How Many Chaperones Per Student

Best practices for involving chaperones on Grand-12 school trips

Chaperones on your schoolhouse's trips can prevent students from wandering off, command pupil behavior, and provide backup during emergencies. Some state or local laws or venues set minimum chaperone-to-student ratios and these should be reviewed during trip planning. When ratios aren't mandated, determine the appropriate number of chaperones past factoring in the trip'due south risk and duration, altitude traveled, and participants' ages.

Follow Best Practices for Utilizing Chaperones

Each trip should take at least two chaperones; larger groups may require more.

Have a backup chaperone available if someone gets sick or isn't available during an emergency.
Enlist a chaperone of each gender if a trip is coed.
Ensure at least one chaperone is a school employee, such every bit a instructor, coach, or administrator. This person is responsible for following your policies and procedures and notifying school contacts in an emergency.
Consider setting a minimum age for volunteer chaperones, such as 21, to ensure responsible beliefs.
Limit volunteer chaperones' ability to bring children non involved in the trip. This will reduce distractions.

Exceed Ratios in These Situations

Equally a general dominion, logistically circuitous trips require college chaperone-to-student ratios; you may want to exceed standard practices or legal minimums. For example:

Overnight trips may have increased risks and crave increased supervision to handle sleeping arrangements, coordinate meals, disperse medicine, and oversee behavior.
International travel requires more adults to organize trip logistics, manage student health bug, and reply to emergencies.
Physically challenging trips and inherently risky activities tin can increment potential for injuries.
Utilize of public transportation or facilities increases the chances that students volition go separated from the grouping or encounter undesirable strangers.
Students with disabilities may require additional chaperones for assistance with mobility. Those with cognitive disabilities may crave closer supervision. The ratio may be affected by students' Individualized Education Programs.

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Additional Resources

American Camp Association: Standards that Relate to Staff Screening, Supervision, and Training

Chicago Public Schools: Student Travel

Emery County School District: Field Trips and Excursions

Georgia Department of Education: Policy and Procedure — Supervision of Students

About the Writer

Heather Salko, Esq.

Manager of Risk Research

Heather oversees the development of gamble research publications. Her areas of expertise include employment police, Title 9, and student mental health. Before joining the Risk Inquiry team, she skillful employment and insurance coverage law and handled UE liability claims for more a decade.