Skip to main content

Regulation Code - KCD-R

Public Gifts and Donations to Schools

Section K: School/Community Relations

Regulation Title: Public Gifts and Donations to Schools
Regulation Code: KCD-R

Print Version (in PDF)

Reporting Gifts

Employees are responsible for disclosing and reporting any gifts they receive. The report shall state:

  1. Who the donor is and their relation to the employee, if any;
  2. What the gift is;
  3. What the gift’s estimated value is if it is a physical item; and
  4. What the gift’s purpose or proposed use is.
Gifts above the nominal value made specifically to the employee must relate to achieving the District’s goals.

Acceptable Gifts

To be acceptable, a gift must satisfy the following criteria:
  1. It will have a purpose consistent with those of the school and the District.
  2. It will be offered by a donor acceptable to the Board.
  3. It will not begin a program that the Board would be unwilling to take over when the gift or grant funds are exhausted.
  4. It will not bring undesirable or hidden costs to theDistrict.
  5. It will place no restrictions on the school program.
  6. It will not imply endorsement of any business or product.
  7. It will not be from a vendor or potential vendor.
  8. It will not conflict with any provision of the school policy or public law.

Deposits of Gifts

The Governing Board shall deposit in a separate bank account gifts worth less than $1,500 and designated for use by a teacher for instructional purposes. The Superintendent shall then:
  1. Maintain a separate record for each gift put in the bank account;
  2. Ensure that disbursements from the bank account are done through a check signed by two Board appointed employees and authorized by the employee designated to use the gift as set out by the Uniform System of Financial Records (USFR); and
  3. Ensure that the remaining balance from the gift remains in the bank account if not all of the gift’s balance is used before the end of the fiscal year in which the gift was accepted. This remainder shall remain in the account until needed for instructional purposes as determined by the designated employee or the grantor.
All other gifts shall be deposited with the County Treasurer who shall credit the deposits as set out by the USFR.

Crowdfunding

Crowdfunding is the practice of funding a project by obtaining small monetary gifts from a large number of individuals. This is typically done through online platforms (such as DonorsChoose).

School-based crowdfunding is permitted only under the direction of and in cooperation with the Superintendent (or their designee) and school principals. Before starting a crowdfunding campaign, an employee must check that the item or funding for the item is not already available through the school or district.  The employee must obtain written permission from the superintendent or designee by submitting the Crowdfunding Request Form (Exhibit KCD-E).  The purpose of this crowdfunding should be to generate resources to support the educational missions and priorities of each school and the district as articulated by leadership teams.

School principals are authorized to approve requests of up to $5,000 in value.  Requests of greater value must be submitted for approval to the Superintendent.

Funds earned from crowdfunding will be considered gifts and subject to the District’s policies and regulations the same way other gifts are.

All crowdfunding campaigns must:
  1. Comply with all applicable state law and Board policies;
  2. Support established school and district priorities;
  3. Be conducted in a manner that safeguards instructional time; maximizes the safety of students; and supports a common school experience for all students while serving the District’s core values.
  4. Receive prior approval from the Superintendent or designee via the appropriate form;
  5. Be done on an online platform approved by the Superintendent;
  6. Direct funds to the District or its schools.
  7. Be completed within the same fiscal year in which they begin.
Crowdfunding that does not comply with these requirements is prohibited.

Process for Approval of Requests

Crowdfunding requests will not be approved unless the proposed campaign:
1.   meets all requirements of board policy and any applicable administrative regulations, and is consistent with the requirements of Title IX, FERPA, the IDEA, and any other applicable laws;
2.   uses a crowdfunding site that has been approved by the Superintendent or designee;
3.   is consistent with TUSD’s approved curriculum;
4.   does not solicit funds for items or projects that are religious or political in nature or that have a religious or political purpose;
5.   seeks donations that are compatible with the school’s existing technology, as confirmed by the Technology Services Department;
6.   has a specific, pre-determined beginning and ending date;
7.   does not disparage TUSD or any of its buildings, programs, representatives, employees, or students;
8.   does not include pictures or the identifying or confidential information of any TUSD student;
9.   furthers the educational mission of the school and is not used for the unrelated personal gain of any individual;
10. does not result in donations being delivered directly to the requester;
11. is not contingent on TUSD matching funds or making any expenditure;
12. does not request food or beverage items inconsistent with state or district nutritional standards (see Policy IHAM); and
13. does not suggest or state that the donation sought is required for or integral to a student’s special education program, a student’s ability to achieve his or her IEP goals, or the participation of students with disabilities in any school program. 

Any crowdfunding campaign that does not fully comply with the requirements of this regulation is prohibited.  It is the responsibility of the employee implementing an approved crowdfunding campaign to ensure that all applicable policies, regulations, and laws, including the requirements of the crowdfunding site, are followed.

TUSD reserves the right to terminate any approved crowdfunding campaign or refuse any donation for any reason and at any time, including if it believes the donation was acquired in violation of board policy, regulation, or other law.

Promoting online crowdfunding campaigns
Online fundraising posts and any related promotional materials must be shared in a way that is consistent with state and federal law, as well as Board policy. Schools, departments, or teachers interested in promoting their crowdfunding campaign can do so with the following considerations:
  1. The online post description and related promotional materials require advance notice to the school principal.
  2. Student images may not be used unless the student cannot be identified from the image.
  3. Promotional materials, including the campaign web page, must clearly state the purpose for which the funds are being raised and that all net proceeds must be distributed for the purpose for which they were collected.
  4. The campaign and any promotion must end promptly once the goal is met to ensure excess funds are not collected.
  5. Any promotional material will paint the school and district in an accurate and positive light.

Processing and Allocating Crowdfunding Donations
All monetary crowdfunding donations will be treated in accordance with “Deposit of Gifts” above, with the exception that the donation will be designated to the school where the employee is assigned, and not to an individual employee.  All in-kind donations must be inventoried in accordance with policy DID (Asset Management) and its Regulation DID-R by the individual school where the employee is associated.

All donations, regardless of their form, obtained through any crowdfunding service shall become the property of the District and not of the individual employee who received approval to conduct the solicitation.  As a general matter, the employee who completed an approved crowdfunding campaign should be given preference in the use of the donations obtained.  Employees shall only use donations from a crowdfunding campaign for the approved purpose stated in the campaign.  The school system reserves the right to transfer donations to a different use at the board’s discretion. 

Recordkeeping

After donations obtained through an approved crowdfunding campaign have been utilized, the employee must file a written report with the principal detailing how the donations were used and how students benefited. 

Adopted:  December 19, 2022

LEGAL REF

A.R.S. §§:
15-341(A)(14): General Powers and Duties; Immunity; Delegation
15-393: Career Technical Education District Governing Board; Report; Definitions
15-1224: Grants to Teachers for Instruction
38-504: Prohibited Acts
38-505: Additional Income Prohibited for Services

CROSS REF

DBC: Budget Planning, Preparation and Schedules
DBC-R: Budget Planning, Preparation and Schedules Regulation
DDA: Funding Sources Outside the School System
DID: Asset Management
GBEAA: Staff Conflict of Interest
GBEBC: Gifts to and Solicitations by Staff Members
IHAM: Physical Activity and Wellness
KCD: Public Gifts and Donations to Schools

© Copyright 2024  |