Question about PTO Funds and Field Trips

[Embel]

Our local elementary school has an active PTO that runs at least 5-6 solid fundraisers per year, and has a respectable bank balance.

Each grade takes one field trip per year. The PTO donates a set amount of money toward the field trip, with the intent that it be put toward buses. The amount does not actually cover the total bus cost. It also doesn't account for grades with higher enrollments that might need a second bus.

Parents then pay for their child to attend the field trip, and to make up any bus shortfall.

Additionally, parents who would like to chaperone are asked to pay their own entry fee into the location (zoo, museum, whatever) and to take their own cars to and from the location.

I'm surprised by this because I would have thought that the PTO funds would cover a more significant portion (if not all) of the field trip costs. Instead, PTO funds are largely used to purchase technology for the school. (white boards, elmos, etc)

How are field trip expenditures handled at your area elementary schools? How about large technology purchases?

 

[meajuly5]

Our PTO funds contribute some to field trips, some to supplement special units, grants for teachers --for small items that are outside of budget such as a digital camera or playground equipment likes balls etc. The PTO raises funds for technology improvements and major improvements such as playground updates to supplement town budget as well

 

[DopeyDame]

Around here PTOs typically have funds available for students who can't afford to pay for a field trip, but generally kids pay for the field trips not the PTO.
PTO fundraisers go towards larger and one time purchases - like technology investments, new playgrounds, or some other specific need the school might have. I don't think we'd want a scenario where we're relying on the PTO to fund part of the curriculum (which a field trip should be).

 

[Gumbo4x4]

PTO funds usually pay for technology here.

Parent chaperones not only pay their own way, they also have to pay for their own background checks

 

[ljcrochet]

The PTA in my girls school pays for all the assemblies that take place through the school year. This month they had a guy who did an animal show. They also sponsor field day- and all the kids get a t-shirt. Pay for the year book for the 5th graders.

 

[okeydokey]

PTO funds pay for school resources. Field trips are all self pay.

 

[JVL1018]

Our local elementary school has an active PTO that runs at least 5-6 solid fundraisers per year, and has a respectable bank balance. Each grade takes one field trip per year. The PTO donates a set amount of money toward the field trip, with the intent that it be put toward buses. The amount does not actually cover the total bus cost. It also doesn't account for grades with higher enrollments that might need a second bus. Parents then pay for their child to attend the field trip, and to make up any bus shortfall. Additionally, parents who would like to chaperone are asked to pay their own entry fee into the location (zoo, museum, whatever) and to take their own cars to and from the location. I'm surprised by this because I would have thought that the PTO funds would cover a more significant portion (if not all) of the field trip costs. Instead, PTO funds are largely used to purchase technology for the school. (white boards, elmos, etc) How are field trip expenditures handled at your area elementary schools? How about large technology purchases?

I was the parents association treasurer for 4 years at my children's' elementary school. Every year we budgeted for $10 per student for field trips. Busing was free, as we used school buses. We had one trip one year where we rented motor coaches and the parents had to kick in a bit for those, but generally the kids end up paying 0 or between $2-$7 for field trips total for the year.

In my tenure, we also bought 3 Smartboards, but every classroom has them now and that was all paid for by the school district.

We paid for field day-pizza, drinks, oranges, tshirts, ice cream.

Assemblies, picnic tables, benches, 2 teachers' breakfast and a luncheon, luncheon for AR readers, breakfasts for honor roll kids, luncheon for citizen of the month, when I was there, at the BOGO Free book fair, we paid for 1 book for every student, then they got one free, so each kid went home with 2 free books.

 

[TheIncredibles!]

Every single field trip my kids have ever gone on we were required to pay for admission, if any, to the venue. Chaperones drive their own cars to the venue if it is less than an hour from the school. "Big" trips they go on the bus with the kids.

The cost for the bus and insurance etc is funded by the PTA.

Most of the PTA funds are used to purchase classroom needs anywhere from Crayons up to ipads for the teachers. As parents in this district we provide absolutely nothing to the classroom at the start of the year. I send my kid in with a backpack that's it. No crazy lists here

 

[Malibustyle23]

Ours is considered a pta not pto not that it matters. They do not pay any part of our field trips. Each grade usually has atleast 2 a year that are a nominal fee to participate in $10-20 usually. An additional fee for the chaperone is required some ride the bus if there is room some drive their selves.

Our pta has done very well this year with fundraising but gives back tremendously to the school. In the past they have paid for playground equipment, assemblies, lunch for the presenters at career day, subscription to online learning websites for the kids to use in class/home, award medals for the kids reading achievements, the list goes on and on. Smartboards and most other technology is primarily covered through the school budget funded from the county and state.

 

[Poohforyou]

Our pto gives money towards class trips, special assembles, technology, school improvements and classroom grants. The pto also covers trip costs for students with financial difficulty. Our pto doesn't spend down all fund raising revenue each year in the event there is a lean year.

