Volunteers

Volunteers are a vital part of student success in Duval County Public Schools. More than 27,000 volunteers support schools each year and the number is growing. The employees of the Department of Community and Family Engagement work hand and hand with volunteer liaisons at schools to encourage interested parents and citizens to join us in our mission to provide every student with a high quality education. You can help by becoming a volunteer today.

To ensure the safety of our students, volunteers  who will be at the school more than once, must complete an application and undergo a criminal background screening, free of charge. Please note--DCPS is no longer using volunteer cards as proof of clearance. Designated school staff will verify volunteer clearance using our online process. Anyone, including parents, who will visit the campus more than once to help must complete the process. 

Each Duval County Public School has priorities set by their school leadership team that are based on the needs of the students. Liaisons assist by aligning volunteers and partners with school needs. Principals have oversight regarding volunteers and volunteer opportunities at each school.

Background Screening

Background screening is required for all volunteers. There are two types of background screening: Level I and Level II.

• Level I Volunteers
  These are volunteers who are always under the direct supervision of district staff and are never alone with students. Examples include classroom helper, book fair volunteer, or cafeteria monitor. Level I screening includes a check against the Dru Sjodin National Sexual Offender Public Website.

  • There is no fee for the Level I screening.

• Level II Volunteers/Chaperones
  These are volunteers who may be out of direct view of staff or responsible for supervising students, such as chaperones. This screening process includes: A fingerprint-based background check, a review of felonies and other criminal offenses, and a national sexual offender registry check.

  • There is a fee for the Level II screening, which is paid for by the volunteer. The fee is $74.50 (subject to change.)

Application status

Volunteer applications typically take time to process:

• Level I: Between 5-10 business days

• Level II: Between 3-4 weeks

Please plan accordingly when preparing to volunteer at schools or chaperone field trips to give adequate time for your screening to be processed.   

If you need to check the status of your volunteer application you can do so by logging into the volunteer portal by clicking here, contacting the school at which you intend to volunteer, or contacting Volunteer Services at 904-390-2960.  If you have any general questions about volunteering, please email us at Email Volunteer.

Student volunteers

If a current student in our district would like to volunteer at another school, they must have their parents complete the Student School Volunteer Information Form which is a parent consent form for students to volunteer.  They do not need to go through the normal volunteer application process. That form can be found and should be given to the point of contact at the school at which they're volunteering. 

Need assistance?

If you have any general questions about volunteering, please email us at Email Volunteer or contact Volunteer Services at 904-390-2960.