IJOB - Student Out of State Travel
Date Adopted: 10 December 2025
Current Review / Revision: 10 December 2025
The mission of the Emery County School District is to support families in developing college and career readiness by BUILDING knowledge, skills and relationships for ALL. The Emery County School Board recognizes that student field trips and travel opportunities may enhance the quality of a student's educational experience. The purpose of this policy is to set in place procedures to minimize the disruption in the basic educational program, ensure safety, limit most extended travel to high school students and provide equity in the opportunity to travel for both curricular and extracurricular programs.
Risk management has strongly recommended that all districts in the state avoid out-of-state travel due to liability reasons. Emery County School District recognizes the need for limited out-of- state travel based on our close proximity to Colorado, Nevada, and Arizona. Therefore, for the purposes of this policy, the following locations will be considered in-state: Colorado – Grand Junction (GRHS only), Nevada – Mesquite, and Arizona – Page.
COMPETITIONS
1. A State Competition is one that is organized through the UHSAA or USBE and may be in collaboration with other organizations such as DECA, FBLA, FCCLA, FFA, TSA, Skills USA, etc.
2. In order to compete in a State Competition (directly supported or sanctioned by the corresponding state organization) or an event that would qualify a person or team for a National Competition,
a. Prior approval must be granted by the Executive Director of Secondary Education or designee.
b. AND within two weeks after a competition or event that qualifies students for a National competition the CTSO advisor must meet with the CTE Director to notify and coordinate the details/cost of the trip, prior to booking airfare and lodging.
3. For Career and Technical Student Organizations (CTSO) competitions, students in ninth through twelfth grade who qualify to compete in a national competition, or students in ninth through twelfth grades who are elected to serve as student officers in their state organizations may be allowed to attend national competitions/conventions if they are properly supervised and qualify to compete.
4. The District will allocate financial resources to subsidize qualifying student travel to national competitions. Financial support for students will be subsidized up to $500.00.
a. Seniors eligible to represent the school at a national competition after graduation will receive the district's $500 subsidy.
b. To maintain appropriate separation between enrolled students and graduates during travel, Graduates are not allowed to share a room with a current student.
c. Graduates participating in a national competition will be required to complete a background check and sign a waiver of liability prior to traveling with the group.
LIMITATIONS
1. Only high school students (grades 9-12) are eligible to travel out of state. An exception may be granted to an individual student or group of students that win a competition supported by the District, and who qualify for National level competition. (e.g. CTSO (Career and Technical Student Organizations), Archery, History Fair, Science Fair, Spelling Bee, etc.)
2. No team or group is allowed more than one (1) trip every four (4) years. An exception may be granted to an individual student or group of students that win a competition supported by the District, and who qualify for National level competition. (e.g. CTSO (Career and Technical Student Organizations), History Fair, Science Fair, Spelling Bee, etc.)
3. The cost per student shall be included in the approved fee schedule and spend plan approved by the Board.
4. The maximum number of school days missed shall not exceed two. An exception may be granted for State sanctioned national competitions (e.g. CTSO Competitions), after approval at the school and district levels.
5. Participation in the activity is optional for students and must not be identified as a course requirement.
6. The travel must be linked to the mission of ECSD and cannot be solely for the purposes of entertainment, recruiting students to a particular program, or a reward.
7. Requests for funding to the ECSD School Board must first be requested and denied by the student’s school and the Emery County School District Foundation.
8. School or Foundation funding approvals must accompany requests for out of state travel.
9. Requests for funding must include a list of efforts to raise funds prior to approaching the Board of Education.
DISTRICT APPROVAL
All out-of-state travel must be approved by the Executive Director of Secondary Education and Superintendent. Out–of-state travel requests will be considered only after completion of the out-of-state travel request form and checklist in its entirety, and the form’s submission to the Executive Director of Secondary Education at least 90 days prior to the trip. An exception to the 90 days, may be granted to an individual student or group of students that win a competition supported by the District, and who qualify for National level competition. (e.g. CTSO, History Fair, Science Fair, Spelling Bee, etc.)
To merit consideration by the Executive Director of Secondary Education and Superintendent, a request for out-of-state travel must meet the following minimum conditions:
1. Completion of the Out of State Travel Form l and checklist in its entirety, and meeting with advisors. Advisors must not make plans, introduce ideas to students, or make financial commitments prior to completing the form and meeting with the Executive Director of Secondary Education for approval. Student and/or parent groups shall not be included for this meeting.
2. The trip must be contracted to a private carrier covered by liability insurance to and from the destination. Documents supporting appropriate insurance coverage and the contract for ground transportation services or vehicle rental agreement must be provided to the Executive Director of Secondary Education thirty (30) days prior to the date of the trip.
3. Lodging for overnight trips must be provided in a commercial hotel, motel, college dorm, or public/private school facility. In the event that a team must stay in a college dorm or public or private school, the team must obtain approval from the Executive Director of Secondary Education, or designee, prior to the season starting. Students must lodge with the school group on all trips.
4. The group, prior to the trip, must raise adequate funds from pre-approved fundraisers. All fundraisers must be held in accordance with the most current State laws, Board rule, and District policy regarding school fees. An exception may be granted to an individual student or group of students that win a competition supported by the District, and who qualify for National level competition. (e.g. CTSO (Career and Technical Student Organizations), History Fair, Science Fair, Spelling Bee, etc.)
5. Trips must be carefully pre-planned. Advisors may not use an excessive amount of class/instruction time to plan and promote the trip.
6. Adequate adult supervision is required according to the size of the group and purpose of the activity.
a. The District will provide supervision for any students not supervised by a parent or designee. The ratio for District provided supervision for students not accompanied by a parent or parent designee will be one (1) district chaperone per ten (10) students with a minimum of two (2) district chaperones. No district supervision will be provided by the District until the number of students attending the event reaches four (4) or more who qualify for the event. Graduated students who qualify for the competition count as participants.
b. District chaperones may not take their minor children unless the child is a participant in the group/students.
c. District chaperones will remain with the group/student at all times.
d. No additional compensation will be provided to district chaperones who are employees of ECSD. Financial support for district provided chaperones will include travel, lodging, per diem, and registration.
e. Student management is the responsibility of the advisor and other adult chaperones.
f. District schools shall not sponsor, provide support, or provide advisors for activity travel of post-graduated students.
PARENTAL CONSENT AND COMMUNICATION
Parents must be informed of the purpose and details of any out-of-state travel. At a minimum, the following information must be provided to, and/or received from parents/guardians at least thirty (30) days prior to the trip:
Parent/Guardian consent form and contact information (Detailed Itinerary should be attached to the Parent consent form)
Detailed itinerary of the trip, including:
1. Daily schedule of activities and locations
2. Hotel location and contact information
3. Transportation carrier contact information
4. Advisors’ contact information
5. List of all adult chaperones
6. List of all students