Woodside School District - Volunteer Requirements/Information

Volunteer Requirements/Information

Woodside Elementary School District
School Volunteer, Chaperone, and Visitor Guidelines

In compliance with California Education Code §35021 and Board Policy/Administrative Regulation 1240, all school volunteers must be screened and authorized before working with students to help ensure student safety and well-being.

Effective January 1, 2026, Senate Bill 848 expanded California’s mandated reporter requirements to include certain adult school volunteers and chaperones who interact with students outside the immediate supervision and control of a parent/guardian or school employee.

Use the chart below as a general guide to determine your level of involvement and the applicable requirements. The school office or District Office will make the final determination based on the specific assignment.

At a public California school, the exact requirements for volunteers depend on their level of student contact and frequency, but recent laws like Senate Bill 848 and Assembly Bill 506 have introduced strict statewide standards.

Mandated Reporter Status & Training: Under SB 848 (effective July 1, 2026), qualifying school volunteers who work with students are designated as mandated reporters and must complete annual Child Abuse Mandated Reporter Training and abuse prevention training.
Background Checks (Live Scan): Depending on district policy and whether a volunteer has unsupervised or frequent contact with students, a California Department of Justice (Live Scan) fingerprint background check is commonly required.

Tuberculosis (TB) Clearance: Volunteers who have frequent, prolonged contact with students or serve regularly on campus must provide current TB risk assessment or test clearance.

General Campus Rules: All campus volunteers and visitors must sign in at the main office, wear an assigned identification badge while on site, and sign out upon leaving.

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STEP 1 - DETERMINE REQUIREMENTS:

Determine which volunteer activities you will be doing to determine the need to be fingerprinted and undergo a background check by the California Department of Justice (DOJ).

REQUIRED

Mandated Reporter Training, TB Clearance, Volunteer Application, and Fingerprinting/DOJ Background Check
are Required *

Regularly volunteers in contact with students
Could be outside the presence of a certificated staff member (teacher or administrator), even briefly
Drivers and/or chaperones for field trips, including after-school sports. (Note: A valid CA Driver's License and proof of insurance coverage are also required. These additional forms can be accessed in the school front office)
Coaches or assists with special events, including dances, sports competitions, drama, and musical productions

If your volunteer activity falls under "Required" above, please continue to step 2

NOT REQURED

Fingerprinting/DOJ Background Check, Mandated Reporter Training, and TB Not Required.
No Application Needed

Visits the office for the purpose of conducting business there. (e.g., Assisting teacher(s) with picture day, organizing curriculum packets, making copies, etc.)
Short-term, non-recurring volunteers of 8 hours or less during the school year under the immediate supervision and direction of certificated personnel of the district
Volunteer supervisors for breakfast, lunch, or other nutritional periods pursuant to California Education Code Sections 44814 and 44815, and nonteaching volunteers, as defined in Education Code Section 35021, under the immediate supervision and direction of certificated personnel of the district, shall not be required to be fingerprinted
Attends school events at which parents are expected to supervise their own children (e.g., Walk-A-Thon, Family Math Night, or Ice Cream Social)
Attends a guardian/parent-staff conference
Presents at a “Career Exploration Day” once during the school year
Attends a musical, drama production, athletic performance, awards night, academic or art event as a member of the audience, etc.

STEP 2 — MANDATED REPORTER TRAINING:

For the 2026-27 school year, WESD is requesting all volunteering review our MANDATED REPORTER TRAINING DECK presented to all staff on Monday, August 17, 2026. For the 2027-28 school year, all volunteers will be required to complete the mandated online training through Vector Solutions. Please let us know if you have any questions.

Completion of the training does not, by itself, authorize an individual to volunteer. All applicable forms, clearances, and approvals must be completed before volunteer service begins.

STEP 3 — TB CLEARANCE

ONLY 1 Required - All results must include medical provider info, full name, and be dated within 4 years.

