s/o: what does the PTA/PAC pay for at your school?

[bubbaray]

Just curious from Katie's posts on the other thread -- what does your PTA/PAC pay for at your school?

Here, the PAC pays for non-instructional extras -- gymnastics & yoga during gym time, having the Christmas concert in a professional theatre (instead of the school gym/auditorium). They also pay for all playground equipment and certain classroom extras (digital whiteboards was the latest thing). At our school's grand opening last September, they gave each student a (nice) lunchbag. Stuff like that.

What happens at your school?

[Laurel]

More than ever. We pay for most of the school library (staff and supplies). We pay to run the school copy machine. We pay for the PE and Art instructors. We give grants to teachers to help cover supplies and field trips and for staff development. We fund all disaster supplies and training. We fund all school community events. The PTO budget this year at DC's school is close to 100k and we are fundraising non-stop (demographic is working to upper middle class, with unusually high level of parent involvement). This is the only way to keep these necessary programs in cash-strapped CA. I can't imagine how awful it must be to be at a school that does not have the same fundraising capabilities and I am furious at the state of things here.

[s7714]

Off the top of my head, I know the PTA pays 50% of the librarian's salary, 100% of the art teacher's (and that's only her visiting each classroom once a month), and gives lots of money to the teachers for supplies. The PTA also pays for special visitors to present (authors, science shows, etc.)

Outside of the PTA, the money for additional playground equipment usually comes from what we get from Box Tops for Education each year. (That money goes to the school itself and the site board votes how to use it.) I know we get some money from Target too.

[egoldber]

Ours also goes for extras. From the website:


Did you know that the XXX PTA funds and supports many of the activities and events your child will benefit from as a student here? With the support of our community, the PTA has funded and contributed funds for field trips, playground equipment, computers, software, library resources, and cultural/education assemblies. Some of the programs the PTA sponsors are the Basketball program, Book Fair, Spring Carnival and the Drama Club. In addition, the PTA produces the Parent Handbook, the Yearbook, the weekly Newsletter, and the XXX school Student Directory.

I know there is a state or district law or rule against using funds to pay for additional teaching staff and to add to the curriculum.

[crl]

Our choral arts teacher and our PE teacher (we would get some much smaller amount of PE from the district), field trip subsidies for low income families, a five dollar book credit for every student at the book fair, probably some other things I'm not remembering.

We are also lucky that the San Francisco ballet comes and works with our kids (K through 3, I think) for free. And we have an arts grant through the district that pays for our ceramics program.

Catherine

[crl]

Ours also goes for extras. From the website:



I know there is a state or district law or rule against using funds to pay for additional teaching staff and to add to the curriculum.

There is apparently some issue with that here too, but we have a foundation which somehow makes it okay because the PTA isn't handling the money. At least that's what I have been told.

Catherine

[Puddy73]

Off the top of my head, last year we gave money for copiers, art supplies, playground and sports equipment, computers and software. The teachers and admin staff create a "wish list" each year.

[AnnieW625]

There is apparently some issue with that here too, but we have a foundation which somehow makes it okay because the PTA isn't handling the money. At least that's what I have been told.

Catherine

That is how it is in our district too.

[connor_mommy]

Our PTA cannot pay for staffing, it has something to do with union rules. We make a large grant to the district at the beginning of the year. I think this year, the asked for $150 per student to help with the deficit. This allowed us to keep the smaller class size and to keep our libraries open. The PTA pays for all equipment, copies, social events and continues to make grants to the teachers to help with teaching materials. I think they also cover the cost for those who want to become art, music and living classroom docents.

[Mom to Brandon and 2 cats]

I think the better question is: what DOESN'T our PTA pay for?

Seriously, we pay the cost of the school psychologist, playground equipment (since the school is undergoing renovation, and the playgrounds have been pulled out), computer labs and computers, IT staff for the computers, teacher grants, busing for the field trips, music teacher to do grade level performances, the school garden...I could go on and on and on.

