Home > Special Insights Archive > August - September 2003 > PTAs, SEPTAs, and PTOs, Oh My!

PTA? SEPTA? PTO? Are you confused by all of these acronyms? Do you wish there was someone who could explain the terms and the differences between each of these organizations? If so, your wish is about to come true.

Let's start by defining the acronyms. Most people know that PTA stands for Parent Teacher Association. SEPTA stands for Special Education Parent Teacher Association and a SEPTSA includes the students. While PTO is shorthand for a Parent Teacher Organization. So now you know what the letters stand for, what do they mean to you as a parent?

• PTAs are local groups that affiliate with the national PTA, an organization with more than 6 million members nationwide and overseas. These local groups pay state and national dues, but in exhcnage, receive benefits from the state and national organizations. PTAs allow members to network with fellow members/volunteers who help one another, share resources and ideas.
  
  
• SEPTAs are community-wide organizations. They aren't associated with a single school, like the vast majority of PTAs. And unlike most PTAs, SEPTAs focus primarily on special education issues and advocacy for children with disabilities. National PTA first introduced the concept of SEPTA in 1996 to address the unique needs of parents of children with special needs. SEPTA members should also consider participating in their school PTA or PTO. School-based parent organizations can provide parent involvement opportunities that many SEPTAs do not.
  
  
• PTO is the general acronym for the parent teacher groups that choose to remain independent of the national organization. PTOs are solely school-based and do not provide access to a larger support network. On the other hand, though, they are not subject to the restrictions of the national PTA (bylaws, dues, etc.)

You may be asking yourself, "If my school already has a PTA/PTO, do we really need a SEPTA, too?" The answer to that question may depend on how well your school is at communicating with and meeting the needs of parents who have children in the special education system. Parents of children with special needs must learn how to work with the special education teachers and other specialists who teach their children. They need to understand the system and their rights under the law. And they need to connect with and support other parents in the same position. SEPTAs help meet these needs by bringing together people who have an interest in special education and providing a forum for them to share their experiences.

Now you have all of the basics and it is ultimately up to you to decide which of these groups, if any, is right for you. As always, feel free to call the Parent Network of WNY for additional information.

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