IJOAB - Extended FIeld Trips

File:  IJOAB

Extended Field Trips

The Franklin Public Schools recognizes that a properly planned, well-conducted and carefully supervised extended field trip may provide a mode of learning which is relevant, challenging and dynamic and which cannot be duplicated in the classroom or extracurricular setting.

Extended field trips approved pursuant to this policy must abide by the Administrative Procedures for Student Travel.  Extended field trips are trips that require students to be accommodated overnight. All extended field trips will be scheduled after regular school hours, on weekends or during school vacations and shall not interfere with structured learning time. 

Extended field trips must provide a valuable educational learning experience and be consistent with and reflect district curriculum. The Superintendent or his/her designee will be responsible for determining whether these criteria are met.  The cost of extended field trips will not be the responsibility of the school district. 

Teachers and other school personnel are not permitted to solicit for privately run trips through the school district and in the schools. The Franklin School Committee will review only Superintendent recommended trips. The School Committee will not review or approve trips that are privately organized and run without recommendation of the Superintendent.

Attendance on an extended field trip is not a student’s right, but a privilege.  All rules and regulations specified in the student handbook will be in effect throughout the trip.

This policy does not apply to trips required for student participation in school-related tournament competition or contests.

1. Trip Approval Process for Extended Field Trips
   1. Preliminary Approval  Advisors will develop a trip proposal, which must include educational benefits/objectives and their relation to Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks and the educational value in relation to the cost.  The proposal shall be presented to the building principal and to the Superintendent for Preliminary Approval.
   2. Preliminary approval must be granted prior to the announcement of the trip to students or parents.  Preliminary approval authorizes the advisor to determine student and parent interest, to acquire cost information, and generally assess the feasibility of the trip.

1. Formal Approval

The School Committee must have approved the trip before any contractual arrangements are made or any trip-specific fundraising occurs.  School Committee approval must be secured at least five (5) months before the proposed extended field trip, whenever possible.

1. Finances

Advisor(s) must use reasonable efforts to arrange for scholarships or alternative funding sources to provide an equal opportunity for students to participate that otherwise would be excluded because of financial hardship. 

1. Travel Requirements
   1. Students with disabilities shall be provided full and equal opportunity for participation in  extended field trips.
   2. The use of vans or private automobiles for extended field trips is prohibited.  Late night or overnight trips should use commercial vendors or district transportation.
   3. The Advisor(s) must ensure that all U.S. based commercial carriers used are licensed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. (“FMCSA”).   No carrier may be used for an extended field trips if the carrier has an FMCSA safety rating of “conditional” or “unsatisfactory.”   The contract with the carrier must prohibit the use of a subcontractor unless sufficient notice is given to the District to allow verification of the subcontractor’s qualifications.
   4. Trip itineraries must leave enough time for drivers to rest in conformity with federal hour-of-service requirements and common sense.
   5. The District shall abide by regulations requiring it to obtain criminal offender record information (“CORI”) and fingerprinting (“CHRI”) all persons who may have direct and unmonitored contact with students during extended field trips, including chaperones and persons providing transportation services.
   6. If a student requires the administration of prescription medication during an extended field trip, the medication shall be administered in a manner consistent with District policy.
   7. Trip cancellation insurance and travel accident insurance must be purchased by all participants on the trip (students, chaperones, and advisors).
   8. The Superintendent or his/her designee reserves the right to cancel any extended field trip up until the time of departure.
   9. The Superintendent or his/her designee reserves the right to recall or reroute a student field trip.