VOLUNTEERS

VOLUNTEERS

po8120Adopted January 11, 2018Revised November 20, 2025

8120- VOLUNTEERS

The School Board recognizes that certain programs and activities can be enhanced through the use of volunteers who have particular knowledge or skills that will be helpful to members of the staff responsible for the implementation of those programs and activities.

The Superintendent shall be responsible for recruiting community volunteers, reviewing their capabilities, and making appropriate placements. The Superintendent shall not be obligated to make use of volunteers whose abilities are not compatible with the School Corporation's needs.

Volunteer Coaches

Before allowing an individual to serve as a volunteer coach, the Corporation shall conduct an expanded criminal history check (as defined in I.C. 20-26-2-1.5) on the volunteer coach.

Additionally, before the Corporation hires or allows an individual to coach an Indiana High School Athletic Association-recognized sport, the Corporation must take the following steps:

  1. ask the individual:
     
    1. whether the individual is or has been accredited by the association; and
    2. if the individual is or has been accredited by the association, whether the individual's accreditation has ever been suspended or revoked;
  2. request references from the individual;
  3. contact the references that the individual provides to the Corporation; and
  4. contact the association to determine whether the individual's accreditation has ever been suspended or revoked.

The Corporation shall make a report to the Department of Child Services if a volunteer coach has engaged in suspected child abuse or neglect.

The Corporation shall report to the association when a volunteer coach accredited by the association has been convicted of an offense described in I.C. 20-28-5-8(c) or of a known comparable offense in another state. These offenses include:

  1. A sex crime under I.C. 35-42-4 (including criminal deviate conduct, I.C. 35-42-4-2, before its repeal).
  2. Kidnapping (I.C. 35-42-3-2).
  3. Criminal Confinement (I.C. 35-42-3-3).
  4. Incest (I.C. 35-46-1-3).
  5. Dealing in or manufacturing cocaine or a narcotic drug (I.C. 35-48-4-1).
  6. Dealing in methamphetamine (I.C. 35-48-4-1.1).
  7. Manufacturing methamphetamine (I.C. 35-48-4-1.2).
  8. Dealing in a Schedule I, II, or III controlled substance (I.C. 35-48-4-2).
  9. Dealing in a Schedule IV controlled substance (I.C. 35-48-4-3).
  10. Dealing in a Schedule V controlled substance (I.C. 35-48-4-4).
  11. Dealing in a counterfeit substance (I.C. 35-48-4-5).
  12. Dealing in marijuana, hash oil, hashish, or salvia as a felony (I.C. 35-48-4-10).
  13. An offense under I.C. 35-48-4 involving the manufacture or sale of a synthetic drug (as defined in I.C. 35-31.5-2-321), a synthetic drug lookalike substance (as defined in I.C. 35-31.5-2-321.5 (before its repeal on July 1, 2019)) under I.C. 35-48-4-10.5 (before its repeal on July 1, 2019), a controlled substance analog (as defined in I.C. 35-48-1-9.3), or a substance represented to be a controlled substance (as described in I.C. 35-48-4-4.6).
  14. Homicide (I.C. 35-42-1).
  15. Voluntary manslaughter (I.C. 35-42-1-3).
  16. Reckless homicide (I.C. 35-42-1-5).
  17. Battery as any of the following: (I) A Class A felony (for a crime committed before July 1, 2014) or a Level 2 felony (for a crime committed after June 30, 2014). (ii) A Class B felony (for a crime committed before July 1, 2014) or a Level 3 felony (for a crime committed after June 30, 2014). (iii) A Class C felony (for a crime committed before July 1, 2014) or a Level 5 felony (for a crime committed after June 30, 2014).
  18. Aggravated battery (I.C. 35-42-2-1.5).
  19. Robbery (I.C. 35-42-5-1).
  20. Carjacking (I.C. 35-42-5-2) (before its repeal).
  21. Arson as a Class A felony or Class B felony (for a crime committed before July 1, 2014) or as a Level 2, Level 3, or Level 4 felony (for a crime committed after June 30, 2014) (I.C. 35-43-1-1(a)).
  22. Burglary as a Class A felony or Class B felony (for a crime committed before July 1, 2014) or as a Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, or Level 4 felony (for a crime committed after June 30, 2014) (I.C. 35-43-2-1).
  23. Human trafficking (I.C. 35-42-3.5).
  24. Dealing in a controlled substance resulting in death (I.C. 35-42-1-1.5).
  25. Attempt under I.C. 35-41-5-1 to commit an offense listed in this subsection.
  26. Conspiracy under I.C. 35-41-5-2 to commit an offense listed in this subsection.
  27. Public indecency (I.C. 35-45-4-1) committed: (A) after June 30, 2003; or (B) before July 1, 2003, if the person committed the offense by, in a public place: (I) engaging in sexual intercourse or other sexual conduct (as defined in I.C. 35-31.5-2-221.5); (ii) appearing in a state of nudity with the intent to arouse the sexual desires of the person or another person, or being at least eighteen (18) years of age, with the intent to be seen by a child less than sixteen (16) years of age; or (iii) fondling the person's genitals or the genitals of another person.

