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APS board debates broadening community-service credit and reducing nonprofit-only limits
Summary
Board members and students discussed whether APS should broaden the 75-hour community service graduation requirement to include work-study, paid roles that benefit the public and on-campus volunteer opportunities; staff were asked for waiver/data counts and to consider a volunteer portal or district calendar.
The Policy Review Committee discussed possible changes to the district's graduation community-service requirement on March 19, focusing on equity and feasibility.
Staff said APS currently lists 75 hours for graduation and that students are seeking waivers so they can graduate. Board members and student representatives questioned whether the requirement should remain nonprofit-only and argued for a broader definition that would credit meaningful experiences outside traditional nonprofit volunteering, including work-study, lifeguarding for parks and recreation, and other paid roles that deliver public benefit.
Several members proposed operational supports: require schools to create on-site volunteer opportunities to address transportation barriers, curate a district volunteer calendar and strengthen the volunteer portal so students can easily find sanctioned opportunities, and count some work-based experiences toward the total. Students and board members stressed that any change should still preserve a core community-service component while recognizing the experiences of students who must work to support families.
Next steps: staff will compile data (how many students currently meet 75 hours, waiver rates) and return with options for broadening eligible activities, implementing verification systems, and equity safeguards.
