Policy 8460

INSTRUCTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS
8460 FIELD TRIPS AND INTERSCHOLASTIC TRIPS 




All trips should be in District-owned conveyances.  Trips using conveyances other than District-owned shall require prior approval from the Superintendent
Procedures

Trip rules and procedures shall be reviewed with all chaperones, students and guests prior to the trip. In addition, the Superintendent shall outline rules and procedures along with the necessary paperwork for any field trip in field trip regulations. Trip organizers should submit plans for approval providing the information required in the field trip regulations.

Approval

School principals and the Director of Physical Education and Athletics must fill out completely and submit to the Superintendent a Field/Interscholastic Trip Application, at least three (3) months in advance of the planned event.  Requests with less than three (3) months’ notice require justification in order to be considered for approval.

Requests must be made before the students and parents are involved.  This will ensure that the trip is judged by the Superintendent of Schools and the Board of Education on the basis of the merit of the event. Full or partial day field trips must be approved in advance by the Superintendent or his/her designee.  

For all field trips and/or athletic competitions, except regularly scheduled academic and athletic competitions, which are greater than fifty (50) miles one way, or include overnight lodging, applications must be transmitted to the Superintendent, who will submit their recommendation to the Board of Education for approval.

Field trips for academic and athletic competitions at state, regional or national levels for academic or athletic teams, who qualify, may be approved by the Superintendent or his/her designee at the time the team is notified of the opportunity.

All field/interscholastic trips will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Superintendent or his/her designee. In determining a proposed trip’s acceptability, the following items will be reviewed: 

• Cost 
• Funding 
• Mode and availability of Transportation 
• Length of trip 
• Itinerary 
• Insurance coverage 
• Necessary supervision 
• Participant’s safety and security 
• If field trip is a school-sponsored curricular trip, the relationship of the field trip activity to a particular aspect of classroom instruction 

With regard to safety and security the following criteria will be considered: 

• Age of students 
• Number of students 
• Destination 
• Itinerary 
• Mode of transportation 
• Route traveled 
• Distance 
• Length of trip
• Weather
• Government advisories 

Code of Conduct 

The District Code of Conduct applies to all participants at all times during a trip. Participation by students or adult leaders may be terminated for a violation of the Code of Conduct during the trip. All expenses arising out of such an infraction including travel back to school or damage to property are the responsibility of the student’s parents, or in the case of an adult leader, that individual.

Consent Forms
 

Consent forms signed by a parent/guardian must be submitted for each student attending the trip. The consent form shall inform a parent/guardian of the following: 

1. Name, location, and date(s) of event 
2. Cost to student 
3. Mode of transportation 
4. Activities and name of supervisor 
5. Classification of driver (staff, volunteer, district bus driver, etc.) 
6. Parent(s)’ responsibility (i.e., medical forms) 

For overnight trips, students must also present a behavior contract signed by the student indicating that he/she recognizes that the District Code of Conduct applies to all activities on the trip, just as it does in any other school-related event or activity. The student’s parent or guardian must also sign this contract, indicating that he or she will transport the student home from the trip in the event of a violation of the Code of Conduct. 

Funding

All field trip support shall be determined annually by the Board during budget deliberations. Trips may be funded entirely or in part by the school, the participating organization(s) and/or participating students. In cases where no school funds have been designated for a school sponsored extracurricular field trip, all costs are the responsibility of the participating students and/or adults (either directly or through district approved fundraising). In the case where an extracurricular club wins a competition, the District may fund entry fees or other associated costs for state, regional, or national competitions.

Transportation 


Adequate transportation must be provided for all field trips including the return trip home. No student can be left without transportation for any reason. 
Under no circumstances shall a student be allowed to transport any other student(s) on a field trip. District transportation shall be provided whenever possible, but private companies may be used on special trips. If a private carrier is used for transportation, District insurance shall be augmented with adequate liability coverage provided by that carrier. 

Volunteer drivers shall be restricted to district staff or agency employees with valid New York State operator’s licenses, a copy of which shall be provided to the District. The District must also obtain proof that the driver has no more than five (5) points for driving violations accumulated within eighteen (18) months. Volunteer drivers will be restricted to vehicles owned by the agency, the volunteer or his/her spouse. A vehicle must contain a valid New York State inspection sticker, which shall be examined prior to departure, and the driver must provide the District with a copy of valid New York State registration and valid vehicle insurance. The number of passengers in a vehicle, in addition to the driver, shall not exceed the number of operational passenger seat belts in the vehicle. Seat belts must be worn by every passenger in the vehicle while the vehicle is being operated. Where the driver’s license indicates a physical impairment (i.e. hand controls required) to supervise students when the leave the vehicle, one of the five (5) passengers will be an adult to assist the driver in supervising activities outside of the vehicle.

Charter Buses

Trips using charter buses shall require the approval of the Director of Transportation due to the necessity of following the Department of Motor Vehicle guidelines regulating charter trips. Charter buses will be inspected by a certified bus mechanic prior to students boarding. Students will not be allowed to ride in a charter bus which cannot pass a D.O.T. qualifying inspection. Building groups initiating a student field trip requiring the use of a chartered bus must submit a Request for Charter Bus Transportation Approval to the office of the Assistant Superintendent for Instruction for submission to the Board of Education. 

Cancellation 


The Board of Education reserves the right to cancel a field trip at any time, particularly if security and safety is in doubt. In the event a field trip is cancelled, the District will not be responsible for reimbursing any deposits or expenses incurred by students, parents or staff unless the District receives reimbursement from a third party vendor or supplier. A trip’s sponsors should consider whether cancellation insurance should be obtained based upon the nature and type of the trip. No refund will be made if a participant’s involvement is terminated during the trip due to behavioral issues.  

Eligibility for School Sponsored Extracurricular Field Trips (Class, Athletic or Other Non-Curricular) 

Eligibility standards can be established based on good academic standing as well as disciplinary and attendance records. However, no extracurricular trip may be used for academic credit or grades. Non-resident or private school students may not attend without special administrative approval. 

Chaperones 


Chaperones shall be at least 21 years of age and shall be provided as follows. The number of students to adults on any field trip shall not exceed 10 students for each adult. Exempt groups will require a ratio of no more than 20 students to each adult. Any exceptions to this must be approved by the Superintendent or his/her designee. 




Adopted: 6/22/99
Revised: 9/24/02; 6/6/23

Policy 8460