Volunteer at Our School

As previously mentioned, California Education Code § 49406 mandates that any person with frequent or prolonged contact with students must be cleared of infectious tuberculosis. To simplify this, parents may use the TB Risk Assessment Questionnaire. If a healthcare provider determines there are no risk factors, the parent can be cleared immediately without a physical test.

While we understand the concern and challenges that families have regarding fingerprinting and immigration, state law and our district policy requires fingerprint-based background checks for volunteers who have "prolonged contact" with students. This is aligned with California Education Code § 35021.1, which authorizes school districts to require a criminal background check through the Department of Justice for all volunteers to ensure the safety of our pupils.

We recognize the $49 fingerprinting fee is a significant burden for some. While we cannot waive the safety requirement itself, the school sites have had the option to submit a budget transfer to cover the fingerprinting cost.

These measures, including fingerprinting and TB clearance, are strictly for health and safety purposes and do not require proof of citizenship or legal residency.

• All interested volunteers must follow the process outlined below, and must be cleared by Human Resources prior to volunteering.
• Sign in and sign out. Wear a school- or department-issued volunteer badge or sticker at all times.
• All volunteers are expected to practice professionalism by arriving on time, turning off cell phones, and dressing appropriately.
• Know the school. Familiarize yourself with the school’s layout, rules for students, communication methods, and emergency procedures. Tip: each room has an emergency action plan with procedures for various emergency situations.
• Use adult/staff restrooms only. Do not accompany a student into the restroom.
• No photos or contact information. To protect student privacy and yours, do not ask to take a student’s picture, ask for their phone number, or give them your contact information. Do not ask to connect on social media or by other digital means.
• Refrain from being alone with students.
• Confidentiality of information obtained through your volunteer efforts must be maintained. Please remember this when discussing your volunteer work outside of the school.
• Report concerns. If a student shares any information with you that causes you concern for their safety or health (such as suspected abuse or neglect), or if you observe a concerning behavior or interaction between anyone on campus or at an event, tell the teacher or principal. They will follow up on the information appropriately. Please keep the content of the information and action you took strictly confidential.
• Act as a role model. Engage with students in a respectful and age-appropriate manner and maintain the highest professional, moral, and ethical standards in your interaction with students.
• In the event of an emergency, follow the direction of a District employee.
• Volunteers must adhere to District policies.
• The District reserves the right to revoke volunteer privileges at any time.

What types of ID's are accepted?
Any form of valid photo ID is accepted (e.g. Driver’s License, ID, Passport, Permanent Resident Card, ACR card, etc.)

I’ve had my fingerprints done for another school district. Do I need to do them again through you?
Yes. We do not accept fingerprint confirmations from other agencies, companies or school districts.

How do I know my fingerprints have cleared?
We will send an email confirmation that you have been cleared to volunteer.

Where do my fingerprints go?
Fingerprints go to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to check for any past criminal records. We need to receive clearances from both agencies in order to approve your volunteer request.

Will a prior misdemeanor conviction disqualify me from volunteering?
Not necessarily.  It is important that you disclose all prior misdemeanor and felony convictions on your application.  Each application is considered on a case-by-case basis.  Having a prior conviction does not automatically disqualify you from consideration.

Where can I get a TB test done?
TB tests can be done through your own medical provider and are at your own expense. 

I was cleared to volunteer last year, and would like to volunteer again this year. Do I need to go through the entire process again?
You will need to complete the volunteer packet for every new school year, but will not need to be fingerprinted again. You will still have to submit updated TB results as needed (every four years, or every ten years with a chest x-ray).