Dd has gone on plenty of school trips that didn't cost us anything.

 

[mjkacmom]

We've always paid for field trips, but I assume they are partially funded by PTO funds. The money goes to assemblies, special treats like pizza and ice cream, technology, playground equipment, etc.

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

The PTO pays for one bus per classroom, per year for field trips and the cost of the students/chaperones getting into the location.

Chaperones where asked to provide their own transportation and to transport their own child in order for each grade to fit on one bus each field trip, giving them 3 field trips per grade.

 

[EMode]

We've always paid for field trips, but I assume they are partially funded by PTO funds. The money goes to assemblies, special treats like pizza and ice cream, technology, playground equipment, etc.

This is how it works at our school. Our field trips are never completely paid for by the PTA.

 

[tvguy]

Some districts put tight controls on what their parent organization can buy because it can jeopardize federal grants. Technology usually is the area they watch, computers and those smart white boards. There are lots of federal grants for that, but no money for PE equipment, band and team uniforms.

 

[Iamthequeen]

When my kids were in elementary school, and I was on the PTA board, our funds were used to pay for a Library aide so that our school library could be open a few hours every day. She was also the lunch aide and helped out on the playground.

 

[bbak3030]

I'm a very active member of the PTO at my girls school and we pay for several things including:

Teacher appreciation week. We have treats all week, a gift and then a luncheon at the end of the week.

Dr Seuss day
Santa photos
Fun and field day: we hire a company to do this. It Includes a magic show, bounce houses, relay races, etc. the kids love it.
We pay for extra copies for the teachers
We do a wish list that gets voted on

We also contribute to other items throughout the year as asked. We also get a lot donated.

However, we have never paid for anything field trip related that I'm aware of. The Prek class did a fundraiser at the beginning of the year by selling shirts and jambalaya dinners. That paid for the 2 field trips they took. Chaperones still had to pay though.

 

[barkley]

the parent organization at our school are the 'junior boosters'. from my experience all field trips are no fee for the students-funded by the school/boosters-this includes the multi day across state programs like all state choir and band.

my son is in high school so I don't know how many field trips are done at the elementary level, but I know in recent years it's been decided that it's much more cost effective to take advantage of programs that bring some educational opportunities into the school. I think they've had the pacific science center's science on wheels a couple of times (and all grades k-12 could participate), and every year Missoula Children's Theatre spends a week at the school putting together a production with the students (if you've never seen this group it's amazing what they accomplish with auditions on Monday and opening night on Friday).

seems like we're fortunate to have some places in somewhat close proximity that do special/free entry days for students (so school only has to provide transportation)-only theme park within a gazillion miles to us does math and science days (with focus on how both are used in design of their roller coasters) and other days for honor society and such. county fair opens the agricultural area up before normal operating hours and has people on hand for free admission student field trips, historical re-creation groups give free entry-and the local museum offers some free or deep discounted entry.


I think technology is for the most part funded through the general budget and available grants and donation programs.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

I have been our PTA board for 3 years and we do offer a small amount of grants for field trips. This year, two teachers have requested it . Otherwise, a donation request goes out with the permission slip to cover the cost of admission & transportation. We use school buses, but we (the school/classroom) still gets charged per mile and it's a ridiculous amount. Our old principal didn't allow for parents to drive students on field trips (something about the extra insurance and not being fair to all parents if they couldn't afford it), however our new principal has allowed it.

As for what we cover - it's a whole host of things; technology, outdoor ed, school social events (family fun nights, bbqs, carnivals, etc). The teachers also come to us with requests for the following year and we've even covered some curriculum stuff like AR, the art program (it would have come out of the site budget, but at the expense of other things).

 

[dollarmite]

I'm involved with my PTA (P&C-Parents and Citizens Association) here in Australia.

P&C funds do not cover school excursions at all. Each student pays their own way. If there is an issue with affordability a family can approach the school and the principal has the discretion to pay for it out of school funds. I have no idea how often that happens in our school. I've had access to the school budget and don't recall seeing anyone requesting help in that area for the last few years.

P&C funds are generated to help as much of the school overall as possible - technology, white boards, reading books, equipment, etc.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

In our district, we have always paid a fee for field trips. It can vary from $8for a trip to a park or other free activity, to $30 or more for a place with a high admission fee. Parents are asked to pay the fees, but the PTO has money set aside for those who need help paying some or all of it. The 4th graders take a day-long trip to the state capitol. They use charter buses and provide lunch and admission fees to a museum. The 4th grade families do their own fund-raising for this trip. Also, 5th grade science camp is $300 per student. Each student starts building their science camp fund in kindergarten. A percentage of what you raise through at events like the walk-a-thon goes directly into your own fund. Some kids are able to cover their entire tuition by the time they get into 5th grade.

Most of the PTO funds go toward school-wide assemblies, technology, and teacher supplies. For example, each teacher just received a check for $100 to cover year-end supplies and to start stocking their rooms for next year.