• Request to use Federal Funds for Field Trip

     

    Federal Funds for Field Trip Request Form

     

    This request is for use of Federal Funds only. Schools/Departments must still follow all field trip guidelines from the Instructional Support Services Department.

     

    Submit request with Principal/Administrator signature to State and Federal Programs prior to scheduling the trip.

    Background:

    Title I, Part A District allocations are intended to help elementary and secondary schools establish and maintain programs that will improve the educational opportunities of low-income and disadvantaged students.

     

    Educational field trips are pre-approved, planned instructional activities that involve students in learning experiences that are difficult to duplicate in a classroom situation. Educational field trips are allowable under certain circumstances if allowed in the grant program.  All grant program regulations must be followed (e.g. if Title I funded, the school has specifically identified it in the SPSA) and meet the following criteria:  

    • Field trips should provide hands-on activities that encourage students to experiment and ask questions. 

    • Students cannot be excluded from participating in a field trip (or charged fees)

    • The field trip must support the various California Content Standards (CCSS), Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), History-Social Studies, etc.  Expanded Learning Programs must follow guidelines as outlined by the program (ASES) and the after-school program plan.

    • Costs must be reasonable and must be necessary to accomplish the objectives of the grant program. 

    • The field trip must also appear as a part of the teacher’s lesson plans, which should include activities that prepare students for the trip and follow-up activities that allow students to summarize, apply, and evaluate what they learned from the trip. 

    • Costs for the field trip must be reasonable. Any entrance fees and transportation costs must be reasonable in comparison to the intended objectives of the trip. 

    • For audit purposes, the school must maintain documentation of the field trip and must provide clear evidence of how the expense ties back to an instructional objective. Documentation should include: destination of each field trip , costs associated with each field trip, objectives to be accomplished from conducting the field trip, and teacher’s lesson plan and follow-up activities.

     

    Intent of LCFF Supplemental/Concentration Funds:

    LCFF funds allocated to BCSD schools are supplemental/concentration funds for planned actions/services contributing to increasing or improving services for the targeted disadvantaged pupils. Targeted pupils are those classified as English learners (EL), meet income requirements to receive a free or reduced-price meal (FRPM), foster youth, or any combination of these factors (unduplicated count).

     

    Intent of Title I Funds: 

    To ensure that all students receive a high-quality education and to close the achievement gap between students meeting the challenging State academic standards and those that are not meeting such standards.

     

    All Title I Programs: 

    1. The activity/expenditure is aligned to meet the challenging State academic content standards 

    2. The activity/expenditure is an evidenced-based educational strategy 

    3. The activity/expenditure is reasonable, necessary, and allocable cost to the program 

    4. Title I, Part A funds used supplement the funds that would, in the absence of such funds, be made available from State and local sources, and do not supplant such funds 

    5. Title I, Part A funds used are current Federal fiscal year or the subsequent fiscal year

    Title I Schoolwide Programs: 

    1. The activity/expenditure meets a need identified in the comprehensive needs assessment (

    2. The activity/expenditure is included in the Single Plan for Student Achievement (SPSA) 

    3. The SPSA has been approved by the local governing board 

    4. The Schoolsite Council (SSC) annually evaluates and monitors the implementation of the SPSA and progress towards accomplishing the goals and

    5. The activity/expenditure has been reviewed, approved, and recommended by the SSC to the local governing board.

    Targeted Assistance Programs:

    1. The activity/expenditure serves the needs of students that are identified as failing, or most at risk of failing to meet challenging State academic standards on the basis of multiple, educational related, objective criteria established by the LEA and supplemented by the school 

    2. The activity/expenditure is included on an ongoing basis, review of the progress of eligible children and revise the TAS program, if necessary, to provide additional assistance, to enable such children to meet the challenging State academic standards.
      Staff members paid with Title I funds may assume limited duties that are assigned to similar personnel who are not so paid, including duties beyond classroom instruction or that do not benefit participating children, so long as the amount of time spent on such duties is the same proportion of total work time as prevails with respect to similar personnel at the same school 

    If an expenditure/activity does not meet all of the above rationale, it is not likely to be an authorized use of Title I, Part A funds.

    For any field trip, the school site must file all required paperwork in advance of the trip.  If using an outside vendor, follow all district protocols for procuring the services.

     

    Examples of appropriate/allowable educational field trips include: 

    • Curricular academic activities focused on math, science, and technology, such as service learning, internships, science, history, ELA competitions, or science and technology competitions 

    • Laboratory and field investigation instruction, used to improve students’ understanding of science objectives 

    • Trips to a river, archaeological site, or nature preserve that might include contracting with local science centers, museums, zoos, and horticultural centers for visits and programs 

    • Trips to the local library to increase access to high-interest reading materials 

     

    Unallowable Costs Related to Field Trips.

     The following costs are not allowable: 

    • Field trips for social, entertainment, or recreational purposes 

    • Field trips that supplant and do not supplement local or state expenditures or activities 

    • Field trips that are not part of a teacher’s lesson plan or that do not meet the instructional objectives of the grant program 

    • Field trips that are not reasonable in cost or are not necessary to accomplish the objectives of the program 

    • Costs of entertainment, including amusement, diversion, social activities, and any costs directly associated with such costs (such as tickets to shows or sports events, meals, lodging, rentals, transportation, and gratuities) are unallowable.

    • Field trips that are not properly documented (as described above)

     

    Per the California Department of Education, the following should be considered prior to taking a field trip:

    • What is the relevance of the proposed field trip to a learning objective?

    • What teaching will occur prior to, during, and after the field trip to make it contextually relevant to the students’ experiences?

    • How will the trip’s educational value be assessed upon completion of the trip?

    • How will the field trip costs be covered?

    • What is the impact of the trip on available program budget resources?

     

    If a school is considering the use of Title I funds for a curricular field trip:

    School staff submits the following documentation to the State & Federal Programs Department prior to scheduling the trip.