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AA417A – Fundraising for High Schools

  • Effective: 8/25/2026
  • Revision:
  1. Board Directive
    The Board recognizes that there are times when it may be beneficial to raise funds for specific projects and school activities. The Board also recognizes its responsibility to protect students, parents, and community members of the District from undue pressures applied through these fundraising efforts. This policy is intended to provide schools with the ability to raise funds without unduly pressuring students, families, and/or community members to support or participate in fundraising activities.The Board provides funds for specific educational functions on an equitable basis; therefore, no school partnership or fundraising effort will be approved that would generate funds for the following categories:

    1. Textbooks and supplies (the purchase of)
    2. Transportation of students between school and home on a regular basis
    3. The purchase or construction of an additional classroom(s)
    4. The hiring of licensed, educational support professionals, or paraprofessional staff

    The Board delegates to the District Administration the responsibility of administering this policy.

  2. Administrative Policy
    1. The Administration shall approve fundraisers that meet the administrative policy provisions listed below:
      1. A needs assessment must be conducted before a fundraiser can be approved, in order to determine the amount of funds required and the methods that will be used to raise the funds.
      2. All local school fundraisers must be submitted in writing to the Administrator of Schools for review and prior approval.
      3. Fundraisers cannot involve door-to-door sales.
      4. Students and families must not be compelled to sell or purchase products or services and must be free to voluntarily participate without peer or group pressure. Care must be taken in awarding bonuses or prizes to individuals or groups so that students do not feel pressured into competitive selling.
      5. Students are not to miss class to participate in fundraisers unless approved by school administration.
      6. Fundraisers must be consistent with the generally accepted moral and ethical standards and practices of the Jordan School District community.
      7. Charitable fundraising will not be endorsed or sponsored on a Districtwide basis. Materials that advertise charitable fundraising activities that are not sponsored by the local school may be placed in the school office or other locations to be determined by the school administration.
    2. High School Fundraisers
      1. High schools are not limited to a set number of fundraisers and may also participate in one annual schoolwide charity drive fundraiser.
    3. Schoolwide High School Charitable Drive
      1. A school-specific process must be created and determined by the school administration in cooperation with staff advisors and elected student body officers to determine the outside organization(s) that the school will be contributing to for the current school year.
      2. Charitable fundraisers must be directed towards existing charitable nonprofit organizations in the business of managing and distributing charitable contributions which serve a unique and defined purpose.
      3. As an exception, a school may raise up to $10,000 to be used for the local needs of the community (such as “Sub-for-Santa”) as approved by a pre-established vetting and approval process.
      4. If the $10,000 funds are not distributed prior to November 15th of the following year, whatever balance remains will be contributed to the new charity drive season to ensure the allocation never exceeds $10,000.
      5. All funds raised must be deposited in the school’s accounts. No outside accounts may receive fundraiser funds. Nevertheless, in a charitable fundraiser, the students may provide the option for the donor to donate directly to the nonprofit organization(s) selected or to the school to give the funds to the nonprofit organization(s).
      6. The charity drive and associated activities may only take place starting the first Monday following the approved Thanksgiving recess and run through the last school day prior to the winter recess. Pre-sale exception: sales for charity-branded apparel (t-shirts, hoodies, etc.), events and activity sales may begin prior to the official Monday start date.
      7. No individual may participate more than 20 hours a week during the charity drive.
      8. In order to ensure a full day of instruction, activities or assemblies may not interfere with the regular or assembly bell schedules.
      9. “Odd Jobs” may be conducted within the school’s community as long as the following is adhered to:
        1. A minimum of four (4) students are participating in each group.
        2. At least one student in the group is an elected or appointed student representative and is wearing their official school sweater or other school-issued clothing.
        3. All “odd jobs” must conclude by 8:00 p.m.
        4. All donations received during “odd jobs” must be returned to the school and accounted for each evening following regular accounting procedures.
    4. Parent Donations
      1. Parent donations to support a specific activity in the school will be accepted and will not be considered a fundraiser as long as they are unsolicited.
      2. Monetary donations must be accounted for and recorded through the school office.
      3. See policy AA408 - Fees for additional information regarding donations and school fees.
      4. PTSA may request parent donations for PTSA-sponsored events or activities including volunteer time, supplies, and materials.
    5. Business Partnerships
      1. School-based business partnerships that generate revenue, products, or services for the school, based on voluntary participation of students, parents, and community members that do not involve students or the school in the sale of a product or service, are exempt from the level guidelines of this policy.
      2. Any approved school-based business partnership may request and receive the same promotional access to students and parents afforded to any other school-approved partnership.
      3. Advertisements from commercial enterprises for interested students and parents may be placed in an area designated by the school with the approval of the school administration.
    6. Other Important Fundraising Information
      1. All fundraisers are optional.
      2. Funds raised may be used to help offset student fees associated with programs or activities and in accordance with policy AA408 - Fees.
      3. Funds raised for a program or activity must stay with that program or activity and cannot be transferred to a different program or activity.
      4. Fundraising efforts completed by a student, parent, or guardian are considered volunteer work on behalf of the student and the program or activity.
      5. Fundraising credits for students towards a program or activity hold no cash value. Under no circumstances will funds be cashed out, refunded, or paid directly to students, parents, or guardians.
      6. More information can be found in the District Financial Accounting Manual on the Accounting department website.

Revision history: 6/8/04, 9/8/09

2/25/2020: Board of Education approved the term “Education Support Professionals” to replace “Classified” to describe personnel not licensed as educators.

8/25/2026 – Policy AA417 was divided by level into AA417A Fundraising for High Schools, AA417B Fundraising for Middle Schools, and AA417C Fundraising for Elementary Schools