Sample PTO Strategic Plan
Use this shortened version of a strategic plan—based on one created and used by a real PTO—to help your group get started with its own long-term planning.
This is an abbreviated example of what a simple strategic plan for a PTO might look like. Note the difference between goals and objectives: Goals are broad but clear statements that relate to an organization’s overall intention. Goals break down an organization’s mission into specific, achievable components and identify the results the organization wants to accomplish. Objectives in turn help break down intricate organizational goals. Objectives are interim signposts that can be reached in shorter periods of time and in more clear-cut ways than the broader goals.
Objectives, therefore, should always be measurable, which means there is a concrete way to decide whether the objective has been met. Good objectives have five common characteristics that can be remembered using the acronym SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely.
Also note that every goal, objective, and activity is directly tied to the mission and vision of the organization. With this in mind, you can’t help but make progress with your strategic plan.
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ABC ELEMENTARY PTO LONG-TERM STRATEGIC PLAN
The mission of the ABC Elementary PTO is to promote the partnership between parents, teachers and the school community at large in supporting the mission of ABC Elementary. We envision a healthy, caring, and encouraging educational environment for all students of ABC Elementary.
The PTO carries out this mission through three basic program areas: “Home Room,” “Teacher Features,” and “Raise Your Hand!” Each of these program areas is tied directly to the mission of the PTO.
The “Home Room” program stresses a greater connection between school and home. The program promotes activities developed by parent-teacher partnerships for families to engage in at home and at school. These activities are viewed as “non-volunteer” as they are activities that don’t require “work” but rather stress fun, involvement, and learning.
The aim of “Teacher Features” is to enhance the educational experience for students by supporting and supplementing the needs of teachers to promote academic and enrichment activities.
“Raise Your Hand!” promotes parent volunteerism.
The ABC Elementary PTO is a completely volunteer-drive, organization. The organization is directed by a PTO executive committee composed of a president, vice president, president-elect, secretary, and treasurer. Specifics about the executive committee can be found in the organizational bylaws.
The stakeholders are ABC Elementary students, parents, teachers, school administrators and staff, volunteers, and the school community at large.
This strategic plan will outline the goals, objectives, activities, resources, products, and outcomes of the PTO as a whole within the organizational framework developed by the PTO executive committee.
Goal 1: Promote closer connections between school and home by fostering parent involvement via the Home Room program.
Objectives
To increase parent attendance at school non-volunteer functions such as “Family Lunch,” “Recess,” and “Game Day” by 30 percent over the next two years.
To ease and increase communication between parents and teachers
To begin an at-home “Play School” program
Activities
Ensure that calendar dates for all non-volunteer functions are set before the first day of classes in fall.
Communicate all non-volunteer functions every two weeks throughout the school year.
Offer “fun” incentives to families who participate in non-volunteer activities.
Develop a PTO website to include a family forum area, teacher blogs, kid blogs, and PTO activities.
Develop, define, and support a “Play School” program that allows students to “teach” parents the lessons they learn in school on a daily basis.
Goal 2: Enhance the educational experience for students by supporting and supplementing the needs of teachers to promote academic and enrichment activities.
Objectives
To increase teacher support budget line items by 40 percent over the next three years
To develop and support two new enrichment clubs for students each year for the next three years
To develop and support competitive academic teams over the next three years
<To increase advocacy efforts in the community to promote non-ABC Elementary families’ involvement in school academic and enrichment programs
Activities
Develop a communitywide fundraiser over the next 24 months to expand fundraising beyond the school community of ABC Elementary parents. Funds raised through this event will be targeted to teacher support line items in the PTO budget.
Begin to research and implement enrichment clubs such as chess club, science club, and green club. Fundraising for this activity should be independent of traditional PTO fundraising programs and should allow students to participate free of charge.
Begin to research and implement competitive academic teams such as Destination Imagination and Math Bowl. Fundraising for this activity should be independent of traditional PTO fundraising programs and should allow students to participate free of charge.
Develop a PTO community newsletter over the next 12 months that takes the mission of the school and the PTO beyond the walls of ABC Elementary and into the community at large.
Goal 3: Promote and increase parent volunteerism and involvement.
Objectives
To increase and retain the number of parents at regular PTO meetings by 30 percent over the next three years
To increase and retain the number of regular parent volunteers by 20 percent over the next three years
Activities
Promote and increase the number of “just plain fun” activities that involve parents, teachers, and kids.
Research and obtain “fun” incentives (door prizes) for regular PTO meetings.
Research and obtain food and/or refreshments for PTO meetings.
Schedule a school forum at the end of each year to discuss and assess PTO effectiveness and to brainstorm ways to continue creating greater involvement.
