Washington State PTA provides a Standards of Affiliation (SOA) Agreement Checklist to provide support and guidance to local PTAs and councils.
The Standards of Affiliation agreement is a list of legal requirements from the state of Washington, the IRS, insurance requirements, local government licensing requirements, and Washington State PTA and National PTA requirements. It is an important health-check to ensure local PTAs and councils align with Washington State PTA’s ethics, policies, and principles; maintain good business practices; and comply with applicable federal and state laws. Effective, well-run PTAs and councils are vital to fulfilling PTA’s purpose and mission.
The process is set up to be self-monitoring by each local PTA or council and its board of directors. The SOA Agreement Checklist should be frequently reviewed by the board of directors, reported to the PTA’s membership, and recorded in meeting minutes. This checklist is for internal monitoring purposes and does not need to be turned in to WSPTA, unless your local PTA or council is selected for review.
A full review of the SOA by WSPTA may only be called for by the WSPTA Executive Committee. Certain SOA requirements may be independently verified by WSPTA, including membership and officer requirements, Secretary of State and IRS filings, per WSPTA Policy 3.1.
There is new participation eligibility criteria added for 2024-2025:
- Officer names/contact info: At a minimum WSPTA needs a president or primary point of contact.
- Had at least 25 members (or an approved waiver) the prior fiscal year. Enroll at least 25 members for the current fiscal year no later than October 31.
- Membership dues paid in full for the previous fiscal year. Payment of current fiscal year membership is current.
- Legal filings: All required legal filings with the Washington Secretary of State and IRS are current. (new this year)
Manage and Track SOA Requirements
Here are some quick tips for successfully managing and tracking the requirements:
- Add a few minutes for SOA review to each board meeting. Identify upcoming requirements and their due dates, discuss legal requirements and answer questions, assign tasks, and follow up to ensure items are complete. Include completed items in meeting minutes.
- Use the Training Tracking Spreadsheet to track the training the board of directors has taken during the year.
- Keep the SOA (and any supporting documentation) in the PTA’s legal records for three years to provide future boards with a record of the completion of these requirements all in one place. (Some supporting documentation, such as minutes, will need to be retained longer.)
- Add a few minutes to share the SOA with members at each membership meeting. This demonstrates responsible operation and stewardship of the PTA. Include this information in meeting minutes.
Would you like more information about the SOA Agreement Checklist? The following resources are available on the Governance page:
- Tips and Best Practices explain each requirement in detail, and includes links to numerous resources, best practices, and ideas for success.
- The Frequently Asked Questions document is a good place to get questions answered.
- The Training Tracking Spreadsheet is a helpful tool to track the trainings completed by your board.
- The SOA should be mentioned in local PTA and council standing rules. Refer to the Suggested Standing Rules Wording resource for suggested language to add to your local PTA or council standing rules.
- Need support? Contact your Region Director.
Original blog August 13, 2020, updated August 26, 2024