Local Unit Information
School Support Organizations (SSOs)
School support organizations (SSO’s) include any and all organizations that are established for the benefit of a Knox County School, school team,
club, class or activity of which all local unit PTAs fall. Each SSO must be a legal non-profit corporation in the State of Tennessee and comply with
TCA 49-2-604 and all Knox County Schools Policies.
To ensure compliance with District Policy DLand state law TCA 49-2-604, school support organizations must annually enter into a written agreement with Knox County Schools to use the name, mascot, property, securities, services, or other things of value. Prior to entering into an agreement,
the school support organization must submit the following information:
School support organizations (SSO’s) include any and all organizations that are established for the benefit of a Knox County School, school team,
club, class or activity of which all local unit PTAs fall. Each SSO must be a legal non-profit corporation in the State of Tennessee and comply with
TCA 49-2-604 and all Knox County Schools Policies.
To ensure compliance with District Policy DLand state law TCA 49-2-604, school support organizations must annually enter into a written agreement with Knox County Schools to use the name, mascot, property, securities, services, or other things of value. Prior to entering into an agreement,
the school support organization must submit the following information:
- Written Agreement with the Board of Education: A prospective SSO must provide to the Board (or the Board’s Designee), documentary proof of the organization’s current not-for-profit legal status, the organization’s charter and bylaws, a statement explaining the organization’s goals and objectives, and contact information for the organization’s officers. If the documentary evidence is acceptable to the Board, a standard written agreement among three parties—the Director of Schools acting on behalf of the Board, the prospective SSO organization, and the principal of the school that the organization intends to support—will be entered into. (A copy of the standard agreement can be found on the right hand side of this page under the “SSO Quick Links” heading.) Once the agreement is entered into, the organization will be placed on the district’s listing of approved SSO’s, which is kept on the school district’s website.
- IRS Status: If the SSO is an eligible Internal Revenue Code 501(c)(3) organization, the SSO must provide the Board a copy of its IRS Determination Letter. The IRC 501(c)(3) qualified SSO must also comply with the Tennessee Charitable Solicitations Act and the Tennessee Nonprofit Gaming Act.
- Fundraising: All SSO fundraising activities must be consistent with the goals and mission of Knox County Schools and must be approved by the school principal and the Director of Schools or the Director’s designee in writing 30 days in advance of the fundraising activity.
- Annual Verification of Continued Existence: Before the first business day of August each year, an SSO must provide to the Board documentary proof of the organization’s continuing existence, any changes to the organization’s goals and objectives, officers, or bylaws, and a statement of cash receipts and disbursements for the organization’s last fiscal year. Failure to provide the information required for annual verification of continued existence will result in the SSO being removed from the listing of approved SSO’s.
Please return all documentation electronically via the Annual Verification of Continued Existence (linked above),
by email, or mail by AUGUST 1st, 2018:
Garrett Raiden, Supervisor of Student Activity Funds
Knox County Schools
912 South Gay Street 17th Floor
Knoxville, TN 37901
garrett.raiden@knoxschools.org
(office) 865.594.1308 (cell) 678.898.6425 (fax) 865.594.1980
by email, or mail by AUGUST 1st, 2018:
Garrett Raiden, Supervisor of Student Activity Funds
Knox County Schools
912 South Gay Street 17th Floor
Knoxville, TN 37901
garrett.raiden@knoxschools.org
(office) 865.594.1308 (cell) 678.898.6425 (fax) 865.594.1980
Units in Good Standing & Reinstatement of Local Units
Unit Compliance Checklist:
Please make sure that all of the following items are taken care of in order to be considered a “Unit in Good Standing” under Knox County Council PTA, Tennessee PTA, and National PTA policies and bylaws.
I. Complete and submit Newly Elected Officer Form to Knox County Council PTA
II. Review Bylaws & Standing Rules; update as needed. Bylaws MUST be reviewed every 5 years, presented to General Membership for approval,
and then submitted to Tennessee PTA for approval.
III. Audit Report Form – Please make sure that end of the year audit is completed and a copy is sent to Tennessee PTA state office for record.
You should also present this report at your 1st General Meeting of the new year.
IV. 990 Tax Filing – Make sure to file local unit 990 taxes by November 15th. Failure to report taxes for 3 consecutive years will result in
revocation of 501c3 status and will result in a very timely amount of paperwork in order to reverse revocation.
Submit a copy of tax filing to Tennessee PTA state office for record.
V. Membership dues and Reporting – Local units must have at least 20 members and dues paid for the 20 members in order to be a functioning unit.
Remember to submit membership reports and dues on a quarterly basis. Membership dues are as follows:
National PTA $2.25, TN PTA $1.50, KCC PTA $0.25, this is a combined total of $4.00 per membership.
All forms and information needed in order to complete the unit compliance standards can be found on this website or www.tnpta.org!
Please make sure that all of the following items are taken care of in order to be considered a “Unit in Good Standing” under Knox County Council PTA, Tennessee PTA, and National PTA policies and bylaws.
I. Complete and submit Newly Elected Officer Form to Knox County Council PTA
II. Review Bylaws & Standing Rules; update as needed. Bylaws MUST be reviewed every 5 years, presented to General Membership for approval,
and then submitted to Tennessee PTA for approval.
III. Audit Report Form – Please make sure that end of the year audit is completed and a copy is sent to Tennessee PTA state office for record.
You should also present this report at your 1st General Meeting of the new year.
IV. 990 Tax Filing – Make sure to file local unit 990 taxes by November 15th. Failure to report taxes for 3 consecutive years will result in
revocation of 501c3 status and will result in a very timely amount of paperwork in order to reverse revocation.
Submit a copy of tax filing to Tennessee PTA state office for record.
V. Membership dues and Reporting – Local units must have at least 20 members and dues paid for the 20 members in order to be a functioning unit.
Remember to submit membership reports and dues on a quarterly basis. Membership dues are as follows:
National PTA $2.25, TN PTA $1.50, KCC PTA $0.25, this is a combined total of $4.00 per membership.
All forms and information needed in order to complete the unit compliance standards can be found on this website or www.tnpta.org!