It makes me furious. And we're being hit up for a parcel tax vote in the spring. In my opinion, the school keeps asking for more and more items that should be the school's responsibility to be funded by the PTA. Because the PTA board ("who only wants the best for our kids") doesn't refuse or question the need. I think the schools need to be more accountable.

Just my two cents. My DH and I are really worked up about this.

[[email protected]]

I think the better question is: what DOESN'T our PTA pay for?

Seriously, we pay the cost of the school psychologist, playground equipment (since the school is undergoing renovation, and the playgrounds have been pulled out), computer labs and computers, IT staff for the computers, teacher grants, busing for the field trips, music teacher to do grade level performances, the school garden...I could go on and on and on.

It makes me furious. And we're being hit up for a parcel tax vote in the spring. In my opinion, the school keeps asking for more and more items that should be the school's responsibility to be funded by the PTA. Because the PTA board ("who only wants the best for our kids") doesn't refuse or question the need. I think the schools need to be more accountable.


Just my two cents. My DH and I are really worked up about this.


I know--I feel the same way. But the state just cut the funding of our school district by 2 million this year, and we have only 6 schools. If the PTA and district foundation didn't cover these basics then we'd be looking at huge class sizes (24 kids in kindy; 36 in 3rd-4th grade) like the district next door. Without backing from the foundation, we wouldn't have any art, music or dedicated science teachers. I feel really bad for the kids in working class and poor communities where these "extras" are long gone.
Its wrong.

The state of California needs to stop stealing revenues from the schools. But I'll keep sending my check to the PTA and I'll work hard on the foundation b/c I'm not going to let my kid be deprived of art and music on principle.

[C99]

Our PTA cannot pay for staffing, it has something to do with union rules.

It actually has to do with PTA rules, not union rules. However, I know of schools whose PTAs fund staffing positions.

At our school, PTA pays for things like field trip scholarships, school supply scholarships, miscellaneous small teacher needs, new gym mats, movie license, new sound system, projector, back-to-school and end-of-year fun events for kids, teacher appreciation activities and luncheons, and things of that nature. Extras.

Foundation pays for the budget deficit on the line item of "staffing."

[american_mama]

I had no idea some PTA paid for significant staff positions. Our elementary school is a small working class school with a small PTA and limited fundraising success. I believe the PTA budget is about $10,000.

>> PTA pays for things like field trip scholarships, .. miscellaneous small teacher needs, end-of-year fun events for kids, teacher appreciation activities and luncheons, and things of that nature. Extras.

That's the same for us. They have also paid for visiting art and science programs to come to the school, family night dinners, and transportation costs for field trips.

[C99]

Another note: the PTA is not the same thing as a PTO. Parent Teacher Association is a trademarked term and part of dues are paid to state and national level. PTO may have different tax status.

[thomma]

Whatever they want. :)

[smilequeen]

We are in a private school, so things are probably different. We don't have a PTA. We have a Parent's Club that is responsible for fundraising. They raise quite a lot of money and it all just goes into the operating budget for the school. 75% of the schools operating budget goes to teacher salaries. We don't have the fanciest private school out there, but we have the best educated, most dedicated teachers around and they make our school amazing. The rest goes to updates in the school, financial aid, and fun events. One year it was a new gym. One year, new windows and updated landscaping. They haven't nailed down what will get done this summer yet, but the ideas are really exciting.

[octmom]

A few examples: laptops, digitial cameras, Flip cameras, computer mice, some furniture for the school, LCD screens, a new sound system for the gym (with lights for the stage to follow), books and other equipment, classroom funds to reimburse teachers for out-of-pocket expenses, gift cards around the holidays for families that need some extra support (handled by guidance counselor), and professional development support for faculty. These are just some of the things the PTO Board approved this year. We had a very large amount of money that was raised through a silent auction last year that was available. This year's PTO Board decided to spend down the large balance and keep a smaller balance. If this spring's silent auction is as successful as last year's was, there are some big ticket items (one is a prof. development experience for the entire faculty) that we will probably fund. We really want to replace the awful gym floor, but because it is a public school, there are all sorts of issues involving approval for capital projects that complicate matters.