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Board debates chaperone ratios, volunteer clearances as administrators draft guidance
Summary
The board discussed proposed chaperone ratios and overnight-trip rules, raising liability and cost concerns (including FBI clearance costs for volunteers); administrators will draft an administrative guideline and bring it to schools and athletics for implementation.
Board members spent a substantial portion of the meeting reviewing proposed administrative regulations that would tighten chaperone requirements for day and overnight field trips.
Administrators explained the draft would require district review of chaperone plans and could include criminal-background checks for volunteers in certain circumstances. One board member invoked high-profile child-safety failures when arguing the district should require two unrelated adults on trips; legal counsel also flagged liability concerns for parent volunteers compared with district employees.
Members discussed operational impacts: requiring more district employees on overnight trips could increase costs for extra buses, hotels and substitutes to cover classrooms; some sports and student groups sometimes travel with parents or partner staff from other districts to meet gender-appropriate supervision needs. Board members asked staff to clarify ratios by age and trip type and to examine practical exceptions for large groups (e.g., band or DECA conferences).
Dr. Manuso said he will prepare an administrative guideline rather than a new board policy unless the board requests policy language. That guideline will clarify chaperone ratios, clearance requirements and the superintendent’s approval authority for overnight trips.
