9700 - RELATIONS WITH SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS

Ida Public School District

Bylaws & Policies

9700 - RELATIONS WITH SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS

Any request from civic institutions, charitable organizations, or special interest groups which involve such activities as patriotic functions, contests, exhibits, sales of products to and by students, sending promotional materials home with students, graduation prizes, fund raising, and free teaching materials must be carefully reviewed to ensure that such activities promote student interests without advancing the special interests of any particular group.

It is the policy of the Board of Education that students, staff members, and District facilities not be used for advertising or promoting the interests of any nonschool agency or organization, public or private, without the approval of the Board or its delegated representative; and any such approval, granted for whatever cause or group, shall not be construed as an endorsement of said cause or group by this Board.

	A.	Political Interests

		All materials or activities proposed by outside political sources for student or staff use or participation shall be reviewed by the Superintendent and/or principal on the basis of their educational contribution to part or all of the school program, benefit to students, and good taste, and no such approval shall have the primary purpose of advancing the name, product, or special interest of the proposing group.

		School facilities or equipment may not be used as a means of producing or disseminating to the community any materials that advertise or promote a political party, a political cause, or the candidacy of an individual for public office. Students and employees of the Board shall not be used to distribute campaign literature within the schools or on school grounds.

B.	Contests/Exhibits

	The Board recognizes that contests, exhibits, and the like may benefit individual students or the District as a whole, but participation in such special activities may not:

	1.	have the primary effect of advancing a special product, group, or company;

	2.	make unreasonable demands upon the time and energies of staff or students or upon the resources of the District;

	3.	interrupt the regular school program;

	4.	involve any direct cost to the District unless the student body as a whole derives benefit from such activities;

	5.	cause the participants to leave the School District, unless:

		a.	the Board's Policy 2340 - Field and Other District-Sponsored Trips has been complied with in all aspects;

		b.	the Board has granted special permission;

		c.	the parents of a minor student have granted their permission.

C.	Distribution/Posting of Literature

	No outside organization or staff member or student representing an outside organization may distribute or post literature on that organization's behalf on District property either during or after school hours without the permission and prior review of the Superintendent or principal.


The Superintendent shall establish administrative guidelines which ensure that:

1.	criteria established in Policy 5722 - Student Publications and Productions - are used to make a decision regarding materials that students seek to post or distribute;

2.	distribution or posting of materials employees wish to distribute on behalf of an employee organization comply with the terms of negotiated, collectively-bargained agreements;

3.	the school mail system is not used by students or staff for distribution of nonschool-related materials;

4.	no materials from any profit-making organization are distributed for students to take home to their parents unless authorized by the Superintendent;

5.	the time, place, and manner of distribution of all nonschool-related materials is clearly established and communicated;

6.	flyers and notices from outside non-profit organizations may be made available for students to pick-up at the literature distribution rack/table by the school building's office, under the following circumstances:

	a.	the flyer/notice publicizes a specific community activity or event that is age-appropriate for the students that attend the school;

	b.	the organization submits the number of copies of the flyer that it wants placed in the literature distribution rack/table;

	No student shall be required to take any of the flyers/notices placed in the literature/distribution rack/table.

	D.	Solicitation of Funds

		Because the District cannot accommodate every organization that desires to solicit funds for worthy purposes, the Board shall not permit any organization not related to the District to solicit funds on District property.

		Permission to solicit funds will be granted only to those organizations, individuals, or staff members who meet the permission criteria established in the District's administrative guidelines. Solicitation must take place at such times and places and in such a manner as specified in the administrative guidelines. In accordance with Board Policy 5830, no District student may participate in the solicitation without the Superintendent's approval.

		The Board disclaims all responsibility for the protection of, or accounting for, such funds.

		Solicited funds are not to be deposited in any regular or special accounts of the District.

		A copy of this policy as well as the relevant administrative guidelines shall be given to any individual granted permission to solicit funds on District property.

		This policy does not apply to the raising of funds for District-sponsored or school-sponsored activities.

		Use of the name, logo, or any assets of the District, including, but not limited to facilities, technology, or communication networks, is prohibited without the specific permission of the Superintendent.

		Crowdfunding activities aimed at raising funds for a specific classroom or school activity, including extracurricular activity, or to obtain supplemental resources (e.g., supplies or equipment) that are not required to provide a free appropriate public education to any students in the classroom may be permitted, but only with the specific approval of the Superintendent.


	All crowdfunding activities are subject to the procedures/guidelines in AG 6605.

E.	Prizes/Scholarships

	The Board is appreciative of the generosity of organizations which offer scholarships or prizes to deserving students in this District. But, in accepting the offer of such scholarships or prizes, the Board directs that these guidelines be observed:

	1.		No information either academic or personal shall be released from the student's record for the purpose of selecting a scholarship or prize winner without the permission of the student who is eighteen (18), or the parents of a student who is younger in accordance with the Board's policy on student records.

	2.	The type of scholarship or prize, the criteria for selection of the winner, and any restrictions upon it shall be approved by the Superintendent or principal.

F.	Sale of School Supplies

	In determining the appropriateness of the sale of school supplies by organizations other than the School District, the Board requires that:

	1.	the organization have a purpose which will benefit the School District and its students;

	2.	the organization's planned activities are clearly in the best interest of the School District and its students;

	3.	the organization has submitted the following information and assurances on the form provided by the District: a statement noting the purpose of the organization, financial accountability assurances, and use of facility assurances.


		All funds generated by the sale of such school supplies shall be kept separate from other activity funds or other transactions of the Board.

	G.	Surveys and Questionnaires

		Neither District-related nor nondistrict-related organizations shall be allowed to administer a survey or questionnaire to students or staff unless the instrument and the proposed plan is submitted, in advance, to the Superintendent. If approved, a copy of the results and the proposed manner of their communication are to be provided to him/her for review and approval before they are released.

		Students shall not be required to complete surveys to provide marketing information to vendors, or distribute to vendors any personal information of students, including but not limited to names, addresses, and telephone numbers, except as may be required by law. In addition, the District shall not enter into any contract for products or services, including electronic media services, where personal information will be collected from the students by the providers of the services.

		See also Policy 2416 and AG 2416