Privacy Policy

Effective Date: August 26, 2026
Last Updated: August 26, 2026

Pennsylvania PTA (“Pennsylvania PTA,” “PAPTA,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) respects the privacy of our members, families, volunteers, educators, students, community partners, and website visitors. Protecting personal information is important to our mission and to maintaining the trust of the communities we serve.

This Privacy Policy explains how Pennsylvania PTA may collect, use, disclose, retain, and protect information when you visit papta.org, communicate with us, participate in Pennsylvania PTA programs or events, submit information to us, or use online services that link to this Privacy Policy.

By using our website or providing information to Pennsylvania PTA, you acknowledge the practices described in this Privacy Policy.

1. Scope of This Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy applies to information collected through:

• papta.org and other websites or webpages operated directly by Pennsylvania PTA that link to this Privacy Policy;
• online forms and submissions administered by Pennsylvania PTA;
• email and electronic communications with Pennsylvania PTA;
• event, training, program, award, scholarship, or activity registrations administered by Pennsylvania PTA;
• membership and local PTA administrative activities conducted by Pennsylvania PTA; and
• other interactions in which Pennsylvania PTA collects personal information.

This Privacy Policy does not necessarily apply to local PTAs, PTA councils, National PTA, school districts, schools, or independent third-party websites and services. Those organizations may maintain their own privacy practices and policies.

2. Information We May Collect

The information Pennsylvania PTA collects depends on how you interact with us.

Information You Provide Directly

We may collect information that you voluntarily provide, including:

• name;
• mailing address;
• email address;
• telephone number;
• PTA or school affiliation;
• local PTA or council name;
• membership information;
• officer, committee, or volunteer position;
• school district or community information;
• event and training registration information;
• volunteer information;
• program participation information;
• correspondence and inquiries submitted to Pennsylvania PTA;
• survey responses;
• nominations, applications, submissions, and supporting documentation;
• information submitted for awards, recognition programs, grants, scholarships, contests, or other PTA programs;
• photographs, videos, artwork, written works, or other materials submitted as part of a Pennsylvania PTA program;
• information necessary to administer membership, compliance, governance, or organizational activities; and
• any other information you choose to provide to us.

Local PTA and Organizational Information

Pennsylvania PTA may receive information from affiliated local PTAs, councils, officers, and volunteers as part of its responsibilities as a state PTA organization.

This information may include:

• names and contact information for PTA officers and chairpersons;
• membership lists and membership records;
• local PTA identification and organizational information;
• financial or compliance documentation;
• audit documentation;
• proof of required tax filings;
• dues information;
• bylaws and governance materials; and
• other documents required to maintain affiliation or good-standing status.

Pennsylvania PTA will use this information for legitimate organizational, administrative, compliance, membership, and governance purposes.

Event and Program Information

If you register for a Pennsylvania PTA convention, conference, workshop, training session, webinar, meeting, program, or other event, we may collect information such as:

• contact information;
• PTA affiliation;
• registration selections;
• dietary or accessibility requests;
• payment or transaction information;
• attendance information; and
• other information necessary to administer the event or program.

Payment and Transaction Information

When fees, dues, purchases, donations, registrations, or other payments are processed electronically, payment information may be collected and processed by a third-party payment provider.

Pennsylvania PTA may receive information about the transaction, such as your name, transaction amount, payment status, transaction date, and confirmation information.

Unless expressly stated otherwise, Pennsylvania PTA does not intend to directly store complete credit or debit card numbers submitted through third-party payment processors.

The privacy and security practices of third-party payment providers are governed by their own terms and privacy policies.

3. Information Collected Automatically

When you visit papta.org, certain information may be collected automatically by our website, hosting provider, analytics services, security services, or other technology providers.

This information may include:

• Internet Protocol (IP) address;
• browser type;
• device type;
• operating system;
• referring website;
• pages viewed;
• links clicked;
• date and time of access;
• approximate geographic location derived from an IP address;
• session information;
• website performance information;
• cookie or similar technology identifiers; and
• information concerning errors, security events, or attempted misuse of the website.

We may use this information to operate, secure, maintain, analyze, and improve our website and online services.

4. Cookies and Similar Technologies

Pennsylvania PTA and service providers supporting our website may use cookies and similar technologies.

