Student Activities/Excursion - Safe Travel Procedures
Student Activities/Excursion - Safe Travel Procedures
Purpose
The Board of Education supports relevant off-campus educational experiences that enhance student learning.
Overnight and extended student travel must demonstrate a clear and compelling educational purpose consistent with Policy 3500.
Travel shall not be approved if comparable educational experiences are reasonably available locally or if overnight stays are unnecessary.
Repeated travel to the same destination or extended excursions require additional justification.
All student travel must prioritize safety, fiscal responsibility, minimal instructional disruption, and equitable access for all students.
Authority
● All overnight student travel occurs under the authority of the Superintendent and Board of Education.
○ All overnight travel, including UHSAA & Co-curricular events, must be approved in advance.
● Travel is limited to the contiguous forty-eight (48) United States. International travel is prohibited.
● The Superintendent or Board may cancel approved travel if safety or risk conditions warrant.
● For non-UHSAA & Non-Co-curricular groups, approval authority is as follows:
○ In-State Overnight Travel: Requires Superintendent approval.
○ For non-overnight travel exceeding 200 miles (one-way): Requires Principal approval.
○ Out-of-State Overnight Travel: Requires Superintendent and Board approval.
○ All overnight and out-of-state travel requests must be submitted to the superintendent and the board for approval at least forty-five (45) calendar days before departure, using Form 3500.F1 (Travel Request: In-State) or Form 3500.F2 (Travel Request: Out-of-State)
● UHSAA & Co-curricular approval as follows:
○ In-State Overnight Travel: Principal approval with advanced Superintendent notification.
○ Except for travel within 200 miles to Wyoming and Idaho, all out-of-state travel requires the Superintendent's and the School Board's approval.
■ Travel within 200 miles to Wyoming or Idaho that does not involve an overnight stay requires principal approval and prior notification to the Superintendent.
○ Any travel exceeding 200 miles (one way) requires Principal approval.
○ Requests must be submitted to the superintendent and the board for approval at least forty-five (45) calendar days before departure, using Form 3500.F1 (Travel Request: InState) or Form 3500.F2 (Travel Request: Out-of-State).
○ Any out-of-season travel requests will be treated as non-UHSAA & Non-Co-curricular
status.
Review & Endorsement Process
● Principal Review: Principal verifies safety, supervision, and educational justification based on the submitted Form 3500.F1 (Travel Request: In-State) or 3500.F2 (Travel Request: Out-of-State) before forwarding to the Superintendent/Board or designee.
● Athletic Director Review: The Athletic Director shall review and sign the completed forms for all UHSAA events.
● Director Review: When applicable, district directors (CTE, Teaching & Learning, etc.) must review and sign completed requests to ensure that the trip aligns with department objectives and budgets.
● Superintendent Review: The Superintendent reviews the completeness of the document and may request clarifications before forwarding it to the Board.
● Board Approval: The Board may:
● Approve
● Deny
● Grant conditional approval (pending additional information)
Instructional Time Limits
● No more than two (2) instructional days may be missed per activity.
● Exceptions may be granted for:
a. State or national qualifying competitions; or
b. Geographic necessity approved by the Superintendent.
● Travel during summer or school breaks is strongly encouraged when feasible.
Grade-Level Parameters
● Elementary (Grades K–5)
a.Travel limited to within 200 miles.
b. Overnight travel is prohibited.
c. Fees may not be charged for field trips.
d. Exceptions require Superintendent approval.
● Middle School (Grades 6–8)
a. Travel limited to within 200 miles unless Superintendent approval is obtained.
b. Overnight travel requires Superintendent and Board approval.
c. Maximum of two (2) instructional days missed per activity unless Superintendent approval is obtained.
● High School (Grades 9–12)
a. Principal approval required for all travel.
b. Excluding UHSAA & Co-curricular sanctioned events, travel exceeding 200 miles requires Superintendent approval.
c. All overnight travel, including UHSAA & Co-curricular sanctioned events, must be approved in advance by:
● UHSAA & Co-curricular sanctioned overnight events require principal approval and prior notification to the superintendent.
● All other overnight travel requires Superintendent and Board approval.
d. Excluding UHSAA & Co-curricular sanctioned events, only two (2) overnight trips per group per school year unless approved by the principal.
In-State Travel
All in-state travel must demonstrate educational value aligned to curriculum or approved extracurricular programming and must be submitted using Form 3500.F1 (Travel Request: In-State).
Out-of-State Travel
All out-of-state travel must demonstrate educational value aligned to curriculum or approved extracurricular programming and must be submitted using Form 3500.F2 (Travel Request: Out-of-State).
