In a recent move to enhance student safety, Duval County Public Schools has overhauled its volunteer background screening policy, a step forward aligning with state law and introducing stricter checks for those in roles like chaperones where they might not always be within direct sight of district employees. The new measures differentiate between Level I volunteers, who operate under the immediate watch of district staff, and Level II volunteers, tasked with greater responsibility and whose new screening includes fingerprinting, a review of criminal records, and scanning national sexual offender registries, as reported by Duval County Public Schools.
The thrust of these changes means volunteers at Level I, participating as classroom assistants or event helpers, will still undergo a basic screening, but Level II prospects, like field trip chaperones, will now navigate a more rigorous process involving a personal financial commitment ranging between $80 and $100 to cover their background check, as they may supervise students away from direct staff oversight and handle more sensitive scenarios.
For those looking to join the ranks of Duval County's school volunteers, the updated volunteer application now necessitates a declaration of whether one seeks to be a Level I or Level II volunteer, with prospective Level II volunteers receiving email guidance on initiating the enhanced screening process post-application submission. Essential to note, the policy revisions exempt visitors attending brief school events and minor student volunteers from these measures, maintaining an expectation of constant supervision for these groups.
Current Level II volunteers, such as chaperones, just need to log in to their profiles to confirm their status under the new rules. Instructions will be sent by email. Level I volunteers don’t need to do anything unless they want to move up to Level II.