A cookie is a small file placed on a device that can help a website remember information about a visitor or browsing session.

Cookies and similar technologies may be used for purposes including:

Essential Cookies

These cookies support basic website functions, security, accessibility, navigation, form processing, and other features necessary for the website to function properly.

Analytics and Performance

We may use analytics technologies to understand how visitors use our website, identify popular content, measure website performance, and improve the user experience.

Functionality

Certain cookies may remember preferences or enable additional website functionality.

Embedded and Third-Party Content

Pages on papta.org may contain content or services provided by third parties, such as videos, maps, social media content, forms, payment services, event systems, or other embedded features.

These third parties may use cookies or similar technologies according to their own privacy practices.

You can generally control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of the website.

Where required by applicable law, Pennsylvania PTA will provide appropriate choices concerning non-essential cookies or similar technologies.

5. How We Use Information

Pennsylvania PTA may use information we collect to:

• operate and maintain papta.org;
• respond to questions, requests, or correspondence;
• provide resources and information requested by users;
• communicate with PTA members, leaders, volunteers, educators, families, and community partners;
• administer membership activities;
• support affiliated local PTAs and councils;
• maintain organizational and compliance records;
• collect and process dues and other payments;
• organize conventions, meetings, events, workshops, and training programs;
• administer student, family, leadership, advocacy, arts, recognition, scholarship, grant, and other programs;
• process applications, entries, nominations, or submissions;
• communicate important organizational announcements;
• distribute newsletters and other communications;
• promote Pennsylvania PTA programs and activities;
• improve our website, communications, programs, and services;
• understand website usage and performance;
• detect, investigate, prevent, and respond to fraud, abuse, cybersecurity threats, or other inappropriate activity;
• protect the rights, safety, and property of Pennsylvania PTA and others;
• maintain records as required for organizational, tax, accounting, legal, or compliance purposes;
• comply with applicable laws, regulations, court orders, or governmental requests; and
• carry out other purposes disclosed when information is collected.

6. Email and Communications

If you provide your email address to Pennsylvania PTA, we may use it to communicate with you about matters related to your inquiry, membership, PTA activities, events, advocacy, programs, training opportunities, organizational announcements, or other Pennsylvania PTA activities.

Certain communications may contain an unsubscribe or preference-management option.

You may unsubscribe from optional promotional or informational emails by following the instructions contained in the email.

Even if you opt out of optional communications, Pennsylvania PTA may continue to send messages that are necessary to administer an event, transaction, membership, organizational obligation, program participation, or other relationship you have with us.

7. How We May Share Information

Pennsylvania PTA does not sell personal information for monetary consideration.

We may disclose information in the following circumstances.

Service Providers

We may provide information to vendors and service providers that perform functions on our behalf, including:

• website hosting and maintenance;
• website security;
• email delivery;
• database administration;
• payment processing;
• event registration;
• membership administration;
• file storage;
• technology support;
• analytics;
• online forms;
• communication services; and
• other administrative or operational services.

We expect service providers to use information only as necessary to perform the services for which they were engaged, subject to their contractual obligations and applicable law.

PTA Organizations and Affiliates

When necessary to administer PTA activities, information may be shared with appropriate:

• local PTAs;
• PTA councils;
• Pennsylvania PTA officers, board members, committee chairs, staff, or authorized volunteers;
• National PTA; or
• other PTA-affiliated organizations.

Information will be shared only when reasonably necessary for legitimate PTA purposes.

Programs and Activities

Information may be shared with individuals or organizations involved in administering a specific program, event, award, competition, grant, scholarship, training activity, or other PTA initiative.

For example, program information may need to be provided to authorized judges, reviewers, committee members, event organizers, or National PTA when necessary to administer a program.

Legal and Safety Purposes

We may disclose information when we reasonably believe disclosure is necessary to:

• comply with applicable law;
• respond to a subpoena, court order, legal process, or governmental request;
• investigate suspected fraud, abuse, or unlawful activity;
• protect the security or integrity of our systems;
• protect the rights, property, health, or safety of Pennsylvania PTA, our members, volunteers, students, families, or others; or
• establish, exercise, or defend legal rights.

With Your Consent

We may also disclose information when you have authorized or requested us to do so.

