PTO meeting minutes: a template you can copy
A PTO or PTA meeting minutes template: attendance, the treasurer's numbers, each motion and vote, and the action items. What to leave out.
PTO minutes need five things: when and where the meeting was, who was there and whether there was a quorum, the treasurer's numbers, each motion with its vote, and who agreed to do what. Aim for one page. Leave out the discussion.
The template
[School] PTO general meeting, [date]
Called to order at [time] by [president], at [place].
Present: [officers by name]. [Number] members signed in. Quorum of [number] was met.
Minutes. The minutes of the [date] meeting were approved as circulated.
Treasurer's report. Balance on [date]: $[amount]. Income since last meeting: $[amount]. Expenses: $[amount]. The report was filed.
Principal's report. [One or two lines.]
Committee reports. [Committee]: [one line each.]
Motions.
Motion by [name], seconded by [name], to spend up to $[amount] on [purpose]. Passed, [count] to [count].
Action items. [Name] will [task] by [date].
Next meeting: [date and time].
Adjourned at [time].
Submitted by [secretary].
What to leave out
- Who said what during discussion
- Opinions about ideas, teachers or other parents
- Children's names, unless a parent has agreed
- Anything said about an individual family's circumstances
PTO minutes get shared widely and sometimes posted on a school website. Write them so you would be comfortable with any parent reading them. Our longer guide on what to leave out of minutes has a before-and-after example.
Money motions
Record every vote to spend money with the amount and the purpose. A motion "to buy playground equipment" is hard to check later. "To spend up to $2,500 on two benches for the lower playground" is easy.
If your bylaws say the membership approves the annual budget, record that vote with the budget attached.
Board meetings and general meetings
If your PTO has both an executive board and general membership meetings, keep minutes for each. The board's minutes follow the same template without the sign-in count.
Approving them
The secretary sends the draft out before the next meeting, the president asks for corrections, and the minutes are approved. See who approves minutes.
If you are a PTA
A PTA unit belongs to its state PTA, which sets bylaws and record-keeping rules for its units. Check your state PTA's requirements for minutes before you rely on this template.
How Karma Compass helps
Karma Compass is built for nonprofit boards, and a PTO's executive board can use the Free plan: unlimited board members, voting, RSVPs with quorum tracking, and four meetings a year. When you mark a meeting held, Compass drafts minutes from the attendance, the quorum and the agenda.
See what the Free plan includes
Questions this post answers
What should PTO meeting minutes include?
The date, time and place, who was present and whether there was a quorum, the treasurer's balance and totals, each motion with its vote, and action items with a name and a date.
Do PTO minutes have to record discussion?
No. Minutes record what the group decided. Leave out who said what.
Who takes minutes at a PTO meeting?
The secretary. If the secretary is absent, the president asks another officer or member to take them for that meeting.
Should PTO minutes be posted publicly?
That is up to your PTO and your bylaws. If you post them, leave out children's names and anything about individual families.
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