Definition of Council
A council is a group of local PTA units organized under the authority of Georgia PTA for the purpose of conferences, leadership training, and coordination of the efforts of the local units.
The council is the coordinating body that promotes communication and cooperation among member units and increases the capacity for service because of the united strength among the units and council.
The purposes of a council PTA are to:
• Unify and strengthen local PTAs comprising the council PTA;
• Provide for the conference and cooperation of the local PTAs in the council PTA
membership in order to create a public opinion favorable to the interests of children;
• Encourage programs and projects in the various PTA units that will carry out the
and Purposes of PTA
• Assist in the formation of new PTAs according to the plan of Georgia PTA; and
• Promote the interests of the National PTA and the Georgia PTA.
Councils are an effective means of unifying and strengthening PTA activities in a community or school.
Councils enable local units to collaborate on projects that an individual unit could not accomplish alone.
They provide support and assistance to the local units within their councils.
A primary responsibility of a council is to develop and strengthen PTA leadership. Council meetings and activities provide excellent opportunities for leadership development when good leadership skills are modeled.
Council and Local Unit Relationship
Councils wishing to lobby for an issue need to vote to do so, as they represent their membership. Council
may not represent or mandate without so voting, except for state and nationally approved issues and
legislative priorities, and published PTA position statements. In those instances council may lobby and
advocate without voting from their delegates.
Member units may not be compelled to enter into council projects, nor may they be assessed for funds for
projects without the consent of a majority of the units in the council.
A local unit may belong to only one council.
Council work is determined by the local situation and by the needs and interests of its member units.