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Standing Rules

Standing rules provide for the day-by-day operation of your PTA/PTSA. Procedures that are not covered in your bylaws, but are a general policy or way of operating for your PTA/PTSA belong in standing rules. All groups--the board, executive committee and other committees or groups may have standing rules. Standing rules are adopted and amended by the group they cover. For example: the board adopts standing rules for the working of the board and a committee adopts standing rules  for the working of the committee. Standing rules may be adopted or changed without previous notice by a two-thirds (2/3) vote, or with previous notice by a majority (one more than one-half) vote.
Local unit standing rules do not need to be sent to the Kentucky PTA. They are approved by the local PTA/PTSA board only. Standing rules should include defined procedure for the following:

  • Delegates/members who may attend Kentucky PTA meetings and trainings, your district meetings and other events at your PTA's/PTSA's expense**
  • Criteria for selecting and presenting Kentucky PTA Honorary Life Recognition and Student Leadership Recognition.**
  • If, and to whom, and under what circumstances flowers will be sent.**
  • Provisions for teacher representation on the PTA board.
  • If a PTSA, provisions for student representation on the PTSA board.
  • Duties of officers and other board members that are not in the bylaws or board approved job descriptions.
  • Who will receive subscriptions to the Kentucky PTA Bulletin, Our Children...Our Future, and to the National PTA publication, Our Children. (Your PTA/PTSA president receives a copy of each automatically.)
  • Approval of plans of work for officers and other board members.
  • Provisions for expense reimbursement for officers and other board members**
  • Provisions if it is your PTA's/PTSA's custom, for gifts for retiring officers, board members, faculty and staff.**
  • Provision for notification when an officer or other board member cannot attend a meeting and for removing/replacing an officer or other board member who misses a certain number of meetings without a reasonable excuse.
  • Who serves on the budget and on the audit committees and how the committee members are selected (if not in bylaws). [Note: the treasurer should chair the budget committee but does not serve on the audit committee.]
  • Awards and recognition for students participating in the Reflections program.
  • Provisions for conducting the election of the parent members of the school based decision making (SBDM) council. (See the Kentucky PTA SBDM Parent Handbook)

**Note: All financial items (costs) must be included in your PTA's/PTSA's annual budget.

Sample Local Unit Standing Rules

Main Street Elementary School PTA Standing Rules

Article I: Board Meeting
Section 1. Board meetings will be held...(Example: The 2nd Tuesday of each month at 7:00pm)
Section 2. All board members, officers and chairmen are expected to attend all board meetings. Should a board member miss 2 consecutive meetings without reasonable excuse, his office or chair may be declared vacant by a majority vote of the board. The board shall appoint a person to fill the vacancy.
Article II: Officers
Section 1. The first vice president shall serve as program chair, working with other chairs when appropriate to plan the yearly program schedule and details.
Section 2. The second vice president shall serve as membership chair and conduct a membership drive in August/September and promote membership throughout the year.
Section 3. The third vice president shall serve as ways and means chair and plan fundraising events to meet the budget needs for the year.
Section 4. All officers shall keep a procedure book and turn over all materials to the newly elected officer within two weeks after the school year.
Article III: Committees
Section 1. The budget committee is chaired by the treasurer and is composed of the president, ways and means chair and one other member of the board.
Section 2. Special committees shall be appointed by the president/board with the exceptions of the nominating committee. See Bylaws.
Section 3. All committee chairs shall keep a procedure book and turn over all materials to the new chairman within three weeks after the school year.
Article IV: State Meetings/Trainings
Section 1. Board members attending state meetings/trainings shall be reimbursed after returning from conference with receipts.
Section 2. Leadership/Convention Expenses will be paid by the PTA for the president, treasurer, and others as funds allow.
Article V: Teacher Representative/Student Representative
Section 1. A teacher shall serve on the board. If a teacher is not elected officer or chairman, the principal shall request a teacher to serve as teacher rep with voting privileges. The teacher must be a PTA member.
Section 2. (For middle/high school) Two students from each grade level shall be elected/appointed to serve as student representatives with voting privileges. These students must be PTSA members.
Article VI: Honorary Life Recognitions and Student Leadership Recognitions
Section 1. The PTA shall budget for at least one Honorary Life Recognition yearly. The individual must have have made as outstanding contribution of time, talent, or resources to the PTA or school. Recognition could be to a teacher, administrator, other school staff, parent, school volunteer, or community person.
Section 2. The PTA shall budget for at least one Student Leadership yearly. The individual will have shown leadership qualities that have made a positive difference in the school or community.
Article VII: Donations/Memorials
Section 1. Funds for a donation for a gift for the retiring president shall be free-will donations from the board members.
Section 2. Cards shall be sent to the board members/staff who have a death in the immediate family. Money to come from miscellaneous expenses in the budget.
Section 3. Cards shall be sent to board members/staff who have a baby. Money to come from miscellaneous expenses in the budget.
Section 4. Retiring staff shall be presented with a gift not to exceed $25.00. Money to come from miscellaneous expenses in the budget.
Article VIII: Bylaws/Standing Rules
Section 1. All board members shall have a copy of the bylaws and standing rules.
Section 2. Both will be reviewed at the first full board meeting after the election of officers.
Article IX: Training
Section 1. At least one board member will attend convention/leadership yearly.
Section 2. A board training offered by the district or state shall be scheduled in the year of a newly elected president or at least every other year.
Article X: Publications
Section 1. All executive committee members shall receive the Our Children...Our Future (Kentucky PTA Bulletin) and Our Children (National PTA Magazine) and shall share these with other board members.
Section 2. The teachers' lounge shall be sent a copy of Our Children...Our Future and Our Children.

* Reference - Kentucky PTA Leaders' Notebook for PTAs and PTSAs July 2009