SCUSD Volunteer Application Process

We are sharing some important updates to our volunteer process for the 2026-2027 school year. A new California state law — Senate Bill 848 (SB 848) — requires that volunteers who may have unsupervised contact with students complete mandated reporter training and fingerprinting. This law reflects the important role volunteers play in student safety, and we are committed to making the process as smooth and accessible as possible for our families.

What Type Of Volunteer Are You?

There are two categories of volunteers.

Category A — One-time supervised event

• Examples: Guest reader, career day speaker, classroom party helper.

• What you need to do: Nothing in advance. Your principal will approve your visit, and you will sign in at the front office kiosk with a photo ID when you arrive.

Category B — Field trip chaperone, tutor, coach, or recurring volunteer

• Examples: Field trip or overnight chaperone, classroom tutor, athletic coach.

• What you need to do: Complete an SCUSD Volunteer Application (see steps below) and wait for approval.

What you need to complete before volunteering under “Category B”

1. Complete mandated reporter training online (“volunteer” version) and download your digital certificate.

• The state charges $10 for this certificate. If cost is a barrier, please contact Nelson Hunter at nhunter@scusd.net. 

• Note: Mandated reporter training must be completed annually.

2. Complete the volunteer application form.

• Attach an image of your current government-issued photo identification

• Attach proof of TB clearance (skin test, blood test, or chest x-ray)

• Attach the digital certificate of your mandated reporter training

3. Get fingerprinted at the Postal Annex at Santa Clara Town Center.

• The district covers the full cost of fingerprinting at this location only. Bring a printed copy of the fingerprinting “LiveScan” form linked in the volunteer application form (you can also ask your school office for a copy).

• The district is also arranging for fingerprinting fairs this month — more details coming soon.

• If you were fingerprinted as a volunteer through Santa Clara Unified in a prior year, you do not need to be fingerprinted again. 

Once your application and all required documents have been reviewed and approved, you will receive an automated notification that you are cleared to volunteer. Please note that the background check process can take, on average, two weeks and sometimes up to a month, so we encourage you to complete it as early as possible, especially if you plan to chaperone a field trip.

Questions?

If you have questions, need language support, or need help with the $10 training certificate fee, please contact your school's main office or reach out to SCUS directly — Nelson Hunter (nhunter@scusd.net).