● Out-of-state travel is considered exceptional and must demonstrate educational value that cannot reasonably be achieved within Utah.
● In order to provide all students the opportunity, out-of-state travel should be limited to once every four years. Exceptions for national competitions may be granted by submitting Form 3500.F2 (Travel Request: Out-of-State).
● Out-of-state overnight travel is limited to high school students (Grades 9–12), unless otherwise approved.
● In-season UHSAA-related travel within 200 miles to Wyoming and Idaho, and is not overnight, requires principal approval.
● All in-season overnight UHSSA travel requires prior notification to the Superintendent.
● All overnight and any out-of-state travel requires the Superintendent's and the School Board's approval.
● The following out-of-state travel will not be approved:
a. Reward trips where the educational or competitive purpose is secondary.
b. Travel primarily promoted by commercial enterprises for profit without substantial educational merit.
Transportation
Every effort should be made to avoid scheduling buses during this time.
● All bus requests should be submitted as early as possible.
● Groups shall utilize district-owned vehicles or properly licensed and insured commercial carriers.
● Except for neighboring communities/school districts within Cache Valley (ex-Preston), all out-ofstate bus travel should be provided by a properly licensed and insured commercial carrier.
● UHSAA & Co-curricular competitive events will be given priority scheduling for the districtdesignated trip buses.
● Elementary field trips should be scheduled Monday through Wednesday whenever possible.
● All field trips/travel (elementary, middle, and high school) should be scheduled to return to the school no later than 2:15 PM to not conflict with the afternoon bus routes between 2:15 and 3:45 PM (M-R) and 1:00-2:30 p.m. (F), ensuring buses are available for regular route transportation.
○ Field trip groups pay 100% of the trip cost.
● UHSAA & Co-Curricular Activities:
○ In Valley:
■ All in-valley UHSAA & Co-curricular activities should avoid route conflicts between 2:15 and 3:45 p.m. (M-R) and 1:00-2:30 p.m. (F).
○ Out of Valley:
■ Limited buses are available to be scheduled for out-of-valley UHSAA & Cocurricular activities, which may be scheduled between 2:15 and 3:45 p.m. (M-R) and 1:00-2:30 p.m. (F). When feasible, this time should be avoided.
■ Additional out-of-valley buses are available between 2:15 PM and 3:45 PM.
○ Within 200 miles:
■ District buses will be scheduled by the transportation department equitably. If a district bus is not available, a charter bus may be used.
■ District pays 80% of transportation costs & school/activity pays 20% for district buses, plus driver lodging and per diem.
○ Over 200 miles:
■ Trips over 200 miles one-way must use a charter service.
■ Whether using a school or chartered bus, the school/activity pays 100% of transportation costs, including driver lodging and per diem for district drivers.
○ State qualifying and championship events (regardless of distance):
■ CCSD Transportation/Buses may be used for participating teams.
■ District pays 100% of transportation costs, including driver lodging and per diem, for teams and cheerleaders. The school/activity pays 100% of additional costs if the team/group chooses to go early or stay later to watch other teams.
■ If available, CCSD buses may be used for student fans at the school’s expense.
● Private Vehicle Use For Student Participants:
○ Participants driving themselves to/from events are required to have parents complete Form 3500.F4 (Parental Permission to Operate a Private Vehicle for School Activities). Participants are not permitted to transport other participants to and from any school, district, region, or state events.
○ No participant shall travel alone with a staff member or adult volunteer, except their own parent.
● Current (26-27) Bus Transportation Rates:
○ Pre-Trip Fee $40.00/bus
○ Mileage Fee $1.70/mile
○ Driver Fee $28.00/hour
Chaperoning & Supervision
● Chaperones should reference Form 3500.F3 (Activity Supervisor-Chaperone Checklist).
● Utah State Board of Education's minimum recommended supervision ratio is one (1) chaperone per ten (10) students, with at least one district employee present at all times.
● Required chaperone expenses shall be included in per-student costs. Additional chaperones beyond the recommended 10:1 ratio are expected to travel at their own expense.
● If both male and female students attend, both male and female chaperones are required.
● Chaperones for single-day or overnight events must meet the following criteria. Any exceptions must be approved by the school’s principal.
○ Be at least 21 years of age;
○ Pass a fingerprint/background check;
○ Be approved by the principal.
● Chaperones should be provided a copy of the Activity Supervisor-Chaperone Checklist and have a clear understanding of their responsibilities.
● Chaperones may not share private sleeping rooms with students except their own children.
