Field trip volunteers??

Our district just threw a curve ball at us. They are increasing the requirements for chaperoning field trips to a higher level of background check. It used to cost $25 for each check. But now it will be $67 for each check!!!

To put the cost in perspective our next field trip will cost about $1500 for the transportation and admission for 85 kids. If 3 parents come from each class that would add another $900 to the cost of the trip!

Most of the families at our school are low income. So asking them to pay would exclude lots of people. 

We've already cut back on trips because the expense is so high. Adding this cost could potentially illuminate field trips all together unless chaperones are limited to just what's needed to help. But parents get irate when they are told they can't attend trips. 

How does your school handle this? Any suggestions?

[disneymom2two]

Our district's doesn't charge to do background checks; they're required each year.  We only allow as many chaperones as are needed.  Allowing all parents who want to come is ridiculous because it would mean we'd need more buses and entry fees and field trips are expensive enough as it is.

[disneymom2two]

A one time check doesn't make sense because there could be issues after the check was done and the parent could continue to volunteer for any number of years.

Quoting maxswolfsuit:

Quoting annelauer:

In our state school volunteer background checks are run through the State Patrol free of charge to the school.  They are not national checks though.  Some schools may run some sort of national background check with fingerprints in the FBI database or something.  I don't know.  I can see them charging if they did though.  How often would the parents have to get the check?  Is it a one-time fee or would it be necessary for each time they volunteer?

The ones we do now are annual. 

But in another reply a mom said the $67 check last forever. That would certainly make things easier. 

[wakymom]

 We have to have a background check, but all we have to do is sign a paper saying we give permission for them to do one. They do everything else, including pay for if.

Now, some trips, we do have to pay extra to go along. The 3rd gr zoo field trip, for example. But the 1st gr's upcoming trip to an ecolab has free admission for parents.

 

 

 

 

 

[Jinx-Troublex3]

If you want to chaperone, you cough up the money. If you can't afford it, that sucks, but it is life. Our local district requires parents to pay. It is $50 something a year.

You know it is coming, budget in with school supplies.

[momtoBrenna]

Dd's school requires only a level 1 if you have lived in our state for at least 5 years and both a level 1 and a FBI check if you have lived here less than 5 years. They are required for 1 on 1, covering classrooms alone and field trips. We are required to volunteer at least 5 hours a month. I don't know if we have to repeat the checks yearly or not, though. 

[BuckeyezRule]

Background checks were never even something I thought of. I've chaperoned school functions. Rode the bus with the kids, had my own group of kids to keep track of. I am not the room mother, but I help out in the classrooms (2 kids) a lot.

Might not be such a bad idea. Though, I do personally know both kids' room mothers.

[NICHOLE87]

same here

Quoting goddess99:

In our school district for the public schools anyway there are no background checks required. I don't know why, but there are not. Maybe see if your PTO could help or if it's going to be like that from now on maybe try to do small class fundraisers to off-set that cost.

[maxswolfsuit]

If it's like an employee check they would get notified if anything happened. I think that could be why isn't so expensive. 

Quoting disneymom2two:

A one time check doesn't make sense because there could be issues after the check was done and the parent could continue to volunteer for any number of years.

Quoting maxswolfsuit:

Quoting annelauer:

In our state school volunteer background checks are run through the State Patrol free of charge to the school.  They are not national checks though.  Some schools may run some sort of national background check with fingerprints in the FBI database or something.  I don't know.  I can see them charging if they did though.  How often would the parents have to get the check?  Is it a one-time fee or would it be necessary for each time they volunteer?

The ones we do now are annual. 

But in another reply a mom said the $67 check last forever. That would certainly make things easier. 

[PurplePieguy]

We aren't allowed to attend any trips for the elementary school. However, I have 2 kids in middle school in the band and I have been on all their trips. We don't have to pay for background checks...shoot we don't even have to have one. 

[Yellowlily333]

Oh wow! Maybe you guys could suggest a field trip fund...where the parents pay something like $2 a month to cover fieldtrips. That way when it gets closed to a field trips they would not be overwhelmed with the expences.