Regulation IFCB-R(0): Field Trips and Excursions - Field Trips

Field Trips

The following regulation shall govern local, national, and international field trips. As set forth herein, it is the responsibility of the school administrator and Regional Superintendent to ensure that all field trip activities are conducted in accordance with the Board Policies and Regulations.

1. TYPES OF FIELD TRIPS

2. Local - Field trips located within 75 miles are local field trips and must be approved by the principal. If District school buses are being used for the field trip, then the field trip must be scheduled to start no earlier than 9:45 a.m. for lift buses and 9:00 a.m. for all other buses and end no later than 12:45 p.m. for lift buses and 1:30 p.m. for all other buses. All local field trip transportation requests for the use of District schools buses must comply with District transportation guidelines. If the field trip is scheduled to start and end outside of the above stated times, then the school must arrange transportation with an approved private commercial carrier found at the following link: http://www.dekalbschoolsga.org/approved-commercial-carriers/.

3. National – Field trips over 75 miles, overnight or out of state are national field trips.

4. If the field trip destination is located farther than 75 miles, is overnight or is out of state, then a field trip request form must be approved by the principal and submitted to the Regional Superintendent for approval prior to teachers discussing the trip with the students, parents or others. Trips farther than 75 miles must be arranged by the school with an approved private commercial carrier found at the following link: http://www.dekalbschoolsga.org/approved-commercial-carriers/.

5. The school administrator and teacher or staff member in charge of the field trip shall be responsible for ensuring that parents are provided the itinerary and a number where he/she can be reached by telephone during the field trip. The principal should also have a copy of the itinerary.

6. In addition to any other rules stated above, the minimum adult supervision requirements for overnight/out of state field trips are the following:

The chaperone to student ratio is 5:1 for pre-kindergarten trips and 10:1 for all other ages. A higher number of chaperones may be needed based upon field trip activities, facilities, duration of the trip, type of transportation, and other safety considerations (such as emergency procedures).

1. Students who are on field trips which extend beyond two (2) days may not be counted present on school attendance records for more than two (2) days of the trip unless the location of the field trip is declared to be an alternate educational site by the Regional Superintendent in accordance with the policies and regulations of the State Board of Education. For such field trips to occur, an instructional plan shall be submitted by the school administrator to the Regional Superintendent outlining the means by which the full instructional program will be implemented during the trip.

2. International Field Trips – Any trip beyond national boundaries is an international field trip.

3. International Exchange Programs

4. International exchange programs must be organized through a recognized foreign exchange program, that meets the requirements and is registered with Georgia’s Secretary of State, the U.S. Department of State and the Council on Standards for International Education Travel. In addition to all other sections of this Regulation, the following requirements concerning insurance apply:

5. A sponsoring school must have proof that all participants are covered by health and accident insurance.

6. Insurance must cover medical care abroad. Some travel agencies may provide coverage, or they may require proof that the participants have insurance.

7. Students must provide a photocopy of their insurance card to the principal to be used for emergencies, or arrange for health and accident insurance through the travel organization or agency.

8. Travel cancellation provisions should be provided to parents in the event the trip must be canceled by the school or a student can no longer participate.

9. Travel arranged through an organization or agency must address their policy on refunding fees for cancellation by that organization or agency.

10. Any students participating in an international exchange program must also have proper travel documents as required by federal law.

11. Other International Trips

12. International field trips must be organized through a travel agency selected through the Districts’ Request for Qualification process unless otherwise approved by the Regional Superintendent and Superintendent. Requests for approval of an alternate travel agency must be submitted to the Regional Superintendent and the Superintendent at least two months in advance of the trip. In addition to all other sections of this Regulation, the following requirements concerning insurance apply:

13. A sponsoring school must have proof that all participants are covered by health and accident insurance.

14. Insurance must cover medical care abroad. Some travel agencies may provide coverage, or they may require proof that the participants have insurance.

15. Students must provide a photocopy of their insurance card to be used for emergencies, or arrange for health and accident insurance through the travel organization or agency.

16. Travel cancellation provisions should be provided to parents in the event the trip must be canceled by the school or a student is no longer able to participate.

17. If the sponsoring school is partnering with a local organization, in addition to working with a travel agency selected through the Request for Qualification process, the sponsoring school should contact the Office of Legal Affairs so that the appropriate Memorandum of Understanding can be drafted.

18. If Superintendent and Regional Superintendent approve international travel organization or group not selected by a Request for Qualification process, the Office of Legal Affairs shall review any associated contract to ensure District and students interests are protected.

19. Travel arranged through an organization or agency must address their policy on refunding fees for cancellation by that organization or agency.

20. Any student participating in an international field trip must also have proper travel documents as required by federal law.

21. SCHOOL SPONSORED FIELD TRIP - Trips during instructional time that directly relate to a school course or field of study, or trips during instructional time by school teams or clubs that have qualified for state, regional or national competitions or performances are school-sponsored field trips. The local school may set and enforce academic and/or behavior criteria for student participation in field trips.

22. NON-SCHOOL SPONSORED FIELD TRIP - Field trips that the school is aware of but are not planned, organized, sanctioned or developed by the local school or by the District.

23. If a staff member is involved in the planning of a non-school sponsored trip for students (even if planned for weekends, holiday, or summer) the school administrator must be advised of the upcoming trip. However, the administrator is not required to approve the trip.

24. No class time may be used to promote the trip and no funds may be solicited nor accepted during the school day. Non-school sponsored trips must not be advertised by the local school staff or administration, through verbal or written communications to parents and students. In addition, non-school sponsored trips must not be advertised on the local school grounds via bulletin boards or otherwise, unless the school has established a bulletin board for community events that any member of the public may use.

25. When meetings are held at the school to discuss trips that are non-school sponsored trips, they must be held outside of the staff member’s regular working hours and when students are not scheduled for class time. School administrators should use similar guidelines for approving the use of school facilities for meetings of this type as they would for individuals not employed by the District.

26. When staff members are involved in the planning of non-school sponsored trips, even when the guidelines called for in this regulation are followed, parents must be informed, in writing, that the trip is a non-school sponsored event and that the District takes no responsibility for the trip. The staff member should also provide the parents the name and contact information for the organization sponsoring the trip. The employee must clearly communicate to parents and students that arrangements and transactions about the trip (including phone calls) must be handled outside the school day.

27. District supplies must not be used for any purpose related to a non-school sponsored trip.

28. DOCUMENTATION

29. It shall be the responsibility of the school administrator and teacher in charge of the field trip to secure written parent/guardian permission for every student involved in a field trip. A complete set of signed permission forms shall be provided to the school administrator prior to the trip.

30. A separate form shall be used to gain parental permission for field trips occurring only once.

31. In cases involving a series of field trips related to one particular area of study or activity, a "blanket" permission may be obtained, provided that the parents are made aware of all field trips to be included in the series. Detailed information should be given in writing to the parents at least two (2) weeks prior to each trip in the series.

32. The lead chaperone of each trip shall have in his/her possession the appropriate field trip permission form and student medical authorization form for the duration of the field trip.

33. Only the permission forms supplied by the schools are to be used to gain permission from parents/guardians.

34. In addition to permission slips, the following documents shall be needed depending on the type of field trip. Those additional documents are:

35. Local Trips: 1) student medical authorization form; 2) employee chaperone release.

36. National Trips: 1) student medical authorization form; 2) parent release; 3) student behavior contract, and 4) non-employee and employee chaperone release.

37. International Trips: 1) student medical authorization form; 2) parent release; 3) student behavior contract, and 4) non-employee and employee chaperone release and other forms as required by the District.