Policy 2.40

Field Trips

1. Purpose. The purpose of this policy is to set forth standards relating to school sponsored field trips. This policy addresses limitations for scheduling field trips and the procedures for obtaining School District approval, parental permission and approval of chaperones as well as provisions for students' safety, security procedures and transportation alternatives and conditions. Moreover, the policy distinguishes school trips from non-school sponsored trips.

2. Limitation of Field Trips

   1. Students making up the membership of a course of instruction, group of such courses, school organization, school extracurricular activity, or affiliated school organization, shall be permitted to take trips which enhance learning.

   2. Field trips in or out of the county should not negatively impact the student's regular instructional program.

3. Approval of Field Trips

   1. PBSD 1894, the Field Trip/Activity Planning Report and Approval Request must be completed and approved for each field trip. No money is to be raised, plans for trips made, or contracts signed until proper approval has been received. All field trips shall be recorded on the school's calendar with the required documents on file at the site.

   2. In-county field trips - All in-county field trips require the principal's approval.

   3. Out-of-county field trips - Groups planning a trip that will take the group beyond the boundaries of Palm Beach County must obtain approval of the principal, and the area superintendent or designee.

   4. Out-of-state field trips - Groups planning a trip that will take the group beyond the boundaries of Florida must obtain approval of the principal, the area superintendent or designee, Chief Academic Officer, Chief Operating Officer or Chief of Staff.

   5. Out-of-country or overseas trips - Groups planning a trip to a foreign country or any overseas location must obtain prior approval of the principal, superintendent and school board.

      1. The principal will ensure that at the time the trip is planned there are no travel restrictions or concerns in the area to be visited.

      2. Immediately prior to departure of the students, the principal will review the State Department website for the alerts on unsafe travel conditions.

      3. Further, foreign travel activities must include trip cancellation/interruption insurance which will become effective should circumstances warrant School Board action to cancel or interrupt the trip due to activities in the area.

4. Safety and Security of Students for School Sponsored Field Trips

   1. Principals shall ensure that all groups going on field trips have sufficient chaperones to monitor each student and to address the student's personal health and security needs.

   2. Chaperones shall be notified by the school that they are required to adhere to all rules that are followed by School Board employees at all times on the trip and be provided, at a minimum, a brief training session as to their authority. Once approved as a chaperone, the person must register online as a volunteer, (unless the person has already registered as a volunteer for that school year), to ensure clearance prior to the trip pursuant to the District's procedures. A field trip activity roster, PBSD Form 2149 must be completed. Field trips shall not be authorized unless each student authorized to attend has the maturity and the skills necessary to participate safely and meaningfully in the activity. Only school-approved persons, including but not limited to students, school staff, parents or other persons assisting a particular student(s), and approved chaperones are allowed to travel with the field trip. Withholding of approval may be based on safety concerns and other good cause factors, but must be compliant with sub-paragraph 4(c) below.

   3. ESE and 504 Accommodations

      1. Principals shall make reasonable provisions for ESE students and students with a 504 Plan to participate in field trip activities. Federal and State law guarantees that each student with a disability must have an equal opportunity to participate in all extra-curricular activities, including field trips, assuming the student is otherwise qualified to participate.

      2. At the time the principal requests transportation services, on the appropriate Mainframe CICS TR71 panel, prior to the field trip, which shall occur as per Policy 2.404 at least two weeks prior to the day of the trip, the principal shall have determined if any of the students to be transported have special transportation needs or accommodations, as specified in their current individualized education program (IEP) or Section 504 Plan. As examples, students may need a specially adapted bus to safely transport a wheelchair, special restraint harness, preferential seating, or have diet restrictions.

      3. The principal shall communicate any student's identified special transportation needs or accommodations to the District's Transportation Department on the appropriate Mainframe CICS TR71 panel and ensure that appropriate transportation will be available to serve each student scheduled to travel on the field trip.

      4. The principal shall also communicate on the appropriate Mainframe CICS TR71 panel to the District's ESE Department the funding request to meet any student's identified special transportation needs or accommodations, and the funding must be approved by the ESE Director/designee.

      5. Before the field trip commences, the bus driver(s) must receive a copy of any special service or accommodations the driver(s) is responsible for implementing. The school must ensure the bus driver understands the special service or accommodations and is capable of implementing them. The school must obtain a signed release of information form from the parents prior to the school sharing any disability information with the bus driver(s).

