DCPS School Donations

[Anonymous]

To piggyback on what I just wrote, the PTO//PTA is not the schools’s board of directors. Not sure where that idea came from. The LSAT has a policy role, which gives the LSAT more authority than a PTO.

[Anonymous]

A PTO has no “oversight” of a school’s finances or accounts. The principal does.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To piggyback on what I just wrote, the PTO//PTA is not the schools’s board of directors. Not sure where that idea came from. The LSAT has a policy role, which gives the LSAT more authority than a PTO.

I never said they did.

My question is can a teacher go directly to the community and solicit funds? And if so, who has oversight of the account? Like who makes sure money is going in and out properly?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here

Our school has a PTO. But a teacher wants to spend money differently and on their own terms so solicited donations from the parent community for their own use without PTO oversight. They asked to give cash or check written to the “Student Activity Fund”.

We were told the “Student Activity Fund” was used to hold left over field trip money (I.e the school says the cost of a field trip is $25 when it’s really only $23 and then the school keeps the left over $2 for kids who can’t pay).

My question is - can an individual teacher or support staff solicit funds to use as they please. Who would have oversight?

Have you considered googling “DCPS donations” which is far fewer characters than you’ve typed so far?

https://dcps.dc.gov/page/make-donation-dcps

Have you considered not answering if you don’t know what you’re saying?

Of course I saw that.

That’s UNSOLICITED. I’m asking about solicitation. Try to stay focused.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here

Our school has a PTO. But a teacher wants to spend money differently and on their own terms so solicited donations from the parent community for their own use without PTO oversight. They asked to give cash or check written to the “Student Activity Fund”.

We were told the “Student Activity Fund” was used to hold left over field trip money (I.e the school says the cost of a field trip is $25 when it’s really only $23 and then the school keeps the left over $2 for kids who can’t pay).

My question is - can an individual teacher or support staff solicit funds to use as they please. Who would have oversight?

Have you considered googling “DCPS donations” which is far fewer characters than you’ve typed so far?

https://dcps.dc.gov/page/make-donation-dcps

Have you considered not answering if you don’t know what you’re saying?

Of course I saw that.

That’s UNSOLICITED. I’m asking about solicitation. Try to stay focused.

Why wouldn’t they be able to? Why would they allow random donations but not “hey I need a sponsor for XYZ?”

The truth is it is way easier and nimble for a PTO to accept donations but schools clearly can accept money. Schools have a business manager who manage money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here

Our school has a PTO. But a teacher wants to spend money differently and on their own terms so solicited donations from the parent community for their own use without PTO oversight. They asked to give cash or check written to the “Student Activity Fund”.

We were told the “Student Activity Fund” was used to hold left over field trip money (I.e the school says the cost of a field trip is $25 when it’s really only $23 and then the school keeps the left over $2 for kids who can’t pay).

My question is - can an individual teacher or support staff solicit funds to use as they please. Who would have oversight?

Have you considered googling “DCPS donations” which is far fewer characters than you’ve typed so far?

https://dcps.dc.gov/page/make-donation-dcps

Have you considered not answering if you don’t know what you’re saying?

Of course I saw that.

That’s UNSOLICITED. I’m asking about solicitation. Try to stay focused.

Why wouldn’t they be able to? Why would they allow random donations but not “hey I need a sponsor for XYZ?”

The truth is it is way easier and nimble for a PTO to accept donations but schools clearly can accept money. Schools have a business manager who manage money.

Also I’m sorry someone went around you to do something you don’t like but PTOs don’t run the school like the think they do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here

Our school has a PTO. But a teacher wants to spend money differently and on their own terms so solicited donations from the parent community for their own use without PTO oversight. They asked to give cash or check written to the “Student Activity Fund”.

We were told the “Student Activity Fund” was used to hold left over field trip money (I.e the school says the cost of a field trip is $25 when it’s really only $23 and then the school keeps the left over $2 for kids who can’t pay).

My question is - can an individual teacher or support staff solicit funds to use as they please. Who would have oversight?

Of course they can. The PTO has NO authority on this kind of thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here

Our school has a PTO. But a teacher wants to spend money differently and on their own terms so solicited donations from the parent community for their own use without PTO oversight. They asked to give cash or check written to the “Student Activity Fund”.

We were told the “Student Activity Fund” was used to hold left over field trip money (I.e the school says the cost of a field trip is $25 when it’s really only $23 and then the school keeps the left over $2 for kids who can’t pay).

My question is - can an individual teacher or support staff solicit funds to use as they please. Who would have oversight?

Of course they can. The PTO has NO authority on this kind of thing.

Guys - I’m talking about general solicitations for no specific purpose.

This is not a power-play question. It is simply about the purpose of the solicitation. I.e. it’s different if somebody’s asking for a field trip fund amount versus just give us some money. There’s all sorts of rules around how organizations use money who has say have the money is used if it’s collected by the school? There’s a reason schools don’t do this and they use parent organizations.

