2320P - Field Trips, Excursions, & Outdoor Education Procedure
General Criteria
The following criteria shall be met in order for planning approval and final administrative approval to be granted for a proposed trip.
- The proposed trip is directly related to and a logical extension of the subject material being taught by the teacher and being studied by the students eligible to participate, or is directly related to an approved ASB or extra-curricular activity.
- The proposed trip will contribute to the accomplishment of course objectives and/or will increase students' appreciation, knowledge of, or skills in the subject matter, or the field trip is consistent with the purposes of an approved ASB or extra-curricular activity.
- The proposed trip is appropriate for the age and maturity levels of the students eligible to participate. Board authorized travelers will include students, staff, volunteers and chaperones only (no extra family members such as spouses or siblings).
- The proposed trip will not unduly endanger students or create potential legal liabilities against which the District is not adequately protected.
- Approved trips cannot affect students' grades and cannot be essential to the accomplishment of course goals.
- The proposed trip is organized so that all students enrolled in the appropriate class(es) or ASB or extra-curricular activity may participate if they and their parents so desire and if all conditions for participation are met.
- A list of eligible students by grade level or an estimated number of participants shall be provided at the time a request is submitted for preliminary approval.
- Supervision: Chaperones must be selected and prepared for their responsibilities as assigned. The number and gender of adult chaperones required will be related to the nature of the trip, age, gender and number of students, length of trip, transportation arrangements, housing arrangements (if any), and hazards involved. The appropriate number and names of chaperones will be determined by the principal and be subject to review by the appropriate executive director. High school student “chaperones” are to be included in the student count when factoring your ratio. At no time will the ratio of chaperones to students be less than 1 to 10 (1:10).
- Volunteers: All non-staff volunteers who participate in any field trip must be screened and approved in accordance with Regulation 5630 and 5630P, which includes completion of the Volunteer Hold Harmless Agreement, Form 5630F1, the Volunteer Checklist, Form 5630F2(A) and Form 5630F2 (B), and the Washington State Patrol criminal background check form.
- No collection of fee, collecting or making deposits, or securing of permissions is to be done prior to properly securing preliminary approval for the trip.
- The proposed trip is financed and organized so that no District employee shall personally profit from the trip or from the exercise of his/her influence with students and/or parents whether or not the trip occurs during the instructional day or year. Personal profit shall be defined to include the provision of direct or indirect financial gain beyond transportation costs, per diem, or other expenses of the employee by students and/or their parents.
Definitions
Category 1 – LOCAL Field Trips
School-sponsored, school-chaperoned trips in the community or in the metropolitan area which can be conducted in one day.
Category 2 – Extended Area or Overnight FIELD TRIPS
School-sponsored, school-chaperoned trips that will take students a distance greater than 150 miles from school OR which requires students be away from home overnight.
Category 3 – merit-based CoMPETITION FIELD TRIPS
School-chaperoned trips where students might be eligible to attend if they qualify. Athletic trips must be categorized as WIAA league, district, or state competition. ASB activities that qualify must have a culminating event at the regional, state, national or international level. Out-of-season or non-culminating events will be treated as Category 1 or Category 2 fieldtrips.
Parent Permission
Full information shall be supplied to all parents. A signed parental permission form is required for each student participating (per trip or obtained via FinalForms). It is the parent’s responsibility to make sure all medical conditions, medication information and/or allergies the student may have are appropriately documented in the area provided on the Parent/Guardian Permission Form.
Ropes/Challenge Courses and Water Activities require additional Parent Permission forms and must be used as an addendum to the Parent/Guardian Permission Form. The Walking Field Trip Form can be used in place of the regular Field/Activity Trip Form in situations where students will have the opportunity to walk as a group, under adult supervision, to sites in the proximity (1 mile or less) of their school. A parent/guardian signature on the Walking Field Trip form gives permission for their child to participate in walking excursions for the entire school year (one school year only).
Transportation
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District-Owned Bus or Other Licensed Carrier: The primary mode of transportation for field trips shall be by District-owned bus or licensed carrier. Any request for charter bus service must be placed through the Issaquah School District's Transportation Department.
Private Vehicle: When district-owned bus transportation is not available, private vehicles may be used if they meet District requirements (Driver of Private Vehicle Agreement, Authorization to Transport Student – Staff Request, Parent Voluntarily Providing Transportation during School Hours, DOL Abstract of Driving Record Release of Interest Form). In some extra-curricular activities District transportation may not be available/provided. No student, at any time, may drive on an Overnight Field Trip or at events outside King County. If private vehicle transportation is to be used, the driver of the vehicle must show proof that s/he has a valid Washington State driver's license and is covered by $100,000/300,000 liability coverage.
Students are to meet at school prior to leaving for any field trip or school related activity or conference.
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Vans: No more than 10 individuals, including the driver, may be transported in a van.
- Walking: Walking routes must be approved in order for walking to be the mode of transportation. The field trip must occur within one (1) mile of the school grounds.
Insurance Coverage
The District shall provide free student accident insurance coverage for one day school- sponsored field trips. For all supervised extended and overnight field trips, short term group insurance coverage must be purchased for the entire group of students participating.
No fees are required of students participating in a routine field trip (Category 1). Any student who participates is automatically covered by district insurance up to the maximum allowed for each accident. No notification of the field trip to the district or the insurance agent is required. However, a list of all students participating in the field trip shall be kept by the building principal in the school office for one (1) year following the field trip.
Student Conduct
While on field trips, students are expected to conform to the Regulations and Procedures of their school and the District regarding conduct, discipline, and rights. Students must respect private and public property. Students, or their parents, will be responsible for restitution of damages resulting from any willful destruction of property. Personal behavior standards shall be established during planning sessions with parent chaperones, students and faculty members. Any student who flagrantly violates the above may be sent home immediately at the student's or parent's expense.
Category 1 – Local Field Trips
Approval Requirements
Requests for Category 1 field trips must be prepared by a staff member, i.e. teacher, faculty advisor, or coach, and approved in writing by the building principal. The staff member shall submit a completed field trip application form, including itinerary, to the principal at least two (2) weeks prior to the field trip. The principal may allow exceptions to this timeline at his/her discretion.
Category 2 – Extended Area or Overnight
Approval Requirements
Prior to any discussion of an overnight field trip with students or parents the teacher, advisor, and/or coach who is considering taking students on an extended field trip must meet with the building principal to describe the purpose and circumstances of the trip and to request approval to begin planning the trip. Regarding approval to begin planning the trip, it shall be the principal's responsibility to determine whether a proposed trip should begin the preliminary approval process.
In addition to the general criteria listed in this procedure (Regulation 2320P), final administrative approval of an extended area or overnight field trip shall be dependent upon proper planning.
Failure to obtain planning approval shall be reason to cancel a proposed field trip.
No student, at any time, may drive on an Overnight Field Trip or at events outside King County.
Category 3 – Merit-Based Competition Field Trips
Approval Requirements
The Category 3 expedited field trip process pertains only to school-chaperoned post-season athletic contests or club culminating events, including extended area and overnight trips. Out-of-season or non-culminating events will be treated as Category 1 or Category 2 fieldtrips.
Approval for Category 3 fieldtrips will depend on the proper planning of coaches prior to the event, including collection of detailed preseason parent permission forms from all athletes and appropriate travel arrangements in accordance with Regulation 2320P. Category 3 trips will be pre-approved as a batch at the beginning of each school year by the Superintendent.