BP 1240 — Volunteer Assistance

The Governing Board encourages parents/guardians and other members of the community to share their time, knowledge, and abilities with students. Volunteer assistance in schools enriches the educational program, enhances supervision of students, and contributes to school safety while strengthening the schools' relationships with the community.

The Superintendent or designee shall develop and implement a plan for recruiting, screening, and placing volunteers, including strategies for reaching underrepresented groups of parents/guardians and community members.

The Superintendent or designee shall establish procedures to protect the safety of students and adults. These procedures shall include laws related to tuberculosis testing and may also include laws related to criminal record checks.

As appropriate, volunteers shall be provided with information about school goals, programs and practices and shall receive an orientation and/or other training related to their specific responsibilities as appropriate. Employees who supervise volunteers shall ensure that volunteers are assigned meaningful responsibilities that capitalize on their skills and expertise and maximize their contribution to the educational program.

Volunteers shall act in accordance with district policies, regulations, and school rules. At their discretion, employees who supervise volunteers may ask any volunteer who violates school rules to leave the campus. Employees also may confer with the principal/designee regarding any such volunteers. The Superintendent or designee shall be responsible for investigation and resolving complaints regarding volunteers.

Volunteer maintenance work shall be limited to those projects that do not replace the normal maintenance duties of classified staff. The Board, nevertheless, encourages volunteers to work on short-term projects to the extent that they enhance the classroom or school, do not significantly increase maintenance workloads, and comply with employee commitments and contracts.

Volunteers shall not be used to assist certificated staff in performing teaching or administrative responsibilities in place of regularly authorized classified employees who have been laid off. (Education Code 35021)

The Board prohibits harassment of any volunteer on the basis of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, pregnancy, or military and veteran status. (Government Code 12940)

The Board encourages principals to develop a means for recognizing the contributions of each school's volunteers.

The Superintendent or designee shall periodically report to the Board regarding the District's volunteer assistance program.