How to Charter a PTA
The Alabama PTA charters new local associations upon approval of bylaws and receipt of membership dues. The Alabama PTA is a nonprofit educational support group and is exempted from federal income tax. All chartered PTAs are covered under this blanket exemption. Upon chartering, the Alabama PTA office staff secures an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the Internal Revenue Service for the new unit. The PTA should keep this number with its official records. The number should be used for bank accounts and is required for filing a Form 990. Refer to the Money Matters section of the National PTAs Annual Resources for PTAs.
To charter, a local PTA must have approved bylaws, pay state and national dues, and submit a membership list of at least 50 members. Schools with student enrollment of 200 or fewer are required to have 20 members.
The charter should be kept in a specific place, preferably framed and hung in the school office. In case of the dissolution of a local PTA, the charter will be recalled.
Alabama PTA Application for Charter Membership
Microsoft Word version
Alabama
PTA Application for Charter Membership
Portable Document Format (PDF) version
REQUIREMENTS FOR APPROVED BYLAWS
The Alabama PTA office furnishes a sample copy of local unit bylaws to serve as a guide for new units preparing to charter. There are certain sections and articles of the bylaws that are taken from the bylaws of the National PTA and Alabama PTA, and they must read exactly as shown on the sample. These are indicated by double stars ** (National PTA) and by the pound sign # (Alabama PTA). The other articles are necessary in order to have a functional association and are written by the local PTAs to fit the local autonomy of the association.
Bylaws should be updated and reapproved every three years from the date of the approval seal. Even if there have been no local changes, there may have been changes in the parts required by National and Alabama PTA. These will be in the latest sample local unit by laws which can be obtained through the state office. Sample bylaws are available for a small fee on computer disk. Call the office for details.
If no changes are made or needed, the bylaws must be recopied and two copies sent to the Alabama PTA office for approval. Please make a new copy of first page without previous approval stamp. When approved, one copy with the new seal of approval and a current date will be returned to the local unit as the official copy. The other copy, also carrying the same seal of approval, will remain on file at the Alabama PTA.
If amendments are made by vote of the local unit membership, the bylaws must be rewritten to include the new amendments and two new copies sent for approval. When approved, the bylaws will carry the seal of approval with the new date.
DOES A PTA EVER LOSE ITS IDENTITY?
Yes. There are three ways by which a PTA may cease to function as an organization. The unit charter must be returned to the Alabama PTA should any of the following occur:
- Two or more organized local PTAs combine.
- A unit fails to pay the national and state portion of its
dues by March 31. Reinstatement must be resolved through the
Alabama PTA office and the treasurer.
- A PTA unit, by due process, votes to dissolve. Steps on dissolution are fully outlined in the Alabama PTA Bylaws and are listed below.
STEPS FOR DISSOLUTION
Dissolution of a unit annuls its bylaws. The motion "to dissolve as a unit of the PTA" is the same as a motion to amend its bylaws by rescinding the entire document. Therefore, a 30-day prior notice and a two-thirds vote of all members present (a quorum being established) is required for such action.