In an article by the Journal's Andrea Schoellkopf, it is revealed that volunteers in APS schools will have to pay for their own background checks; $34.00.
Last year, almost 1,000 volunteers took advantage of a grant that paid for their background checks.
According to the article, "The head of the state PTA said she was not aware the funding had expired and was concerned about the impact on local schools."
Paul Broome, the mayor's education coordinator, said Chávez is trying to find money. "There's nothing in the budget to do it," Broome said. "I don't believe the parents should be responsible for this cost."
"We would love to have some more funding," said Patti Nabors, APS director of human resources operations. "APS does not have the funding to do it."
APS cannot come up with $34,000 dollars.
Unless of course, they want to underwrite an administrative soiree at the Inn of the Mountain Gods.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
APS Volunteers Will Need to Pay for Own Background Checks
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I can remember, last year, when I was getting to know APS and reading through the website and found out that volunteers have to pay for their own background checks. I was appalled. Never, in the entire time I was in Chicago and volunteering in our school, did I have to pay for the required background check. The process was a pain in the kazoo but I did not have to pay for it. I believe I even wrote about it in my now defunct APS blog. I also recall emailing several people at APS, including the superintendent, and saying I thought this requirement was excessive and that, while I could afford to do it, what about those who couldn't?
I even brought it up to the superintendent, board members, and business people attending a Community Conversations meeting.
Not too long after that, the city kicked in money for a grant of $100k.
I thought this was terrific and communicated that back to APS. I also wondered what they would do for the next year.
Here we are in the next year and we are back to volunteers having to pay for the background check.
This item should be put into the budget for every year. It should, in my opinion, be a collaborative budget item from the city, county, and APS. Maybe there could be some fundraising around this or some philanthropic group that could donate money. I don't know... just some thoughts AND I am thinking about it. APS and the city need to think (proactively) about it and act, too.
Volunteers in our schools are crucial. Many people (not just parents) want to volunteer but as soon as they hear it will cost them $34 bucks to do so, it gives them pause or they don't have the money. I can remember thinking, "What? I have to PAY to be a volunteer?"
I'm all for background checks. They are definitely a necessary process. Not all volunteer positions require the check. If the volunteer is going to be alone with the kids, in any capacity, they must have the background check. This means... if they are volunteering in the classroom and the teacher has to step out of the room for any reason, the volunteer must have that check. You can see the constraints in just that one scenario.
Think about field trips... to the aquarium... or Bio Park... those volunteers must have background checks.
I have met some of the folks who volunteer and we've all talked about how wonderful it was that the background check was finally paid for last year. Many of those volunteers couldn't have afforded to pay for it on their own. They were thrilled to have the opportunity now that there wasn't a financial constaint preventing them from volunteering at their schools.
This was one of the **good** things... one of the **positive** things... one of the **positive perception** things that happened last year.
It is really too bad that it wasn't sustained and, as far as I can tell, planned to be part of ongoing APS practices.
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