Working with schools: running programs with students safely

This guide is for small charities that run programs in or with schools: tutoring, mentoring, after-school clubs, arts or sports sessions, food backpacks, career talks. Schools can be wonderful partners. They know the students, they have space, and they can reach families you'd struggle to reach alone. They also have their own rules, legal duties and ways of working. After reading, you'll know how to set up a partnership, what to agree in writing, the federal student privacy rules that shape what a school can share with you, and how to keep students safe.

This is general information, not legal advice. School districts set many of their own rules, and state laws differ, so always ask the school and district what applies.

Start with the school's needs and rules

• Find the right person. It's often a principal, counselor or district partnerships office, not just an enthusiastic teacher. Ask who must approve outside programs.
• Ask what they need, not just what you offer. Our program design guide explains how to start from the need.
• Ask for their volunteer and visitor rules. Many districts have their own application, background check, sign-in and badge rules for anyone working with students. Follow them even if your own screening is stricter or looser. Background check requirements come from state law and district policy, so they vary from place to place; ask the district exactly which checks it needs, and who pays for them.
• Ask about the calendar. Testing weeks, holidays and early-release days affect when you can run sessions.

Put it in writing

A short written agreement, such as a memorandum of understanding, avoids misunderstandings when staff change. Our guide to partnership agreements and the memorandum of understanding template can help. Cover:

• what you'll provide, when and where, and for which students
• who supervises students during sessions (school staff, your staff or both)
• how students are referred or sign up, and how parents give permission
• what information each side will share, and how it's protected
• how you'll handle a safeguarding concern, an emergency or an accident
• insurance: what each side carries, and whether the district wants to be named on your policy (ask your insurer; see our insurance guide)
• use of photos and student stories (see our photo consent form)
• how either side can end the partnership

Student privacy: FERPA and PPRA

Two federal laws shape what schools can share and ask.

FERPA, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, gives parents "the right to have some control over the disclosure of personally identifiable information from the education records" of their children, according to the Department of Education. When a student turns 18 or enters a postsecondary institution at any age, those rights move to the student. The Department says FERPA requires the parent or eligible student to "provide a signed and dated written consent" before a school discloses personally identifiable information from a student's education record, unless one of the exceptions in the regulations applies. It adds that nothing in FERPA stops a community-based organization from collecting that consent itself, as long as the form says which records may be shared, why, and with whom. In practice, expect a school to need that consent before it gives you grades, attendance or other records about individual students. Don't be surprised if a school says no or asks you to collect consent forms.

PPRA, the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment, applies to schools and others that receive Department of Education funds. It governs surveys, analyses or evaluations of students that ask about eight protected areas:

• political affiliations or beliefs of the student or parent
• mental or psychological problems of the student or family
• sex behavior or attitudes
• illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating or demeaning behavior
• critical appraisals of close family members
• legally recognized privileged relationships, such as with lawyers, doctors and ministers
• religious practices, affiliations or beliefs of the student or parent
• income (other than as required to check eligibility for a program)

If you want to survey students as part of a school program, especially on any of these topics, talk to the school first. They may need parental consent or notice, and they'll know their district's process. At the time of writing, the Department of Education says its PPRA guidance is being reviewed and updated, so check its Student Privacy Policy Office for the latest. Our participant feedback survey template avoids these sensitive areas.

Information you collect yourself (for example, on your own sign-up form) is your responsibility. Collect only what you need, and protect it, as our data privacy guide explains.

Screening and supervision

• Screen everyone who works with students in line with your safeguarding policy, your state's law and the district's rules. Our guide to volunteer screening and safeguarding explains how much screening each role needs.
• Avoid one-to-one time out of sight. Run sessions in open or visible spaces, and agree with the school how supervision works.
• No private contact. Volunteers shouldn't contact students privately by phone, text or social media, or meet them outside the program.
• Teen volunteers helping with younger students need their own permission and supervision; see our youth volunteers guide.
• Transport: don't drive students unless the school, parents and your insurer have all agreed in writing.

Reporting abuse or neglect

Every state has laws on who must report suspected child abuse or neglect. According to the Child Welfare Information Gateway (in its summary current through May 2023), approximately 46 states designate professions whose members must report, and in 44 states the list includes "teachers, principals, and other school personnel." In approximately 17 states, any person who suspects abuse or neglect must report. In every state, anyone may report.

When your volunteers work in a school, agree in advance:

• who they tell if a student discloses abuse or they're worried about a student, and how fast
• how that fits with the school's own procedure and your state's law (some states require the person who suspects abuse to report directly to the authorities, as well as telling the school)
• that if a child is in immediate danger, they call 911 first

Train volunteers on this before their first session, and write it into your agreement with the school.

Your checklist

• We've met the person who can approve outside programs, and know the school's needs
• We follow our state's and the district's volunteer, visitor and background check rules
• We have a written agreement covering roles, supervision, information sharing, safety and insurance
• We know what student information the school can and can't share, and collect parent consent where needed
• We've checked with the school before surveying students, especially on sensitive topics
• Every volunteer is screened and trained, and never alone with a student out of sight
• Volunteers know how to report a concern, under the school's procedure and our state's law
• We have written permission for any photos and stories