA at all costs" then -- yes -- there might be a conflict in working PTA and PTO. But that's not the case. (It just seems that way sometimes!).

3. It's perfectly appropriate to have open discussions at your PTA board (and even general) meetings about whether PTA is the best option for your group. In fact, I'd recommend open discussions over any kind of secretive, back-room work. Making the change is not radical. There's nothing to be secretive about. Your PTA does good work now. Your PTO will do good work in the future. Any implication that one is "more good" than the other is ludicrous. Openly discussing pros and cons best assures a healthy group no matter which way the decision comes down.

Hope you stick with involvement. Sounds like you're a valuable part of the team.

Tim

I resigned as PTA president last night, effective the end of the year. But in telling my board the reasons for doing it, I realized that they were in agreement with me for the most part.

We all want to help our kids, but I am convinced the upper levels of PTA, (beginning at council and continuing all the way up) have all but completely lost the focus of what the parent volunteer goal is: to help our school help our children. They have additionally forgotten that even as officers, we are still volunteers, with any number of responsibilities and activities which fall well outside the realm of PTA, and therefore do not have the unlimited amount of time they have to fulfill all of the deadlines they impose.

We just want to raise money and help out, and until last night I didn't think there was a way to do this. However, someone mentioned PTO and that's why I'm here. After reading some of the other posts, I think we are in the right place. However, questions (I ask without reading my bylaws, something I of course will be doing shortly):

This website recommends that the PTO be started before the PTA is disbanded. I LOVE THAT IDEA! But, as president, am I creating a conflict of interest by jumping in on the cause? If so, should I resign now (rather than at the end of the year)? If not, is it appropriate to continue PTO discussions at PTA board meetings, or should meetings with a select few be held instead?

I don't want in any way to compromise our ultimate goal.

I appreciate any help you can offer.

Signed:

Protocol, Procedures and Politics are NOT my Passion