Central School parents focus on local as they ditch PTA for their own PTO

The Parent Teacher Association (PTA) of Central School in Riverside has transformed itself into a Parent Teacher Organization (PTO). What’s the difference other than one letter?

PTAs are part of a national organization By BOB SKOLNIK

Contributing Reporter

The Parent Teacher Association (PTA) of Central School in Riverside has transformed itself into a Parent Teacher Organization (PTO). What’s the difference other than one letter?

PTAs are part of a national organization to which you must pay dues while PTOs are strictly school based and do not charge dues.

The impetus to change from a PTA to a PTO began at Central last year and the decision was made to switch last spring said current Central School PTO president Mary Ellen Meindl.The Central School PTO was formed in May and Central’s PTA was officially dissolved at a meeting on Nov. 11.

Meindl said parents at Central did not agree with all the positions of the national PTA organization and didn’t feel they were getting much benefit from their $3.25 per parent annual dues.

“A group of parents felt that our mission didn’t fit with the national mission and wanted to just focus on our school,” said Meindl. “We were paying dues into an organization and they didn’t feel the organization was very powerful.”

Nancy Hopkins, a Central parent and former staffer in the Illinois state legislature, led the committee that promoted the change.She said the PTA is basically a lobbying group and not a very effective one at that.

“The PTA is essentially a lobbying organization,” said Hopkins. “We’ve never had any interest by parents to do any of that advocacy.”

Unlike a PTA you don’t have to pay dues to be a member of the PTO. All teachers and parents at a school are automatically members without having to sign up.

“We were trying to be more inclusive,” said Meindl. “You don’t have to join. You’re automatically a member.”

While the PTA dues were minimal, Hopkins said Central parents preferred not to bother with having to formally join the group and they preferred to keep their money at home.”It was just the effort it took to sign people up,” said Hopkins. “We saved between $750 and $1,000 a year.

All the other schools in District 96 still have PTAs.

While Hollywood School is known for a strong and vibrant PTA chapter, Laura Tracy, the president of the school’s PTA, said she is interested in finding out more about why Central parents decided to disband their PTA and form a PTO.

Nationally the PTA, which has its headquarters in Chicago and has been in existence for 105 years, represents only about 24 percent of parent-teacher groups in the country according to the PTO Today Website.

In Illinois only 18 percent of parent groups in school are PTAs, according to Meindl. to which you must pay dues while PTOs are strictly school based and do not charge dues.

The impetus to change from a PTA to a PTO began at Central last year and the decision was made to switch last spring said current Central School PTO president Mary Ellen Meindl.The Central School PTO was formed in May and Central’s PTA was officially dissolved at a meeting on Nov. 11.

Meindl said parents at Central did not agree with all the positions of the national PTA organization and didn’t feel they were getting much benefit from their $3.25 per parent annual dues.

“A group of parents felt that our mission didn’t fit with the national mission and wanted to just focus on our school,” said Meindl. “We were paying dues into an organization and they didn’t feel the organization was very powerful.”

Nancy Hopkins, a Central parent and former staffer in the Illinois state legislature, led the committee that promoted the change.She said the PTA is basically a lobbying group and not a very effective one at that.

“The PTA is essentially a lobbying organization,” said Hopkins. “We’ve never had any interest by parents to do any of that advocacy.”

Unlike a PTA you don’t have to pay dues to be a member of the PTO. All teachers and parents at a school are automatically members without having to sign up.

“We were trying to be more inclusive,” said Meindl. “You don’t have to join. You’re automatically a member.”

While the PTA dues were minimal, Hopkins said Central parents preferred not to bother with having to formally join the group and they preferred to keep their money at home.”It was just the effort it took to sign people up,” said Hopkins. “We saved between $750 and $1,000 a year.

All the other schools in District 96 still have PTAs.

While Hollywood School is known for a strong and vibrant PTA chapter, Laura Tracy, the president of the school’s PTA, said she is interested in finding out more about why Central parents decided to disband their PTA and form a PTO.

Nationally the PTA, which has its headquarters in Chicago and has been in existence for 105 years, represents only about 24 percent of parent-teacher groups in the country according to the PTO Today Website.

In Illinois only 18 percent of parent groups in school are PTAs, according to Meindl.