The Corporation shall report suspected misconduct by a volunteer coach that may constitute a crime to local law enforcement.

Without conferring the rights of an employee on a volunteer coach, the Corporation shall comply with I.C. 22-5-3-1 (Indiana's blacklisting law) regarding a volunteer coach, including the provisions for civil immunity regarding disclosures made about a volunteer coach.

Other Volunteers

With respect to all other volunteers:

To protect students and staff members, the Board requires an inquiry into the personal background of each volunteer who is likely to have direct, ongoing contact with children within the scope of their service as a volunteer.

Each volunteer who is in direct contact with students will be required to submit to a background check, which shall include:

  1. an expanded criminal history check as defined by I.C. 20-26-2-1.5;

  2. an Indiana expanded child protection index check as defined by I.C. 20-26-2-1.3;

  3. search of the national sex offender registry maintained by the United States Department of Justice;

  4. beginning July 1, 2017, a search of the State child abuse registry;

  5. an Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles driver history if the position involves driving.

Background Checks, Including Expanded Criminal History and Expanded Child Protection Index

The Board requires that an expanded criminal history check be conducted for each volunteer who is likely to have direct, ongoing contact with children within the scope of their service as a volunteer before or not later than thirty (30) days after the start of their volunteer service.

If a third-party vendor is used to provide an expanded criminal history check, and the vendor offers more than one type of expanded criminal history check, the Board shall evaluate all available types of criminal history checks to select and employ the expanded criminal history check that would best protect the Corporation's students.

The Board requires that an Indiana expanded child protection index check be conducted for each volunteer who is likely to have direct, ongoing contact with children within the scope of their service as a volunteer, before or not later than sixty (60) days after the start of their volunteer service.

The Board shall prohibit volunteer service by an individual who has been convicted of an offense requiring license revocation per I.C. 20-28-5-8(c) unless the conviction has been reversed, vacated, or set aside on appeal.

The Board also shall prohibit volunteer service by an individual who has been convicted of an offense listed in I.C. 20-26-5-11.2(b), unless the conviction has been reversed, vacated, or set aside on appeal. Likewise, the Board shall terminate the volunteer service of an individual who has been convicted of an offense listed in I.C. 20-26-5-11.2(b) unless the conviction has been reversed, vacated, or set aside on appeal.

The Board may prohibit volunteer service by or terminate the volunteer service of an individual who is the subject of a substantiated report of child abuse or neglect.

The Corporation may obtain an expanded criminal history check or an expanded child protection index check at any time if the Corporation has reason to believe that the volunteer:

  1. is the subject of a substantiated report of child abuse or neglect; or

  2. has been charged with or convicted of an offense requiring license revocation per I.C. 20-28-5-8(c); or

  3. has been charged with or convicted of an offense listed in I.C. 20-26-5-11.2(b)

The Superintendent is to inform each volunteer that the volunteer:

  1. shall agree to abide by all Board policies and Corporation guidelines while on duty as a volunteer;

  2. will be covered under the Corporation's liability policy, but the Corporation shall not provide any type of health insurance to cover illness or accident incurred while serving as a volunteer, nor is the volunteer eligible for workers' compensation;

  3. will be asked to sign a form releasing the Corporation of any obligation should the volunteer become ill or receive an injury as a result of the volunteer's services;

  4. will be required to report any arrest or the filing of criminal charges against the volunteer;

  5. will be required to report any convictions for a crime while serving as a volunteer;

  6. will be required to report any substantiated report of child abuse or neglect of which the volunteer is the subject.

The Superintendent also shall ensure that each volunteer is properly informed of the Corporation's appreciation for the volunteer's time and efforts in assisting the operation of the schools.

Revised 5/21/20
Revised 3/19/24

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