AA416 – Field Trips – Policy Manual

Effective: 8/27/1969
Revision: 3/29/2016
Reviewed: 3/26/2013

Board Directive
Field trips are an integral part of the instructional program and may be provided to enrich or expand learning opportunities for students. Field trips shall be used to place a variety of civic, cultural, community, and business resources within the reach of the classroom. Within funding limitations, it is the philosophy of the Jordan School District Board of Education to assure all schools an equal opportunity to receive bus service for field trips. The Board authorizes the Administration to implement a policy for field trips.
Administrative Policy
The Administration shall be responsible to see that field trip experiences, which are directly related to established curriculum goals, are provided according to the following administrative policy provisions:
1. Field trip authorization
  1. Field trips of less than one (1) day duration shall be coordinated and authorized by the school principal who is responsible to assure that adequate funding is available through an appropriate funding source. In elementary schools, field trips outside of Salt Lake, Utah and Davis Counties must be approved by the Administrator of Schools.
  2. Overnight travel must be authorized by an Administrator of Schools. (Refer to Policy AA414—Student Overnight Travel.)
  3. District consultants, coordinators, and teacher specialists may be assigned to coordinate field trip activities sponsored at the District level.
2. A Field Trip Planning Guide shall be completed by staff and approved by the school principal for each proposed field trip. The following information shall be provided by the teacher(s) or adviser(s) requesting the field trip:
  1. A description of the field trip including the purpose of the trip, place of destination, class or sponsoring organization, and number of students involved.
  2. An outline of the field trip curriculum including instruction prior to the event, during transit, at the point of destination, and evaluation or follow-up activities after the event.
3. All field trips must adhere to established policies and regulations governing student safety, including use of an authorized means of transportation which meets all District and State requirements for transporting students, parent permission for student participation, and an adequate number of qualified adult supervisors who have passed a District background check, if needed.
4. Bus service
  1. Principals must apply to the District Transportation Department for bus service for field trips a minimum of two weeks in advance. The Request for Transportation Service should be completed online and approved by the principal and the Director of Transportation.
  2. District buses are generally available to provide field trip service beginning 15 minutes after the latest school starting time and ending 30 minutes prior to the earliest school closing time.
  3. Requests for bus service are considered on a first-come, first-served basis. Special authorization may be obtained from the Administrator of Schools in hardship or special needs circumstances.
  4. District buses are not authorized to travel in hazardous terrain including unimproved or unmaintained roads.
  5. District buses are not authorized to travel in Big or Little Cottonwood Canyons during winter months or inclement weather.
  6. Field trip drivers will be compensated as follows:
    1. Monday-Friday: Drivers shall be paid for a minimum of two (2) hours or the actual time spent on field trip/activity runs. Time will include plus one-half hour for cleaning and fueling the bus. If the field trip/activity run is cancelled while the driver is on duty or the trip assignment is one-way (either to or from an event), drivers shall be paid for a minimum of two hours with the one-half hour allowance for inspecting, cleaning and fueling the bus included as part of the minimum. The additional costs will be charged to the school or department that cancels the activity.
    2. Weekend/Holidays: If the school fails to cancel the field trip prior to the driver showing up at the bus facility, the driver shall be paid a minimum of four (4) hours. The costs will be charged to the school or department that failed to cancel the activity.
  7. If the field trip/activity run is not completed on time and a substitute must be assigned to the driver's regular route, the school shall pay a minimum of two additional hours to cover substitute costs.
  8. In accordance with Federal Department of Transportation Regulations, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration 49 CFR Part 395, a Jordan School District bus driver may only be on duty for 15 hours, followed by a full eight (8) hours of off-duty rest time. A driver may only drive for ten (10) of those 15 on-duty hours. Care should be taken to make sure drivers are well rested so they can operate the bus safely. The schools will be responsible to provide for the expenses incurred to be in compliance with this regulation, to include a separate hotel room for each driver and any mileage or travel expenses for additional relief drivers.
  9. Jordan School District buses are not authorized to operate between 1:00 A.M. and 4:00 A.M.
  10. When students are engaged in an activity where a change of clothing is required, schools should make arrangements for a changing room for students. School buses shall not be used as a dressing room.
  11. Upon arrival at the field trip/activity run destination, drivers shall secure the bus and remain accessible to the group unless otherwise instructed by the administrator in charge.
  12. The school administration shall assure that one or more responsible, adult supervisors are aboard each bus that is on a field trip/activity run.
  13. Drivers shall make every effort to assure safety and shall follow established procedures for student discipline. (See District Policy DA170—School Bus Discipline.)
  14. It is not permitted for drivers to transport family members unless they are part of the group/class paying for the trip.
  15. It is not permitted for Jordan School District buses to travel across state lines.
5. When the District does not provide transportation in connection with a school-related activity or event, the following will apply:
  1. Each student desiring to participate in such an activity or event must submit a “Participation Disclosure and Acknowledgment” form signed by the student and the student’s parent or guardian which acknowledges that no transportation is being provided by the District and that the student’s participation is conditioned on the student arranging for his or her own transportation to events or competitions associated with the activity. The student may not be a member of the particular team or organization, nor participate in the activity, unless a completed “Participation Disclosure and Acknowledgement” form is on file.
  2. When involved in CTE/work-based learning experiences, students will utilize the “Activity Authorization” form developed by the Wasatch Front South Consortium.