Domestic Travel Considerations

Any student travel involves some level of risk. K-12 schools can reduce risks to an acceptable level through practices that include creating and enforcing good policies and procedures, putting qualified employees and volunteers in leadership roles, helping students and parents understand risks and adopt mitigating behaviors, and using well-crafted risk transfer documents (waivers and assumption of risk forms) that protect both the school and its students.

• Assess your written policies and procedures governing student domestic travel to determine if they adequately address critical elements such as the trip approval process.
• Determine background and qualifications for school employees and volunteers leading trips and provide training that helps them meet your expectations.
• Review and revise your waivers and assumption of risk documents to ensure they appropriately describe risks associated with individual trips, so students and parents have an accurate understanding of them before committing to participate.