Elementary School Kids
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?
Replies
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Our background checks we do not pay for and they only do it once. This year dd went to a play so I decided not to chaperone. Last year was zoo and the chaperones were at a discounted price which school or teacher covered.
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They don't do background checks for field trips here....I've actually never heard of that it's usually just tbe classroom moms that go. -
In our district we have to pay $60 to have our own background checks done. It saves the school district some money, but yes, sadly I'm sure it does eliminate some people.
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Here we pay $25 for a background check, but if we log 5 volunteer hours the PTA will reimburse the $25. And we don't have to have the background check for everything-just if we will be alone with children. Luckily I work for the district so my fingerprinting and background check was done as part of my employment.
Do you have a PTA? Fundraisers? That's how field trips are funded in our district, without the PTA, our kids most likely wouldn't get field trips, or maybe only one a year or something. -
My one child's school does background checks ONCE every 3 yrs. the other one does none, which I am not too fond off but since I try to be there every fieldtrip/activity, I know who my kid is around...
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Quoting TJandKarasMom:
Here we pay $25 for a background check, but if we log 5 volunteer hours the PTA will reimburse the $25. And we don't have to have the background check for everything-just if we will be alone with children. Luckily I work for the district so my fingerprinting and background check was done as part of my employment.
Do you have a PTA? Fundraisers? That's how field trips are funded in our district, without the PTA, our kids most likely wouldn't get field trips, or maybe only one a year or something.We tons of fundraiser to pay for the trips or the kids couldn't go. The PTO has very limited funding. They give each teacher $100 a year to help with the cost of trips, but that wouldn't even pay for 2 parents a year.
We did discuss the idea of logging hours to pay for the check.
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Same here.
Quoting Jessie3398:
They don't do background checks for field trips here....I've actually never heard of that it's usually just tbe classroom moms that go. -
Our school has 2 background checks. One for parents that just want to volunteer, go on field trips etc. It's around $20 a year, but has to be done every year. Parents who want to work one-on-one with students or go on overnight field trips have to take the $67 background check. This one is good throughout their time in our school district. So, if they get it when their kids are young, it is good all the way through high school. Parents pay this cost out-of-pocket. Our school has HUNDREDS of volunteers. I don't think we've ever had an issue with people not being able to afford it, but I'm not in the administration, so I don't know. Probably the PTO would be willing to step in and help struggling families.
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Quoting Rbrown72707:
Our school has 2 background checks. One for parents that just want to volunteer, go on field trips etc. It's around $20 a year, but has to be done every year. Parents who want to work one-on-one with students or go on overnight field trips have to take the $67 background check. This one is good throughout their time in our school district. So, if they get it when their kids are young, it is good all the way through high school. Parents pay this cost out-of-pocket. Our school has HUNDREDS of volunteers. I don't think we've ever had an issue with people not being able to afford it, but I'm not in the administration, so I don't know. Probably the PTO would be willing to step in and help struggling families.
I wonder if ours lasts forever? The less expensive one is annual. But if this one lasts forever it wouldn't be as huge of an expense. It might even save money rather than redoing the same parents every year.
Thanks! I will have to check on that.
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Hopefully it will be forever, or at least for an extended period of time. That would be frustrating!
Quoting maxswolfsuit:
Quoting Rbrown72707:
Our school has 2 background checks. One for parents that just want to volunteer, go on field trips etc. It's around $20 a year, but has to be done every year. Parents who want to work one-on-one with students or go on overnight field trips have to take the $67 background check. This one is good throughout their time in our school district. So, if they get it when their kids are young, it is good all the way through high school. Parents pay this cost out-of-pocket. Our school has HUNDREDS of volunteers. I don't think we've ever had an issue with people not being able to afford it, but I'm not in the administration, so I don't know. Probably the PTO would be willing to step in and help struggling families.
I wonder if ours lasts forever? The less expensive one is annual. But if this one lasts forever it wouldn't be as huge of an expense. It might even save money rather than redoing the same parents every year.
Thanks! I will have to check on that.