8. Third-Party Websites and Services

papta.org may contain links to websites, platforms, applications, or services that are not operated by Pennsylvania PTA.

Examples may include services used for:

• membership administration;
• local PTA compliance submissions;
• merchandise purchases;
• payment processing;
• event registrations;
• National PTA resources;
• educational resources;
• social media;
• advocacy tools; and
• other services.

Pennsylvania PTA currently directs users to third-party resources including services such as Givebacks, ShopPTA, and National PTA resources.

When you follow a link to a third-party service, you are leaving a service controlled by Pennsylvania PTA. The third party’s own privacy policy, security practices, terms of use, and data practices will govern your interaction with that service.

Pennsylvania PTA does not control the privacy practices of independent third parties and encourages users to review their privacy policies before providing personal information.

9. Children’s and Student Information

Pennsylvania PTA is dedicated to the education, health, safety, and well-being of children and youth. Protecting information involving children is particularly important to us.

papta.org is primarily intended for parents, caregivers, educators, PTA leaders, volunteers, community members, and other adults. The website is not intended to encourage children under the age of 13 to independently submit personal information to Pennsylvania PTA.

Pennsylvania PTA does not knowingly seek to collect personal information directly online from a child under 13 without appropriate authorization from a parent or legal guardian.

Student Programs

Some Pennsylvania PTA activities and programs involve students. These may include arts programs such as Reflections, awards, scholarships, recognition programs, educational activities, or other initiatives.

Information concerning a student may be provided by:

• a parent or guardian;
• an authorized local PTA representative;
• a school representative;
• an authorized program administrator; or
• the student when appropriate based on age and program requirements.

Depending on the program, student information may include:

• student name;
• age or grade;
• school;
• local PTA affiliation;
• contact information for a parent or guardian;
• program entry information;
• artwork or other creative work;
• photograph, video, audio, or likeness;
• award or recognition information; and
• other information necessary to administer the program.

Pennsylvania PTA will seek to collect only information reasonably necessary to administer the applicable program.

Information submitted to programs administered jointly with National PTA or another organization may also be subject to that organization’s privacy practices and program rules.

Parents and Guardians

If you believe that a child under 13 has provided personal information directly to Pennsylvania PTA through papta.org without appropriate parental or guardian authorization, please contact us at info@papta.org.

We will review the request and take appropriate action, which may include deleting the information.

10. Photographs, Videos, Artwork, and Recognition

Pennsylvania PTA may photograph, record, or otherwise document public or organized PTA events and activities.

Photographs, videos, names, awards, artwork, or other materials may also be submitted as part of a PTA program.

When appropriate, Pennsylvania PTA may use these materials for purposes including:

• recognizing participants or award recipients;
• reporting on PTA programs and activities;
• newsletters;
• websites;
• social media;
• publications;
• educational materials; and
• promotion of Pennsylvania PTA’s mission and programs.

Where a specific release, authorization, consent, or program agreement is required, that document will govern the use of the applicable material.

Parents and guardians should review program-specific rules and releases before submitting information or creative works involving minors.

11. Sensitive Information

Please do not submit highly sensitive personal information through ordinary website contact forms or email unless Pennsylvania PTA specifically requests that information through an appropriate process.

Examples include:

• Social Security numbers;
• driver’s license numbers;
• financial account passwords;
• credit card security codes;
• medical records;
• health insurance information; or
• other confidential identification information.

If Pennsylvania PTA requires sensitive information for a legitimate organizational purpose, we will seek to use an appropriate collection and transmission method.

12. Data Security

Pennsylvania PTA takes reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational measures intended to protect personal information against unauthorized access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure.

These measures may include appropriate access controls, secure technology, vendor safeguards, system maintenance, backups, encryption where appropriate, and limitations on access to information.

However, no website, network, database, email system, or Internet transmission can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

Users should exercise care when transmitting personal or sensitive information electronically.

If Pennsylvania PTA becomes aware of a data-security incident involving personal information, we will investigate the incident and provide notifications when required by applicable law.

13. Data Retention

Pennsylvania PTA retains information for only as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes for which it was collected, subject to organizational, legal, accounting, tax, governance, archival, and recordkeeping requirements.

