Virginia PTA Uniform Bylaws
Bylaws represent the most important legal document of a PTA. Bylaws define your PTA’s mission, purpose and principles, and connection to Virginia PTA and National PTA. Bylaws additionally define the basic governance of your PTA in accordance with state and federal laws, establish meeting frequency, voting rights, and the duties and responsibilities of elected officers, committees, and members. It is critical that all officers understand PTA bylaws.
About Uniform Bylaws
All PTAs in Virginia operate under the same Uniform Bylaws. Every year, Uniform Bylaws may be revised/updated to incorporate amendments submitted by members, and voted on by local unit PTA delegates at the Virginia PTA All-Unit Annual Meeting. Your PTA doesn’t need to do anything to accept the annual bylaws revision approved at the Virginia PTA Annual Meeting. Simply refer to the current year Uniform Bylaws when conducting your PTA work. All PTAs in Virginia are encouraged to send delegates to the Virginia PTA Annual Meeting to participate in discussing and voting on proposed amendments to the Bylaws.
Documenting Your PTA’s Standard Operating Structure
Each Local Unit/Council PTA’s General Membership must approve an Organizational Structure Form to document the operating norms of your PTA. Your PTA’s Organizational Structure Form documents items such as how many Vice Presidents your PTA has, their titles, elected officer term length, membership dues, and meeting notice requirements. Your Organizational Structure Form is an addendum to the Local/Council PTA Uniform Bylaws, and is not used to submit individual officer names or contact information. Your PTA’s Organizational Structure Form should be stored in your unit’s account in Givebacks (formerly MemberHub) within each year’s annual compliance section so it is easily accessible to each Executive Board.
If you need to make changes to the operating structure defined on your Organizational Structure Form, then you must provide 30-days advance notice to your General Membership, and then vote to adopt the new Organizational Structure Form at a General Membership Meeting. Following adoption of a new Organizational Structure Form, please ensure you update the version stored in your Givebacks account.
If you have questions about PTA Bylaws, please contact your Council PTA or Virginia PTA’s Bylaws & Policy Director at Bylaws@vapta.org
Local Unit & Council PTA Bylaws & Organizational Structure Form:
- Local Unit & Council Uniform Bylaws (2025)
- Organizational Structure Form for Units & Councils (current 2023)
Virginia PTA Bylaws:
Virginia PTA Privacy Policy:
Annual Amendment Process
Annually, Virginia PTA accepts submissions for revisions to the Bylaws that govern PTAs in Virginia. This includes Local Unit & Council Uniform Bylaws and Virginia PTA Bylaws. Submissions approved by the Virginia PTA Board of Directors will be voted on at Virginia PTA’s Annual All-Unit Meeting.
All amendment proposals for the Annual Meeting must be submitted by January 20th. Amendment proposals going to the floor for discussion will be distributed to voting delegates no later than 45 days prior to the Annual Meeting.
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