1. How do I become a volunteer?
Follow three easy steps to become a volunteer:
Step 1: Visit Volunteer page to find the volunteer application. Once you land on that webpage, you will see a red button that reads “Apply to Volunteer Click Here.” Click on the red box to complete the volunteer background application.
Step 2: Contact the school where you wish to volunteer or contact the Department of Family and Community Engagement at 904-390-2960 to check the status of your volunteer application.
Step 3: Please remember to sign in and out in the front office. Your volunteer hours help not only students and teachers, but also help schools achieve awards from the Florida Department of education.
2. How long will it take for my volunteer application to clear?
Please allow 5-10 business days for your application to be processed.
3. Are you checking my credit history to volunteer?
No. If you notice language about a credit history check within the disclaimers of the volunteer application, it is because Datafacts who serves as the background screening vendor for the district provides that service for other agencies. Therefore, they are required to include information on the Fair Credit Reporting Act within the application. We only do a criminal background screening and will not check your credit history.
Below you will see where on the application we share that we will not check your credit history:
4. Who needs to fill out a volunteer application?
Any person who may come into contact with students in volunteer roles such as assisting in the office, library or classroom; chaperoning field trips; and/or tutoring and school/booster activities should complete a volunteer application. Additionally, parents/guardians or other parent-approved adults who desire to eat lunch with students in the cafeteria where other students are located also need to complete a volunteer application.
5. Why do I need to complete a volunteer application?
Student safety is our number one priority and based on school board policy, each volunteer or individual who will be interacting with students is required to submit an application to conduct a criminal background screening.
6. Who can I contact with questions regarding my volunteer application?
If you have specific questions regarding your background check or volunteer information you should contact the Family and Community Engagement Department at 904-390-2960 or Email FACE. If you have questions about a specific volunteer opportunity at a school, you should contact that school directly.
7. Who do I contact about the status of my volunteer application?
Each school has designated staff that can check your volunteer status in the front office of the school. You may also contact the Department of Family and Community Engagement to check the status of your application at 904-390-2960 or email FACE@duvalschools.org.
8. When will I receive my volunteer badge?
Duval County Public Schools no longer issues volunteer cards or badges from the district office. It is the responsibility of each school to issue their own cards to volunteers. If you need to check on the expiration date of your clearance, please contact the school at which you volunteer or the Department of Family and Community Engagement at 904-390-2960.
9. Am I allowed to bring my other child along to chaperone on my child’s field trip?
No. Based on the Duval County Public Schools Field Trip Policy Handbook only designated students, authorized employees, and authorized chaperones may attend a field trip. Any unauthorized individuals are prohibited to attend field trips.
Page 10 of the Field Trip Handbook lists specific individuals not permitted on field trips.
10. Can my college-aged child chaperone their sibling’s field trip?
It depends. Volunteer Chaperones must be 21 years of age or a parent/guardian of a student participating in the field trip and are required to complete a volunteer application and be approved prior to the field trip. If the child is 21 or above, they can chaperone. If they are below 21, they can not serve as chaperones.
This information can be found on page 41 of the Field Trip Handbook beside bullet number 2.
11. What if a student under 18 would like to volunteer at a school? Do they fill out the volunteer application?
Students who are under 18 who desire to volunteer are required to fill out the “Under 18 Parent Consent to Volunteer Form” which can be found on the volunteer page: Volunteer page