RATIONALE/OBJECTIVE:

A field trip is defined as a planned educational experience directly related to and correlated with a particular unit of study or a specialized function of the school. (Example: Guidance trips, club functions, and other school activities). The superintendent is authorized to approve the use of school buses for field trips and to delegate approval for the use of the vehicles for these purposes to appropriate personnel in the transportation department.

(1) Local schools scheduling field trips must follow all regulations and comply with pertinent administrative procedures for the implementation of the District's rules relative to such trips.

(2) County buses shall be made available for educational field trips within the county and other sites as designated by the regulations, at the estimated actual cost to the individual school.

RULE:

The following regulations and procedures shall be observed in regard to field trips:

A. Rules

The definition of a field trip is any excursion away from the school campus at any time of day.

Educational field trips shall not be authorized during the first ten (10) school days nor the last ten days of the school year. This restriction does not apply to after-school activities.

With the exception of special education programs, field trips should not be used as a behavioral reward.

Teachers, working with school administrators, have the authority to exclude the participation of students whose behavioral history suggests the possibility that they may endanger themselves or others while on the field trips. This decision must be made on actual student behavior and not based on a disability identification.

Rules relative to pupil safety and behavior will be adhered to (Administrative Rule JGC).

Curricular field trips during the school day must be made available to all students regardless of the ability or willingness of their parents to donate funds in support of the field trips.

Only students who are regularly enrolled in school and who are involved in the instructional activity will be eligible for transportation.

B. Process to apply for permission to take a field trip

Requests for field trips shall originate with the teacher and be submitted for approval to the school administrator on Form IFCB-1. The field trip must be approved on the Field Trip Management System (FTMS) by the principal. Local school personnel will provide specific instructions concerning how to submit a request.

If the principal has a specific concern regarding the terms, provisions, or conditions of the contract, written contracts addressing school-sponsored field trips or excursions maybe forwarded to the Office of the Superintendent for submission to the Board attorney for review.

All such contacts should have, if available, a provision for trip insurance should the need arise to cancel any further travel.

All trips, no matter what type or what method of transportation is used, must be submitted to FTMS. For overnight field trips, Form IFCB-2 must be completed and submitted to your Area Assistant Superintendent.

Requests must be entered on FTMS fifteen (15) school days prior to the date of the trip.

Other teachers should be notified at least two (2) weeks in advance if the students are to miss their class as a result of the field trip. Students must be counted present when on a field trip and must be allowed to make up work, except as provided in section F.

The field trip request must include an instructional plan for accommodating all students. A quality alternative instructional experience for those students choosing not to attend the field trip must be provided by the teacher supervising the trip.

C. Financial planning

The appropriate principal or central office administrator will consider the cost of the trip when determining whether to approve or deny a trip.

The expenses of field trips which adult supervisors incur, including transportation, lodging, meals and admission costs, should be included in the overall costs for the field trip.
No profits shall be realized in excess of the cost of the trip.

Records must be kept of funds collected according to guidelines provided by Financial Services. (See your local bookkeeper)

D. Supervision and Chaperones

1. Employees, parents, guardians, and/or their spouses, as well as similar adults of supervisory age, approved by the school administrator will be permitted to accompany transported groups on school buses for supervisory purposes.

2. A teacher or adult supervisor must ride on each bus.

3. In all cases, appropriate adult supervision shall be provided and approved by the school administrator. Minimum requirements for adult supervision are the following:

Elementary 1 Adult for 15 students

Middle School 1 Adult for 20 students

High School 1 Adult for 25 students

Chaperones may not bring other children on a bus for childcare purposes during the field trip.

For the duration of the field trip, employees and adult chaperones are directly accountable for their actions as if they were responsible for students on school premises. Employees and adult supervisors must refrain from personal practices, both in and out of the presence of students, which would be inconsistent with their responsibilities to supervise students.

E. Parental Permission

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.

In cases involving a series of field trips related to one particular area of study or activity, a "blanket" permission, Form IFCB-3, 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.

The supervisor of all field trips shall have in his/her possession one of the following:

1. a copy of the student “emergency file card”

or

2. a signed and notarized medical form (Form IFCB-5)

Form IFCB-4, shall be used to gain parental permission for field trips occurring only once.

