How much does it cost to join your PTA?

[Anonymous]

We just moved to Bethesda and I volunteered to do membership for the PTA at my child's new school.

I'm having a hard time getting information because all the people are new this year. I don't understand why we charge $60 for a PTA membership, then ask for another $60 for a donation on top of that. I've been involved with the PTA in my child's other school but we never asked for that much money.

Is that usual for this area. I'm embarrassed to put my name to anything that asks for this much money. Maybe it's just done that way here...

[Anonymous]

10 bucks.

[Anonymous]

$15.

[Anonymous]

$10

[Anonymous]

$15

[Anonymous]

$40 for a Bethesda-area elementary school - at least that was the cost last year.
That's just for joining the PTA and getting a directory (useful for playdates and birthday parties).

I went on a crusade a few years ago to decrease the cost, but was told it was practically nothing.
So I joined the board and realized that indeed, there are families who donate thousands of dollars to the PTA!

And I also found out that the PTA uses the funds it raises for very worthy causes: it pays for before or after-school remediation, it pays for after-school classes and school field trips for underprivileged students who can't afford it, it pays for electronics replacements in all classrooms (laptops, Prometheum boards, etc, so that the school doesn't have to wait years for MCPS to replace them). It pays for extra school supplies and books for every teacher. It pays for artists and scientists to come in and provide cultural arts and STEM enrichment activities (very expensive!). It pays for Kindergarten orientation, the school fair, contributes to replacing playground equipment and toys, Teacher Appreciation Week, and the teacher training that MCPS has cut because of budget cuts (substitutes' salary and teacher training material), which ensures that teachers stay on top of their game.

All that can't be bought for $40 per family. We're talking 50K annual PTA budgets in the Bethesda-area schools. In a very real way, this is what differentiates rich districts from poorer districts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We just moved to Bethesda and I volunteered to do membership for the PTA at my child's new school.

I'm having a hard time getting information because all the people are new this year. I don't understand why we charge $60 for a PTA membership, then ask for another $60 for a donation on top of that. I've been involved with the PTA in my child's other school but we never asked for that much money.

Is that usual for this area. I'm embarrassed to put my name to anything that asks for this much money. Maybe it's just done that way here...

Really? You can afford that? I bet you have the new iPhone. I would hope people spend at least a few hundred a year on the pta.

[Anonymous]

Let's not forget the foundations which raise money outside of the PTA restrictions at many of the wealthier schools..

[Anonymous]

$10-15 to join and get access to the directory. While there is a lot of wealth at our school, there is a population with lesser means and the PTA wants everyone to feel welcome/able to join.

[Anonymous]

$7 for an individual and $10 for a family. No directory. This is at a Focus school.

[Anonymous]

$10 for individual, $18 for family

[Anonymous]

$10

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We just moved to Bethesda and I volunteered to do membership for the PTA at my child's new school.

I'm having a hard time getting information because all the people are new this year. I don't understand why we charge $60 for a PTA membership, then ask for another $60 for a donation on top of that. I've been involved with the PTA in my child's other school but we never asked for that much money.

Is that usual for this area. I'm embarrassed to put my name to anything that asks for this much money. Maybe it's just done that way here...

Really? You can afford that? I bet you have the new iPhone. I would hope people spend at least a few hundred a year on the pta.

NP. That's really not the point. Perhaps OP moved from a place where PTA didn't charge this much so she's surprised at the cost. Get out of your bubble PP.

-- signed a west coast transplant where the school district was asking for $1000/child/year

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:$40 for a Bethesda-area elementary school - at least that was the cost last year.
That's just for joining the PTA and getting a directory (useful for playdates and birthday parties).

I went on a crusade a few years ago to decrease the cost, but was told it was practically nothing.
So I joined the board and realized that indeed, there are families who donate thousands of dollars to the PTA!

And I also found out that the PTA uses the funds it raises for very worthy causes: it pays for before or after-school remediation, it pays for after-school classes and school field trips for underprivileged students who can't afford it, it pays for electronics replacements in all classrooms (laptops, Prometheum boards, etc, so that the school doesn't have to wait years for MCPS to replace them). It pays for extra school supplies and books for every teacher. It pays for artists and scientists to come in and provide cultural arts and STEM enrichment activities (very expensive!). It pays for Kindergarten orientation, the school fair, contributes to replacing playground equipment and toys, Teacher Appreciation Week, and the teacher training that MCPS has cut because of budget cuts (substitutes' salary and teacher training material), which ensures that teachers stay on top of their game.

All that can't be bought for $40 per family. We're talking 50K annual PTA budgets in the Bethesda-area schools. In a very real way, this is what differentiates rich districts from poorer districts.

We do all this and more in a non-Bethesda school. Annual budget is 7 K. Our parents donate for each activity - teacher's appreciation week, school trips, STEM etc. if they want too. The parents pitch in for other parents if they can't afford something.

The difference is that our PTA does not outsource every single thing. So, we are paying the cost price only. Bethesda schools pays for the vendors and middle man. They outsource because that is what they are used to. They throw money at the problem. In our school parents pay for their students and donate for events they think is worthwhile. That is why our children are not entitled brats and our school and PTA works together in tandem. This is what differentiate high achieving students vs, affluneza students.

[Anonymous]

$15. $5 of that amount goes to the out of school PTSA organization.

I would love if everyone gave a donation of $20 dollars, and only a handful joined the PTSA.