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Sarasota superintendent outlines volunteer program: 8,600 active, 103,000 hours logged
Summary
Superintendent Connor said the district has over 8,600 volunteers (about 3,800 logged hours last year) and recorded roughly 103,000 volunteer hours in 2025–26; staff proposed improvements to training, Raptor sign-up and tracking to boost quality and participation.
Superintendent Connor told the board the Volunteers in Schools program connects parents, community members and business partners with district schools. He said the district has seen significant scale — "We've had over 8,600 active volunteers in the system" — but that fewer volunteers actually logged time: roughly 3,800 volunteers recorded hours during the school year across 43 schools and buildings.
District staff reported volunteers recorded about 103,000 hours in 2025–26 (down from about 121,000 in 2023–24), with Level 2 volunteers contributing the majority at nearly 80,000 hours. Staff proposed improvements focused on three areas: quality (clear procedures and training), access (simpler, mobile-friendly Raptor application) and engagement (automated reminders and follow-up when volunteers do not log hours).
Connor outlined operational steps under way including an internal volunteer handbook, standardized procedures, quarterly training for school volunteer coordinators and expanded use of Raptor's sign-up features so volunteers can view opportunities districtwide. The board requested more granular data on crossover between charter and district school volunteering and further metrics as the staff implements changes.
