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What’s the difference between a PTO and a PTA?
Lincoln Elementary School has a PTO (Parent Teacher Organization) and is not a member of National PTA. Here is an answer to the frequently asked question above:
The technical differences between a PTA and a PTO are fairly simple. The national PTA is a formal membership organization with over 100 yers of history of working for children. Local groups that choose to belong to the PTA must pay dues to the state and national organization and abide by state and national group rules. In return, they get member benefits, and they get a voice in the operations of the larger organization. Only dues-paying members of the group can call themselves a PTA.
PTO, on the other hand, is a more generic term. It generally represents the thousands of groups that choose to remain independent of the PTA. The acronym PTO is the most popular name, but other common monikers include PCC, PTG, and HSA. These are most often single-school groups that operate under their own bylaws and generally concern themselves only with the happenings at their building or in their town.
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