   4. Health, safety or security problems which arise as a result of a field trip shall be reported immediately to the Principal. If there is an accident, the principal/designee shall immediately complete a Student/Visitor Accident Report (PBSD 0335). This includes identifying any witnesses and identifying and preserving any other pertinent information and may include obtaining and/or taking photographs, if possible. For any accidents where injury results in medical care at a hospital or by a physician, the principal/designee shall promptly submit this report to the Risk Management Department. The principal will report these problems to the Area Superintendent. The District's Third Party Administrator department shall conduct an immediate and thorough investigation of catastrophic occurrences and for other accidents will conduct the investigation when a notice of claim is made.

   5. Students may be transported to and from field trips in a school bus, whenever practical, or other vehicles, such as chartered buses and public transportation, to the extent authorized by Fla. Stat. § 1006.22.

   6. Students may also be transported in School District passenger cars or multipurpose passenger vehicles or trucks if this motor vehicle is designed to transport fewer than ten (10) persons which meet all federal motor vehicle safety standards for passenger cars and the standards within Fla. Stat. § 1006.22. Students must be transported in designated seating positions and must use the occupant crash protection systems provided by the manufacturer unless the student's physical condition prohibits such use. The School Board's tort liability for use of motor vehicles owned, maintained, operated or used by the School District is governed by the provisions within Fla. Stat. § 1006.24 (1).Violations of sub-paragraphs (4)(e) or (f) of this Policy may subject an employee to disciplinary action.

   7. Students may be transported to and from field trips in privately owned motor vehicles on a case by case basis as allowed only in the circumstances described within Fla. Stat. § 1006.22 (2). This method of transportation would be allowed if transportation is not available, as a practical matter, using a school bus or School District passenger car. Parents shall be notified in advance of and consent in writing to the intended use of a private vehicle. Volunteer drivers must complete and execute PBSD 2362 and carry the required insurance. This motor vehicle must be designed to transport fewer than ten (10) persons which meet all federal motor vehicle safety standards for passenger cars and the standards within Fla. Stat. § 1006.22. Students must be transported in designated seating positions and must use the occupant crash protection systems provided by the manufacturer unless the student's physical condition prohibits such use. Tort liability for use of private motor vehicles approved for use on field trips is governed by the provisions within Fla. Stat. § 1006.24 (1) and 1006.22 (3).

   8. Notwithstanding the transportation provisions stated above in sub-paragraphs 4 (e),(f), and (g), in an emergency situation constituting an imminent threat to the student's health or safety, school personnel may take whatever steps are necessary under the circumstances to protect the student's health and safety.

5. Parent/Guardian/Emancipated Student Permission and Consent Forms

   1. A student's parent or Guardian or an Emancipated Student shall be notified prior to any trip that the trip is contemplated. The notice shall give the place to be visited, the date, the time of departure and the estimated time of return to the school. A field trip permission form, PBSD 0755, covering each student must be signed by the parent(s)/guardian covering each student, although if the student is emancipated as defined within School Board Policy 5.072, the student's signature shall be required and alone is sufficient.

   2. If in an unusual circumstance a parent/guardian requests to take the student to the location of the field trip or to return the student from a field trip, it is within the principal's discretion, based on safety and disruption factors and the location(s), of the trip, whether to grant permission to the parent/guardian's request. If permission is granted, it is contingent on the parent/guardian signing and agreeing to the terms within the consent and release form to the School District as provided in PBSD 2360.

6. Financing Field Trips

   All Arrangements for payment of expenses incurred by individual students, student groups and their chaperones on school related trips shall be the responsibility of the appropriate personnel in the involved school. All such arrangements shall have prior approval of the school principal and others as may be required under appropriate policy. Payments for field trips may include funds from fundraising (pursuant to School Board Policy 2.16) and shall be in compliance with School Board Policy 2.21.

7. Non-school sponsored trips

   Chaperones/organizers of trips by groups of students planning to travel under the auspices of an individual or non-school agency must advise parents/guardians and emancipated students in writing that the travel is neither authorized nor sponsored by the school.

   Principals should not permit recruiting of student travelers, or planning activities during regular school hours. School employees, acting as individuals, may be permitted to meet prospective student travelers during non-school hours on school premises by following the regular procedures for lease of facilities by outside agencies.

   Under no circumstances may school activity accounts (internal accounts) be used as a depository/disbursement source for funds for non-school sponsored trips.

8. Forms

   All forms mentioned within this Policy are incorporated herein by reference as part of this Policy and can be found on the District website for forms at: http://www.palmbeachschools.org/forms/.