● Trip sponsors are responsible for supervision at all times, including on buses to and from events. Bus drivers are responsible for transportation safety.
Financial Requirements
● All funds must be deposited before departure.
● All costs must remain within the Board-approved Fee Schedule.
● Sponsoring groups must be self-supporting unless otherwise authorized by the Board.
● Required chaperone expenses shall be included in per-student costs.
● Additional chaperones beyond required ratios are responsible for their own expenses.
● All funds must be documented with receipts and reconciled immediately following the trip.
● Fundraised funds are non-refundable and remain with the school program.
● Non-refundable expenses (e.g., airfare) shall not be reimbursed.
● District funds shall not subsidize optional national competitions unless expressly authorized.
● Meals must be included in the per-student cost and Board-approved fee schedule.
● Per diem rates will be limited to those established annually by the General Services Administration (GSA) or by district policy for in-state travel.
● Utah State-approved travel agencies (Utah State Travel) are recommended for their reliability as vendors, preferred pricing, and liability protection. If Utah State Travel is not used, all purchasing and procurement activities, including bid solicitation and approval, must be documented.
● Short-term rentals may be used for non-coed groups if approved by the building principal. Host Damage Protection is required, and principals must ensure sufficient supervision.
Equity & Fee Waivers
● All approved trips must be accessible regardless of a student’s ability to pay.
● No student shall be excluded due to financial hardship.
● Fee waivers shall be honored in accordance with district policy.
● Group fundraising is permitted; individual fundraising may not be required.
Application Form & Information
● Applications serve as both an information source for the Board and a commitment by the sponsor to carry out the trip as described.
● Significant changes from the approved plan may result in trip cancellation and jeopardize future approvals.
● Approved requests are binding. No material changes (e.g., higher costs, additional fees, extended duration, or altered destinations) are permitted without the Superintendent's written approval.
● Applications must include:
○ Form 3500.F1 (Travel Request: In-State) or 3500.F2 (Travel Request: Out-of-State)
○ Educational purpose and value
○ Proposed itinerary (with educational justification for each activity)
○ Details regarding chaperones, a detailed breakdown of costs per student, and fundraising
○ All materials shall be clear, typed, and professional in presentation
● Applications are required for all overnight trips, both in-state and out-of-state. School athletic directors may submit all overnight requests for each season in a single document, separated by sport, to the superintendent or designee.
Parent Permission
● Written consent is required for each overnight trip.
● In addition to completing Form 3500.F5 (Parental Response To Student Overnight and/or Extended Trip), parental consent notification must include: description of activities, signature line(s), emergency contacts, sleeping arrangement notification, and authorization for emergency medical care.
● Parent permission documentation must be collected before departure, with copies carried by the sponsor and retained at the school.
● Parents will be notified in advance of sleeping arrangements and student room assignments. See Form 3500.F5 (Parental Response To Student Overnight and/or Extended Trip). Parents may request changes to room assignments, including single-bed sleeping arrangements.
Risk Management & Safety
● Student Medical Plans must be reviewed in advance and accommodated for all attending students.
● All overnight travel requires review and approval consistent with Utah State Risk Management guidelines.
● Additional insurance coverage may be required when deemed necessary.
● Travel shall not be approved when unsafe conditions exist, including but not limited to severe weather, public health concerns, or credible threats of violence.
● All accidents or incidents must be documented and reported to the appropriate district administrators.
Conduct & Discipline
● Students must meet academic and behavioral eligibility requirements before participating.
● In accordance with Form 3500.F5 (Parental Response To Student Overnight and/or Extended Trip), violations of conduct expectations may result in:
a. Removal from the activity;
b. Being sent home at parent/guardian expense;
c. Additional disciplinary action consistent with district policy.
Non-Compliance
● Failure to comply with this policy may result in:
a. Cancellation of travel;
b. Denial of future requests;
c. Administrative or disciplinary action as determined by the Superintendent.
Conclusion
The Board of Education values relevant off-campus educational experiences. Overnight student travel within the Cache County School District will be approved only when it provides significant educational value, is reasonably priced, and minimizes instructional time loss. Trips must offer unique opportunities that cannot be replicated locally, while demonstrating thorough planning and strong support from parents and students. Safety and risk management concerns must be fully addressed, with adequate insurance coverage in place. All students, including those qualifying for fee waivers, must have equal access to participate. Finally, approval is likely when the requesting group has a proven record of responsible travel that reflects positively on the school and district.
Legal References:
Synopsis:
Approved by the Board of Education:
Adopted: November 1, 1993
Last Revised: January 19, 2023
Last Reviewed: January 19, 2023
Updated: August 27, 2026