Running your PTA
“With strong leadership, PTA will have the component, committed people necessary to be effective advocates for children and youth.”
– California State PTA Toolkit
Officers and Duties
The California State PTA developed officer and Chairman Job Descriptions for unit, council, and district PTAs use. These guidelines are meant to assist officers and chairmen in their duties throughout the term of office. For planning purposes, the job descriptions are typically distributed to members of the board-elect at the beginning of a term. They are used with the updated procedure books the outgoing officers and chairmen forwarded. PTAs are encouraged to develop job descriptions and procedure books for other PTA positions to provide continuity and sound leadership practices.
NOTE: The bylaws and standing rules for each PTA provide a framework for the organization. To operate effectively using this framework, PTA executive boards and individual board members will benefit from adherence to professional governance standards. Professional governance standards specify principles involved in governing responsibly and effectively and were developed to support PTA boards in their efforts to enhance their membership’s and the community’s understanding of the PTA board’s responsibilities.
California State PTA Toolkit
Professional Governing Standards
PTA volunteers are recognized as leaders and advocates in both schools and communities. Based on their life experiences, they bring unique energy, perspectives, and skills to the table. A shared commitment to the PTA mission “to positively impact the lives of children and their families” drives their efforts.
As board members, PTA leaders have a special set of responsibilities to oversee the management of their PTA as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization and govern responsibly on behalf of their members.
That’s why California State PTA has adopted Professional Governance Standards. These Standards outline the key principles and responsibilities for board members to follow in running a PTA.
All unit, council, and district PTA executive boards are encouraged to review and adopt the Professional Governance Standards at the start of the term as part of their board orientation and team building. However, adoption of the Standards can take place at any time.
To learn more, download the Professional Governance Standards online in the Toolkit.
The Individual Board Member
A PTA board member is a person elected or appointed to serve on a PTA executive board. Individual board members bring unique skills, values, and beliefs to the PTA board, and in order to function effectively, individual board members must work together for the association. To be effective, an individual board member:
* Recognizes and respects differences of perspective and style among the individual board members
* Acts with dignity and understands the implications of demeanor and behavior
* Honors the confidentiality of the board discussions
* Is open to new ideas and suggestions
* Is familiar with the bylaws with respect to the individual position as well as the organization as a whole
* Understands the authority rests with the board as a whole and not with the individuals
* Understands that the basis for all authority rests with the membership
* Participates in opportunities for training
* Commits the time and energy necessary to be an informed and effective leader
* Assists those with less experience
* Understands the distinctions between PTA and the school staff and refrains from performing functions that are the responsibility of the school district
* Values, supports, and advocates for public education
* Represents the PTA only when authorized to do so.
The PTA Executive Board
The members of the PTA executive board work together as a Governance team, which assumes collective responsibility for building unity and creating a positive climate during the term of office. To operate effectively, the executive board:
* Develops a unity of purpose by involving parents/ guardians, students, staff, and community
* Communication a common vision
* Operates with trust and integrity
* Remains responsive to input from the school community
* Governs in a professional manner, treating everyone with civility and respect
* Fulfills requirements set within bylaws and standing rules
* Takes collective responsibility for the board’s performance
* Proposes for adoption by the membership of a fiscally responsible budget based on the organization’s vision and goals
* Monitors the fiscal health of the association regularly
* Ensures that safe and appropriate activities are provided to implement the goals
* Provides community leadership on the issues that affect children and youth
* Works collaboratively with other groups and agencies that share the same concerns on issues that affect children and youth
* Works collaboratively with other groups and agencies that share the same concerns on issues that affect children and youth
* Encourages individual board members to attend available training opportunities
* Serves as a communication link between the home, school, and community
* Evaluates the activities and direction of the board on a regular basis.
Required Officers
President
Key Role:
– Oversees and coordinates the work of an executive board to run a PTA effectively
-Presides at PTA board and association meetings
-Serves as the official contact, communicator and representative of a PTA
-Designated as an authorized signer for PTA checks, contracts and authorizations for payment
-Serves as ex-officio member of all committees except the nominating committee
-Works with other PTA leaders to connect families, school and community to support student success
Secretary
Key Roles:
-Takes minutes at board and association meetings
-Co-signs formal papers with president: authorizations for payment, resolutions and formal letters
-Handles PTA correspondence as directed by the president
-Maintains and preserves PTA records and important documents to pass on at the end of the term
Treasurer
Key Roles:
-Maintains permanent records to track unit funds and financial transactions
-Chairs budget committee and prepares annual budget for adoption by the association
-Pays all PTA bills as authorized by board or association
– Prepares reports for every board and association meeting and an annual financial report
– Ensures taxes and reports required by PTA bylaws, insurance or federal and state governments are completed and submitted by the due dates
Additional Officers
Arts Education
Communications
Disaster Preparedness
Education
Executive Vice President
Family Engagement
Financial Reviewer
Financial Secretary
Founders Day
Fundraising
Graduation/Prom Night
Health
Historian
Honorary Service Award
Hospitality
Legislative Advocacy
Local Unit Leader
Membership
Outreach
Parliamentarian
Program
Reflections Program
Room Representative
Room Representative Coordinator
Safety
Student Board Member
Student Involvement
Volunteer
Volunteer Coordinator
Three key elements govern all PTAs
All PTAs chartered in California are governed by three key elements of organizational framework – bylaws, standing rules and procedures.
Bylaws
Bylaws define the primary characteristics of the association and how it will function. Unit, council, and PTA district bylaws all contain shared characteristics: name, the organization’s purpose, how to become a member, officers required and their duties, meetings to be held, committees and how they function, parliamentary authority, and amendment procedures. The bylaws are so important that they cannot be amended without prior notice to the membership and must be approved by a two-thirds majority of that membership. The California State PTA also requires that proposed bylaw amendments be submitted through channels to the California State PTA for approval before submission to the membership for adoption. Bylaws cannot be suspended.
Standing Rules
Standing Rules provide details and policies for administering the association’s business. For example, the bylaws state that the executive board will meet monthly during the school year, and a standing rule provides details on the day of the month for that meeting. A standing rule may not contain any directions or procedures contrary to any provision in the bylaws. The association may change standing rules under the same conditions as any act of the group. A standing rule may be suspended for a particular meeting with a majority vote of the present and voting members.
Procedures
Procedures provide guidelines and instructions for handling specific functions of the association. All officers and committee chairman should maintain procedure books detailing instructions for their particular positions, which should be updated annually. Procedures must not conflict with either bylaws or standing rules. Procedures may be changed without membership approval. As your new board members begin their plans for the coming term, ensure that part of the process is a thorough review of your organization’s bylaws, standing rules, and procedures.