Proof of TB test
Volunteer TB Risk Assessment - completed & stamped by medical provider

TB Screening of Volunteers: Upon initial volunteer assignment, a volunteer shall have on file with the district a certificate showing that they have submitted to a tuberculosis (TB) risk assessment and, if tuberculosis risk factors were identified, was examined and found to be free of infectious tuberculosis (Ed Code 49406). Each volunteer needs to have a risk assessment every four (4) years to determine whether a TB test is required. Please check with your school principal if you have a question about needing TB tested and/or fingerprinted.

STEP 4 — COMPLETE VOLUNTEER APPLICATION:

Complete a WESD “VOLUNTEER APPLICATION”. Your application must include all required information and supporting documentation to be processed. Please complete and turn in at your earliest convenience.

STEP 5 — FINGERPRINT CLEARANCE:

Fingerprinting or LiveScan Live Scan only needs to be completed once for WESD. Contact the school office if you do not recall or are unsure of your clearance status.

The School Office will provide the REQUEST FOR LIVE SCAN SERVICE FORM (volunteer version) and the required DOJ/FBI privacy notices.
Complete the section titled “Applicant Information” on the form.
Take the form and a valid government-issued photo ID to a Live Scan service provider.
- Please note: WESD has a contract with Post N’ More in Menlo Park. If you take your Live Scan form there (closed on weekends), they will automatically charge the District’s account. If you go somewhere else, please keep the receipt and turn into the front office or reimbursement.

STEP 6 — PAPERWORK REVIEW @ DISTRICT:

Human Resources will notify the school site/department when a volunteer’s background check requirements have been met.
After your application has been processed, you will receive your completed application. Please contact the school Secretary and/or Principal to confirm that you have been cleared to begin volunteering.

IMPORTANT – Being an approved volunteer does NOT automatically qualify you as the approved parent driver. If you would like to participate in the Parent Volunteer Driver process, please follow the instructions in Step 6 below.

Note: School volunteers and campus guests must sign in at the school office upon entering the school premises and must sign- out when they exit the campus. For more information and opportunities, please visit or contact your school office.

STEP 7 — DRIVER AUTHORIZATION FORM (if necessary):

Information for Parent Volunteer Driver Application

We appreciate parents and guardians that are able to volunteer in our classrooms and/or on a field trip, including being a parent driver. Requirements for volunteering in schools and on field trips can be found above. Any volunteer cleared in the prior year remains on the school’s approved list and can volunteer in the current year.

IMPORTANT – Being an approved volunteer does NOT automatically qualify you as the approved parent driver. Below are the requirements and steps to take in the District Volunteer Driver Certification Process:

You must be first approved as an WESD Volunteer BEFORE applying for Volunteer Driver
Complete the VOLUNTEER DRIVER CERTIFICATION FORM.
Attach legible copies of: a valid proof of liability insurance policy and the driver's license (front and back). Your insurance policies must include a minimum of $100,000/$300,000 per occurrence for bodily injury and $100,000 per occurrence for property damage. If these two required limits are increased to cover for only the day of the field trip, your application will not be accepted. Please note that the coverage period of your insurance policy must be beyond the date of the field trip.
Submit the complete application package to the School Office for review and approval.
The District Office will notify the School Office of the District’s final approval or denial of the parent driver application.
School Office will notify your child’s classroom teacher of the District’s final approval or denial approximately two weeks after the District Office received the complete package.

Following all steps early is highly recommended to avoid the possibility of the need to cancel a field trip due to a lack of approved parent drivers.

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The Woodside Elementary School District (WESD) recognizes and appreciates that volunteer assistance in schools can significantly enrich the educational program, increase supervision of students, contribute to school safety, and strengthen a school’s relationship with the community. We encourage parents/guardians and other community members to share their time, knowledge, and abilities with students.

In compliance with California Education Code Section 35021 and Board Policy 1240, the Board requires school volunteers to be screened and authorized to volunteer. Volunteers who may be in contact with students outside the presence of certificated staff, however briefly, must arrange for a California Department of Justice (DOJ) fingerprint submission and complete a Mandated Reporter Training (SB848) prior to volunteering. Also, volunteers who will have frequent or prolonged contact with students must also have tuberculosis (TB) tested and cleared. These requirements are in place, given an abundance of caution for student safety and well-being.

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