Volunteer

This step is listed first because the DOJ/FBI background check takes the longest to process. Starting here gives the rest of the process time to complete.

• If you were previously fingerprinted as an SCUSD volunteer or are a current SCUSD employee, you do not need to be fingerprinted again. The volunteer application includes a question about this to guide where it is routed.  A red "continue" button appears after documents have been uploaded and activates this routing question.
• Print and complete the first page of the district LiveScan Request form. This form is also linked on page 2 of the volunteer application form. Printed copies are also available at your school's front office.
• Bring the completed form and a current, government-issued photo ID to: Postal Annex — Santa Clara Towne Centre. The district covers the full cost of fingerprinting at this location only. You may walk in or make an appointment online.
• The district is also arranging fingerprinting fairs at certain school sites — more details coming soon.
• Note: Fingerprinting results are not shared between agencies. If you have been fingerprinted for another organization or employer, you must still complete this step for SCUSD.

California law (SB 848) now requires Category B volunteers to complete annual mandated reporter training.

• Go to mandatedreporterca.com and select "Training" at the top of the page, then choose "Start Now"
• After enrolling, scroll down to the training modules and select "Mandated Reporter Training | Child Abuse | CA - Volunteers."
• Complete the training and download your digital certificate. You will attach this to the volunteer application in Step 3.
• Cost: The state charges $10 for the certificate. If this is a financial hardship, before starting your training, please contact Nelson Hunter at nhunter@scusd.net before starting your training for assistance.

Note: Mandated reporter training must be completed annually.

Training Available in Spanish

The mandated reporter training is also available in Spanish:

• On your dashboard, click Trainings.
• Click the training you want.
• Click Change Language (bottom left).
• Select Spanish, type CONFIRM, and click Change Language.

• Submit the SCUSD Volunteer Application (English).
• Submit the SCUSD Volunteer Application (Spanish) — Entregar la Aplicación voluntaria de SCUSD en español
• Under "Site/Department of Assignment," scroll down completely first, then select your school.

You must upload the following documents before submitting:

• A current, government-issued photo ID (e.g., driver's license or passport)
• Proof of TB clearance (valid for 4 years) — accepted forms include a skin test, blood test, chest X-ray, or a completed TB Risk Assessment Questionnaire. If your TB clearance has expired, or is close to expiring, you must complete a new assessment. If you are unsure of your status, check with your school's front office.
• Your mandated reporter training digital certificate (from Step 2)

Note: By law (California Penal Code 290.95), volunteers must disclose if they are a registered sex offender. Any volunteer whose name appears on the Megan's Law online database is prohibited from serving as a volunteer in any capacity.

It depends on what you're doing, not just how often. If you are a PTA member, a PTA committee chair, or anticipate being present on campus more than once during the school year in any volunteer capacity, you are strongly encouraged to complete the full Category B process. This ensures you aren't restricted when unexpected needs arise — for example, if a field trip comes up and you want to chaperone. The determining factor is recurring presence on campus when students are around, not just whether you expect to have unsupervised contact with them.

For truly one-time, fully supervised events — like being a guest reader once — Category A applies and no application is needed.

Yes. You must complete a separate volunteer application for each school site or department where you intend to volunteer, so that each principal can review and approve you specifically for their site.

Yes — the volunteer application must be renewed each school year. However, much of the process is simpler the second time around: if you were already fingerprinted through SCUSD, you do not need to repeat that step. You will need to resubmit the application with an updated mandated reporter training certificate (required annually), along with a current photo ID and TB clearance (if yours has not expired).

Check your email for specific instructions from the InformedK12 platform.  There will be a note in red letting you know exactly what needs to be corrected. The most common reasons applications are sent back are:

• Incorrectly identifying your fingerprinting status (first time vs. previously fingerprinted through SCUSD) — this affects how your form is routed, so it's important to answer accurately.
• Expired TB documentation or an expired photo ID.

If you are unsure how to resolve the issue, contact your school's front office or Nelson Hunter at nhunter@scusd.net.

A certificate from another provider may be accepted if it was completed in July or after of the current school year so that it covers the full current school year. If it was completed before that, you will need to complete the training again, as mandated reporter training must be renewed annually.

If you are a current SCUSD employee, you may upload your Keenan certificate in place of the state training certificate.

Not all adults on campus are volunteers. If you are attending a school event as a spectator or supporter — such as watching an assembly, cheering at a walkathon, or attending a gallery walk — you are considered a visitor, not a volunteer, and the volunteer clearance process does not apply to you. Volunteer requirements apply when an adult is actively participating in a role that involves supervising, assisting, tutoring, or working with students, or if it is more than at one event.

Yes, but the process is more streamlined for you:

• You do not need to be fingerprinted again — your existing clearance on file with the district covers this requirement.
• You can upload your Keenan mandated reporter training certificate in place of the state training certificate.
• You can upload your current TB clearance and photo ID.

The application is still required so that all volunteer documentation is tracked in one database and each school principal can approve you for their specific site.

Yes, because we do not receive updates on your your previous fingerprinting once you are no longer employed with SCUSD. We require a new fingerprinting clearance which will keep us updated to ensure we have the most current information.

Yes. Fingerprinting results are not shared between agencies — each organization maintains its own separate records. Even if you have been fingerprinted recently for another job or organization, you must complete fingerprinting specifically for Santa Clara Unified School District.

Yes. Coaches can come to the District Office to complete fingerprinting on site, which may be processed more quickly than going to the Postal Annex. Please contact Nelson Hunter at nhunter@scusd.net to arrange this.

Unfortunately, volunteers cannot participate in any capacity — including chaperoning — until they have received full clearance through InformedK12. Background checks average two weeks but can take up to a month. We strongly encourage families who plan to chaperone to start the process as early as possible in the school year, rather than waiting until a specific trip is scheduled. Teachers are asked to plan field trips with a minimum of four weeks' lead time for this reason.

Having a criminal conviction does not automatically disqualify you from volunteering. Each case is reviewed individually by the district's HR department as part of the background check process. The nature and circumstances of the conviction are taken into account. The application will ask you to disclose any felony or misdemeanor convictions, and you are encouraged to provide a brief explanatory statement. If you have questions about your specific situation, please contact Nelson Hunter at nhunter@scusd.net.

Yes, volunteers under age 18 who attend our schools do not need to be fingerprinted, but a parent or guardian, as well as the school principal, must approve the volunteering.