[Anonymous]

You said it was for the “Student Activity Fund.” The principal would be the approving authority for disbursement of funds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here

Our school has a PTO. But a teacher wants to spend money differently and on their own terms so solicited donations from the parent community for their own use without PTO oversight. They asked to give cash or check written to the “Student Activity Fund”.

We were told the “Student Activity Fund” was used to hold left over field trip money (I.e the school says the cost of a field trip is $25 when it’s really only $23 and then the school keeps the left over $2 for kids who can’t pay).

My question is - can an individual teacher or support staff solicit funds to use as they please. Who would have oversight?

Of course they can. The PTO has NO authority on this kind of thing.

Guys - I’m talking about general solicitations for no specific purpose.

This is not a power-play question. It is simply about the purpose of the solicitation. I.e. it’s different if somebody’s asking for a field trip fund amount versus just give us some money. There’s all sorts of rules around how organizations use money who has say have the money is used if it’s collected by the school? There’s a reason schools don’t do this and they use parent organizations.

Did you ask what the donation was for?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here

Our school has a PTO. But a teacher wants to spend money differently and on their own terms so solicited donations from the parent community for their own use without PTO oversight. They asked to give cash or check written to the “Student Activity Fund”.

We were told the “Student Activity Fund” was used to hold left over field trip money (I.e the school says the cost of a field trip is $25 when it’s really only $23 and then the school keeps the left over $2 for kids who can’t pay).

My question is - can an individual teacher or support staff solicit funds to use as they please. Who would have oversight?

Of course they can. The PTO has NO authority on this kind of thing.

Guys - I’m talking about general solicitations for no specific purpose.

This is not a power-play question. It is simply about the purpose of the solicitation. I.e. it’s different if somebody’s asking for a field trip fund amount versus just give us some money. There’s all sorts of rules around how organizations use money who has say have the money is used if it’s collected by the school? There’s a reason schools don’t do this and they use parent organizations.

“ But a teacher wants to spend money differently and on their own terms”

Pick a story and stick to it. Is a teacher soliciting donations for no purpose and you don’t want more money for your school? Or the teacher is doing something the “no power play” PTO doesn’t want to fund and you’re trying to get them in trouble?

Just email the principal for goodness sakes.

[Anonymous]

Generally when teachers have solicited funds at out DCPS, they have done it through Donors Choose, which has some built in accountability. They usually describe what the money is for but it can be somewhat general. However, if you donate, the teachers pretty much always send a thank you describing how the money was spent. I think sometimes they have to wait and see how much money they get before they know exactly what they can afford.

We have also had teachers provide Amazon wish lists and people will buy classroom supplies off that, but that is an in kind donation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here

Our school has a PTO. But a teacher wants to spend money differently and on their own terms so solicited donations from the parent community for their own use without PTO oversight. They asked to give cash or check written to the “Student Activity Fund”.

We were told the “Student Activity Fund” was used to hold left over field trip money (I.e the school says the cost of a field trip is $25 when it’s really only $23 and then the school keeps the left over $2 for kids who can’t pay).

My question is - can an individual teacher or support staff solicit funds to use as they please. Who would have oversight?

Of course they can. The PTO has NO authority on this kind of thing.

Guys - I’m talking about general solicitations for no specific purpose.

This is not a power-play question. It is simply about the purpose of the solicitation. I.e. it’s different if somebody’s asking for a field trip fund amount versus just give us some money. There’s all sorts of rules around how organizations use money who has say have the money is used if it’s collected by the school? There’s a reason schools don’t do this and they use parent organizations.

“ But a teacher wants to spend money differently and on their own terms”

Pick a story and stick to it. Is a teacher soliciting donations for no purpose and you don’t want more money for your school? Or the teacher is doing something the “no power play” PTO doesn’t want to fund and you’re trying to get them in trouble?

Just email the principal for goodness sakes.

Shut up. You’re the reason DCUM sucks. Because you’re an anonymous keyboard warrior who likes to giggle when you type as if your anonymous stupidity will bring down some other anonymous person. I’m guessing you don’t volunteer much with DCPS.

[Anonymous]

[img]

Anonymous wrote:Generally when teachers have solicited funds at out DCPS, they have done it through Donors Choose, which has some built in accountability. They usually describe what the money is for but it can be somewhat general. However, if you donate, the teachers pretty much always send a thank you describing how the money was spent. I think sometimes they have to wait and see how much money they get before they know exactly what they can afford.

We have also had teachers provide Amazon wish lists and people will buy classroom supplies off that, but that is an in kind donation.

This was how i thought it was done too. It was my first time hearing of a direct solicitation to a DCPS managed fund with no specific purpose.

And I couldn’t ask for what yet because it was a large announcement the last day of school. A teacher just said we need more money for things.

[Anonymous]

If a teacher asks for donations to the school activity fund, then that would get deposited into the school's account with DCPS. The principal and the school's business manager would have some oversight on that money. The teacher can't spend the money without it getting a check cut by the business person.

It seems you could choose not to donate. Are you feeling compelled to?

You could ask the principal for more clarity.

You could ask the PTO whether they were asked about the campaign and what the point of conflict is.