PTA Terminology
A Unit is the local organization. Broken Arrow High School PTSA is an example of a unit. Their focus is the students (and their families) of Broken Arrow High School.
A Council is a group of local PTA units who work together for the good of children beyond their school—for example, Broken Arrow PTA Council addresses issues at the school district level. Each member unit has three voting members of Council: Principal, President and Council Delegate. These members bring issues from the unit to the council, and report council business back to the unit.
The governing body of a unit is the Executive Board, which includes elected officers and standing committee chairs according to unit bylaws. Each voting member has one vote, regardless of position(s) held.
A Plan of Work is the plan of a committee chair or officer that describes their plan for executing their particular job within their budget. Each committee must submit and have approved by their executive board a plan or work. Monies not approved prior to expenditure are not eligible for reimbursement.
A Budget is the plan for fiscal management for the PTA for the year. The budget must be presented to the voting body for approval. For a unit, this occurs at the first unit meeting of the year.
All PTA Officers are elected to their position by the voting body. At the unit level, this occurs at a Unit Meeting in spring prior to the beginning of their term. Any person desiring to hold an office in a PTA must first be a member of that PTA.
Bylaws are the framework within which a PTA operates. Bylaws provide the basic rules that each unit or council must follow. Oklahoma PTA adopted Uniform Bylaws for its units and councils in 2009, ensuring continuity in the governing of PTAs throughout the state. The Uniform Bylaws cannot be amended by a PTA unit or council.
Standing Rules are an extension of the bylaws. They define procedures and relate to details of the administration of a particular unit or council. Standing Rules must be approved by a majority vote of the membership of a unit or council and can be amended as needed as long as they do not conflict with the Oklahoma Uniform Unit Bylaws or the Oklahoma Uniform Council Bylaws.