The technical differences between a PTA and a PTO are fairly simple. The National PTA is a formal membership organization now headquartered in Alexandria, Va., with a 120-year history of working for children. School-based groups that choose to belong to the PTA must pay dues to the state and national organizations and abide by state and national group rules. In return, they get member benefits, and they get a voice in the operations of the larger organization. The National PTA maintains a Washington, D.C., office where it pursues a public policy agenda, and most state PTA units advocate at their respective state capitals, as well. The PTA carefully protects its name so that only dues-paying members of the group can call themselves a PTA. PTO, on the other hand, is a generic term that stands for “parent-teacher organization.” It usually represents groups that choose to remain independent. These are most often single-school or district-level groups that operate under their own bylaws and by and large concern themselves with the goings-on at their building or in their town only. Popular acronym include PCC (parent communication council), PTG (parent teacher group), and HSA (home and school association); because PTO is the most common name, we use it generically to refer to all non-PTA school parent groups. For some groups, the PTO vs. PTA debate is simply a matter of dollars and cents—“We don’t want to send any money out of our school.” For others, the question takes on a significantly increased importance. If we don’t speak for all children, then who will? the PTA’s loyal defenders often ask. Put another way: Do we want to be part of something larger and spend our group dollars outside of our school? Or do we want to focus exclusively on improving and creating community at our school? Since the PTA was the only formal national school parent group, the decision in the past was often “PTA” or nothing.
回答楼主问题，看情况，看学校。
我们这也是，白女比较多，老公主外赚钱比较多自己主内的那类
当然不是多权贵，但放在美国都是上中产了吧。几家都是自己开律所开牙医诊所的，我觉得算挺有钱的了。 你眼界高算我没说
但是那种老公很有钱的妈妈吗？
这些职业时间自由，比较flexible，而且可以part time
你怎知人家不是权贵，一定得在这显示自己眼界高吗，烦人
我就实话实说而已。医生律师真是普通职业而已。权贵得指国会议员啊，政府高官之类的。
家长是上中产也只是高级打工人而已，没有权所以也贵不到哪里去。除非你住在老钱区，那公立里也不是没可能碰到权贵。
律师医生教授这些家长都是读过书的所以相对重视教育，再加上不坐班不打卡所以时间灵活能参与学校事情。也就这样了。真正有权势的大律师大医生大教授都送小孩上私立了。即便上公立也只是因为某个原因上某个项目一段时间而已。
与这些家庭为伍的好处之一就是开拓眼界，家长自己也时时自省，自己要努力，不能只鸡娃。
我以前一起在pto里共事的，她lg就是议员，她自己是法学院教授。 不觉得啥权贵啊。 后来另一位pto的，就跑去自己竞选了，之前也是律师生了孩子就stay home了。 这两位都非常能干的。
The technical differences between a PTA and a PTO are fairly simple. The National PTA is a formal membership organization now headquartered in Alexandria, Va., with a 120-year history of working for children. School-based groups that choose to belong to the PTA must pay dues to the state and national organizations and abide by state and national group rules. In return, they get member benefits, and they get a voice in the operations of the larger organization. The National PTA maintains a Washington, D.C., office where it pursues a public policy agenda, and most state PTA units advocate at their respective state capitals, as well. The PTA carefully protects its name so that only dues-paying members of the group can call themselves a PTA.
PTO, on the other hand, is a generic term that stands for “parent-teacher organization.” It usually represents groups that choose to remain independent. These are most often single-school or district-level groups that operate under their own bylaws and by and large concern themselves with the goings-on at their building or in their town only. Popular acronym include PCC (parent communication council), PTG (parent teacher group), and HSA (home and school association); because PTO is the most common name, we use it generically to refer to all non-PTA school parent groups. For some groups, the PTO vs. PTA debate is simply a matter of dollars and cents—“We don’t want to send any money out of our school.” For others, the question takes on a significantly increased importance. If we don’t speak for all children, then who will? the PTA’s loyal defenders often ask. Put another way: Do we want to be part of something larger and spend our group dollars outside of our school? Or do we want to focus exclusively on improving and creating community at our school? Since the PTA was the only formal national school parent group, the decision in the past was often “PTA” or nothing.
劳心劳累，捐钱捐时间 好处就是，可以参与学校的一些计划，课外活动的制定，可以拉近和老师的距离，可以时不时在走廊里看到孩子，和认识他们的同学，可以认识其他家长，筛选朋友圈（可以听到很多8挂，不管你想不想听到），可以让校长/老师对你的孩子不陌生。
除了这些虚的八卦 还有很多实际但是不能出去说的好处 比如选老师选班 一些有名额的活动项目都有优先权和提前知情权 好处很多 主要还是看你有没有时间
你说的不就是我最后一句话么？ 你的孩子在学校眼里不止是一个学生还是一个资源
我这的都是 blonde
对于广大上班族想鸡娃的家长来说，自己单打独斗鸡娃是几乎不可能的任务，于是积极参与学校活动与其他家长抱团取暖就是一个比较好的办法了。有钱出钱有力出力有时间出时间，挺好的。
高收入家长相对更重视教育所以参与得比较积极是有可能的，但是并不是只有高收入的家长才愿意参与。美国长大的都经历过这些所以有预期有参与意识。我们大陆长大的一代移民家长因为没有经历过，所以参与意识相对可能弱一点。
实际上现在国内好学校的家委会也是很热闹的，家长参与度相当高，竞争也相当激烈，相对而言美国这边就自由散漫多了。
我就参与过booster club, 有点类似，家长志愿者支持学校club， 花了挺多时间干活，大家对我的贡献还算满意，好处就是孩子跟教练闹别扭，教练看在我的贡献上网开一面，不至于恶意给低分。写推荐信，义工小时啥的都很方便给力。
队里好多孩子认识我，一同义工的老师也熟悉。拉近跟孩子关系，有些时候一起义工或者干活。
说的对，那些干PTO 的可都是能手，能搞定家长和老师，场面上都过得去，交流能力好，能组织能领导，能拿主意 能变通，不是一般人搞得来的。
我们这边大都是医生律师之类的老婆，不上班有时间，自己也是工作过历练过的。
而且他们确实可能有时间，很多这样的parents （lawyers, doctors) 家务外包，有时间参与的