Q In order to be a member of a PTA, must I have children at that school?
A: No. Anyone who subscribes to the basic policies and Objects of PTA is eligible for membership.
Student members must be in the 9th grade or above.

Q Who can attend meetings and who has access to the minutes of the meetings?
A: Only members of the group that is meeting have the right to be present unless others are invited by the
group to attend. In other words, only PTA members have the right to attend PTA membership meetings;
only PTA board members have the right to attend PTA board meetings; only members of a committee have
the right to attend meetings of that committee -- unless the group (the membership, the board, the
committee) grants permission for others to attend. Granting permission to attend may include the right to
speak. However, it cannot include the right to vote, which is reserved only for the members of the group.
Only the members of the group have access to the minutes unless the group decides otherwise.

Q Can the president (or, presiding officer) ever vote?
A: Yes. If the president is a member of the group, (s)he has the same voting right as any other member.
The president votes with the other members anytime there is a vote by printed ballot because this is a secret
ballot.

Q Who runs a meeting when the president cannot be there?
A: This usually becomes the responsibility of the vice president. Sometimes, the titles of officers make it
clear (i.e., 1st vice president, 2nd vice president, 3rd vice president). If for some reason, the vice
president(s) cannot do it, the members will need to select a temporary chairman.

Q What is a quorum?
A: The minimum number of members entitled to vote which must be present to legally conduct business.
The quorum refers to the number of members present, not to the number actually voting on a particular
question.

Q If the president wants to speak to an issue at a PTA meeting, how is that handled?
A: The president steps-down from the Chair, and another officer (usually the vice president)
chairs the meeting while that issue is under discussion/debate. The president returns to the Chair
after a decision on the issue has been made.