Retention periods may vary depending on the type of information and the reason it was collected.

For example, certain information may need to be retained to:

• document membership;
• maintain financial records;
• satisfy tax or accounting obligations;
• document organizational compliance;
• administer awards or programs;
• maintain historical or archival records;
• resolve disputes; or
• comply with legal requirements.

When information is no longer reasonably needed, Pennsylvania PTA may delete, anonymize, or securely dispose of it as appropriate.

14. Your Choices and Privacy Requests

Depending on your relationship with Pennsylvania PTA and applicable law, you may request that we:

• provide information about personal information we maintain concerning you;
• correct inaccurate contact information;
• update your communication preferences;
• unsubscribe you from optional communications; or
• delete certain personal information when continued retention is not required for legitimate organizational or legal purposes.

To submit a privacy-related request, contact:

info@papta.org

We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling certain requests.

Some information cannot be deleted immediately when it must be retained for legal, financial, governance, security, recordkeeping, or other legitimate organizational purposes.

15. Privacy Rights Under Applicable State Law

Residents of certain states may have additional privacy rights under applicable state privacy laws.

Where a privacy law applies to Pennsylvania PTA and grants an individual specific rights, Pennsylvania PTA will process eligible requests in accordance with that law.

Depending on the applicable law, those rights may include the right to request:

• access to certain personal information;
• correction of inaccurate information;
• deletion of certain information;
• information concerning certain disclosures; or
• other rights established by applicable law.

Nothing in this Privacy Policy is intended to limit rights available under applicable law.

16. Do Not Track and Privacy Preference Signals

Some web browsers provide “Do Not Track” settings or other privacy preference signals.

Because there is not a single universally adopted standard governing all such signals, papta.org may not respond to every browser-based “Do Not Track” setting.

Where Pennsylvania PTA is legally required to recognize a particular privacy preference or opt-out signal, we will take reasonable measures to honor that requirement.

17. Social Media

Pennsylvania PTA may maintain accounts or pages on third-party social media platforms.

If you interact with Pennsylvania PTA through a social media platform, information concerning that interaction may be collected by both Pennsylvania PTA and the social media provider.

Your use of a social media service is also governed by that platform’s own privacy policy and terms.

Information you make publicly available on social media may be visible to others.

18. External Links

Pennsylvania PTA provides links to schools, government agencies, educational organizations, community partners, National PTA, local PTAs, and other outside resources for convenience and informational purposes.

A link from papta.org does not mean that Pennsylvania PTA controls the external website’s privacy or security practices.

Once you leave papta.org, you should review the privacy policy of the website or service you are visiting.

19. Information Submitted Through Email

Email is not always a secure method for transmitting confidential information.

Please avoid sending Social Security numbers, full financial account numbers, passwords, medical records, or other highly sensitive information through ordinary email unless specifically requested and an appropriate secure method has been provided.

20. Organizational Records and Public Information

Certain information associated with Pennsylvania PTA leadership, governance, awards, public activities, or organizational responsibilities may be published when appropriate.

Examples may include:

• names and titles of officers or board members;
• PTA leadership contact information;
• committee assignments;
• award recipients;
• event speakers;
• program participants when appropriate authorization has been provided; and
• information contained in organizational publications.

Information intentionally made public may remain available through search engines, archives, publications, or third parties even after it has been removed from papta.org.

21. International Visitors

Pennsylvania PTA is based in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in the United States and primarily serves individuals and organizations within Pennsylvania.

If you access papta.org from outside the United States, information you provide may be transferred to, stored in, or processed in the United States.

Privacy laws in the United States may differ from those in your country of residence.

22. Changes to This Privacy Policy

Pennsylvania PTA may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our website, programs, technology, organizational practices, or applicable laws.

When the policy is updated, the revised version will be posted on papta.org and the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page will be changed.

Material changes may also be communicated through other appropriate means when warranted.

We encourage visitors to periodically review this Privacy Policy.

23. Contact Pennsylvania PTA

Questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or Pennsylvania PTA’s privacy practices may be directed to:

Pennsylvania PTA
PO Box 120
Bellefonte, PA 16823

Phone: (717) 564-8985
Email: info@papta.org
Website: papta.org

Please include enough information in your request for us to understand and respond to your inquiry.