Volunteer Assistance
Board Policy No. 1240
Policy approved: April 24, 2025
Volunteer Assistance
The Governing Board recognizes that volunteer assistance in schools can enrich the educational program, increase supervision of students, and contribute to school safety while strengthening the schools' relationships with the community. The Board encourages parents/guardians and other members of the community to share their time, knowledge, and abilities with students.
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. He/she may also recruit community members to serve as mentors to students and/or make appropriate referrals to community organizations.
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, or military and veteran status. (Government Code 12940)
As appropriate, the Superintendent or designee shall provide volunteers with information about school goals, programs, and practices and an orientation or other training related to their specific responsibilities. Employees who supervise volunteers shall ensure that volunteers are assigned meaningful responsibilities that utilize their skills and expertise and maximize their contribution to the educational program.
Volunteer work shall be limited to those projects that do not replace the normal 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 and comply with employee negotiated agreements.
The Superintendent or designee shall establish procedures for determining whether volunteers possess the qualifications, if any, required by law and administrative regulation for the types of duties they will perform.
Volunteers shall act in accordance with district policies, regulations, and school rules. The Superintendent or designee shall be responsible for investigating and resolving complaints regarding volunteers.
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.
Workers' Compensation Insurance
The Board desires to provide a safe environment for volunteers and minimize the district's exposure to liability.
Upon the adoption of a resolution by the Board, volunteers shall be entitled to workers' compensation benefits for any injury sustained while engaged in the performance of service for the district. (Labor Code 3364.5)
Policy Reference Disclaimer:
These references are not intended to be part of the policy itself, nor do they indicate the basis or authority for the board to enact this policy. Instead, they are provided as additional resources for those interested in the subject matter of the policy.
State Description
22 CCR 101170 Criminal record clearance
22 CCR 101216 Health screening; volunteers in child care centers
Ed. Code 35021 Volunteer aides
Ed. Code 35021.1 Automated records check
Ed. Code 35021.3 Registry of volunteers for before/after school programs
Ed. Code 44010 Sex offense; definition
Ed. Code 44814-44815 Supervision of students during lunch and other nutrition periods
Ed. Code 45125 Fingerprinting requirements
Ed. Code 45125.01 Interagency agreements for criminal record information
Ed. Code 45340-45349 Instructional aides
Ed. Code 45360-45367 Teacher aides
Ed. Code 48981 Parental notifications
Ed. Code 49024 Activity Supervisor Clearance Certificate
Ed. Code 49406 TB risk assessment
Ed. Code 8482-8484.6 After School Education and Safety Program
Ed. Code 8484.7-8484.9 21st Century Community Learning Center program
Gov. Code 12940 Unlawful discriminatory employment practices
Gov. Code 3543.5 Prohibited interference with employees' rights
H&S Code 1596.7995 Immunization requirements for volunteers in child care
center or preschool
H&S Code 1596.871 Fingerprints of individuals in contact with child day care facility clients
Lab. Code 1720.4 Public works; exclusion of volunteers from prevailing wage law
Lab. Code 3352 Workers' compensation; definitions
Lab. Code 3364.5 Authority to provide workers' compensation insurance for volunteers
Pen. Code 290 Registration of sex offenders
Pen. Code 290.4 Information regarding sex offenders
Pen. Code 290.95 Disclosure by person required to register as sex offender
Pen. Code 626.81 Sex offender; permission to volunteer at school
Management Resources Description
PERB Decision Whisman Elementary School District (1991) PERB Decision No. 868
Website CSBA District and County Office of Education Legal Services
Website California Department of Justice, Megan's Law
Website California Department of Education, Parents/Family and Community
Website Commission on Teacher Credentialing
Website CSBA
Website California State Parent Teacher Association
Cross References
Code Description
0410 Nondiscrimination In District Programs And Activities
0500 Accountability
1000 Concepts And Roles
1100 Communication With The Public
1150 Commendations And Awards
1250 Visitors/Outsiders
1250 Visitors/Outsiders
1400 Relations Between Other Governmental Agencies And The Schools
1700 Relations Between Private Industry And The Schools
3514 Environmental Safety
3514 Environmental Safety
3514.1 Hazardous Substances
3514.1 Hazardous Substances
3515.2 Disruptions
3515.2 Disruptions
3515.3 District Police/Security Department
3515.3 District Police/Security Department
3515.5 Sex Offender Notification
3515.5 Sex Offender Notification
3530 Risk Management/Insurance
3530 Risk Management/Insurance
3541.1 Transportation For School-Related Trips
3541.1-E(1) Transportation For School-Related Trips
3541.1-E(2) Transportation For School-Related Trips
3543 Transportation Safety And Emergencies
4030 Nondiscrimination In Employment
4030 Nondiscrimination In Employment
4112.4 Health Examinations
4112.5 Criminal Record Check
4112.5-E(1) Criminal Record Check
4127 Temporary Athletic Team Coaches
4127 Temporary Athletic Team Coaches
4131 Staff Development
4141 Collective Bargaining Agreement
4157.1 Work-Related Injuries
4212 Appointment And Conditions Of Employment
4212.4 Health Examinations
4212.5 Criminal Record Check
4212.5-E(1) Criminal Record Check
4217.3 Layoff/Rehire
4222 Teacher Aides/Paraprofessionals
4222 Teacher Aides/Paraprofessionals
4227 Temporary Athletic Team Coaches
4227 Temporary Athletic Team Coaches
4231 Staff Development
4241 Collective Bargaining Agreement
4257.1 Work-Related Injuries
4312.4 Health Examinations
4312.5 Criminal Record Check
4312.5-E(1) Criminal Record Check
4327 Temporary Athletic Team Coaches
4327 Temporary Athletic Team Coaches
4331 Staff Development
4357.1 Work-Related Injuries
5020 Parent Rights And Responsibilities
5020 Parent Rights And Responsibilities
5141.4 Child Abuse Prevention And Reporting
5141.4 Child Abuse Prevention And Reporting
5141.52 Suicide Prevention
5141.52 Suicide Prevention
5145.3 Nondiscrimination/Harassment
5145.3 Nondiscrimination/Harassment
5145.6 Parent/Guardian Notifications
5145.6-E(1) Parent/Guardian Notifications
5148 Child Care And Development
5148 Child Care And Development
5148.2 Before/After School Programs
5148.2 Before/After School Programs
5148.3 Preschool/Early Childhood Education
5148.3 Preschool/Early Childhood Education
6020 Parent Involvement
6020 Parent Involvement
6116 Classroom Interruptions
6142.2 World Language Instruction
6142.2 World Language Instruction
6142.6 Visual And Performing Arts Education
6142.7 Physical Education And Activity
6142.7 Physical Education And Activity
6142.8 Comprehensive Health Education
6142.8 Comprehensive Health Education
6145 Extracurricular And Cocurricular Activities
6145 Extracurricular And Cocurricular Activities
6154 Homework/Makeup Work
6163.1 Library Media Centers
6171 Title I Programs
6171 Title I Programs
6184 Continuation Education
6184 Continuation Education
7140 Architectural And Engineering Services
7140 Architectural And Engineering Services
9200 Limits Of Board Member Authority