In the U.S. a parent-teacher association (PTA) or Parent-Teacher-Student Association (PTSA) is a formal organization composed of parents, teachers and staff that is intended to facilitate parental participation in a public or private school. Most public and private K-8 schools in the U.S. have a PTA, a Parent Teacher Organization or an equivalent local organization. These organizations also occur (though less frequently) at high schools and preschools. At the local level, the goal of all parent-teacher groups is to support their schools, encourage parent involvement, support teachers, and organize family events.
Groups going by the PTA acronym are part of the National Parent Teacher Association (National PTA), a non-profit formerly based in Chicago (now in Alexandria, Virginia) that was founded on February 17, 1897, with membership open to anyone who believes in its mission and purposes. The first meeting was held in Marietta, Georgia by Alice McLellen Birney at Marietta High School.[1] Every person who joins a local PTA automatically becomes a member of both the state and National PTAs. PTA membership — including the number of affiliated units and of individual members — has been declining for several decades. The group boasted more than 12 million members in the late 1960s; today membership is down below 5.2 million.[2]
On June 28, 2009, Chuck Saylors became the 113 year old group's first male president. According to Saylors, only about 10% of the formerly all-female group's members are men.[3]
Local groups doing similar work but that are unassociated with the state and national structure of the National PTA are often known as Parent Teacher Organizations (PTOs). A number of other acronyms are used as well. In the United States, roughly 25% of parent groups are PTAs, while the remainder are independent. There are 23,000 local organizations recognized by the National PTA in the United States.[2]