Bylaws

To maintain Good Standing with Texas PTA, all Local PTAs must update or amend their Bylaws (and Standing Rules, if applicable) with Texas PTA at least once every three years.

Your Bylaws are made up of two parts and outline how your PTA functions, define its primary characteristics, and include all the governing details considered important to the rights and responsibilities of members.

Part One: The Template. As the chartering agent, Texas PTA provides and oversees a bylaws template that includes required language, which cannot be changed by the Local PTA and does not require member approval.

Part Two: The customizable areas. These areas can be customized to meet the needs of your PTA community. It is important to note that any amendments to these areas require approval by your membership, at a meeting where thirty days (30) notice was given, and then, final approval by Texas PTA.

These are the necessary steps, if you are planning to update or amend your PTA's Bylaws or Standing Rules:

Updating or Amending Bylaws

1. Download a copy of your Bylaws from Texas PTA. Use the Bylaws Snapshot Worksheet as a guide. It lists the only editable sections of your Bylaws. Councils will need to request their copy of Bylaws by contacting Leader Engagement: leaderengagement@txpta.org.

2. Appoint a committee to review your PTA’s Bylaws Snapshot Worksheet (and Standing Rules, if applicable) and propose any desired changes to your membership. 

3. Read the Bylaws Snapshot Checklist, Sample Standing Rules, and Standing Rules Checklist to avoid common mistakes that slow down the approval process. If no changes, go to Step 5. 

4. After giving 30 days’ notice, host a meeting of your membership (not your Executive Board) to vote on any changes, and record the results of the vote in Meeting Minutes.

5. Submit your Bylaws to Texas PTA for approval.

You will need the following:

a. Meeting Minutes (from Membership Meeting where amendments were approved) showing proper notice was given and that members approved amendments

b. Standing Rules in MICROSOFT WORD, if you plan to submit those for approval

PTA Name Change

Any Local PTA name change request that is in response to an official campus name change by the school district does not need to go through the typical Bylaws amendment process. That request can be expedited by following the steps below.

• The PTA President must email bylaws@txpta.org to request the name change.
• Texas PTA will verify the official name change and that the new PTA name matches the new campus name.
• Texas PTA will change the name on the PTA’s Bylaws and Standing Rules and email the amended governing documents to the PTA President.
• Texas PTA will notify the IRS of the PTA name change.

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