Form IFCB-5, shall be used to provide student medical information and parental permission to seek emergency medical treatment if needed.

Form IFCB-6 shall be used to gain parental permission for overnight field trips.

In all situations, the permission forms supplied by the central office are to be used to gain permission from parents/guardians.

F. Field trips that occur for more than two (2) school days

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 appropriate central office administrator 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 appropriate central office administrator outlining the means by which the full instructional program will be implemented during the trip.

G. Overnight field trips

If the field trip includes overnight time, approval must be given by the Area Assistant Superintendent prior to teachers discussing the trip with the students, parent or others.

For field trips and excursions involving the school day or time beyond, the field trip supervisor and the school administrator shall be responsible for ensuring that the field trip supervisor provides information regarding the itinerary and that he/she can be reached by telephone during the field trip.

H.  Extended Field Courses

Any Extended Field Course offered outside Cobb County must comply with the above guidelines applicable to overnight field trips as well as those included in Form IFCB-7.

I. Transportation

Field trips involving county buses must not be scheduled during regular school busing hours:

7:00 am - 9:15 am and 2:00 pm - 4:15 pm

The use of county buses for field trips will be contingent upon the availability of vehicles and the scheduling of regular school transportation.

School administrators shall approve only those field trips which allow the bus to return to school by 2:00pm or a private carrier must be used. (see the approved private carrier list in the school office)

Private carriers may be used for field trips provided they have been approved by the Cobb County School District. (See the approved private carrier list in the school office)

Private carriers must return fifteen (15) minutes prior to school dismissal time unless other arrangement for students to be returned home from school have been made by the teacher supervising the field trip.

No field trips will be scheduled when school is closed because of inclement weather.

Transportation arrangements must be provided to accommodate any students with special needs.

J. Cost of county bus transportation

Mileage will be charged to the local school at the current rate of portal-to-portal mileage as determined by the appropriate administrator of transportation. The driver will be paid at the hourly rate specified for field trip pay as determined by the Director of Transportation. Driver time will be calculated from point of departure and back.

Driver pay will be a minimum of two and three-quarters (2-3/4) hours for any field trip.

In the event of cancellation of a field trip, notification must be given at least three (3) days prior to the scheduled date. Late cancellations will involve a five(5) hour penalty paid to the assigned driver of the trip unless the driver is notified twenty-four (24) hours prior to the trip.

When scheduling a field trip that would have to be canceled in the case of inclement weather (e.g. rain) the originator should include a statement on the field trip request indicating the possibility of such a cancellation. In this case, no penalty will be charged for cancellation. The Transportation Field Trip Coordinator should be notified immediately when a trip is canceled because of weather conditions.

K. Transportation other than school buses or private carriers

1. When parents and students volunteer to drive their own vehicles on school system business such as sporting events or other school activities, the Cobb County School District does not provide liability insurance nor medical insurance coverage for the volunteer, should he/she be involved in an accident; the volunteer is the liable party.

2. If an employee uses his/her own vehicle for school system business, the Cobb County School District policy provides coverage for the employee only. The employee’s own automobile insurance policy provides primary insurance coverage and the school system’s policy provides secondary coverage should the employee’s policy limits be exhausted and if the school district is liable. The employee’s own policy is expected to cover other passengers.

L. Non School-Sponsored Events

If a staff member plans a non-school sponsored trip that involves students (even if planned for weekends, holiday, or summer) the school administrator must be advised. However, the administrator is not required to approve the trip.

No class time may be used to promote the trip and no funds may be solicited nor accepted during the school day.

When meetings are held at 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 people not employed by the school system.

When staff members plan non-school sponsored trips, even when the guidelines called for in this regulation are followed, parents will be informed, in writing, that the trip is a non-school sponsored event. Therefore, the school system takes no responsibility for the trip. The employee must make it clear that arrangements and transactions about the trip (including phone calls) must be handled outside the school day.

School system supplies must not be used to pursue a non-school sponsored trip.

Legal Reference: OCGA 20-2-50; 20-2-57; 20-2-59

Reclassified an Administrative Rule: 9/1/04
Revised: 10/28/04