Pasco County school volunteers will incur charge for screening

PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — This coming school year, helping out will cost Pasco County school volunteers more than just their time.

Starting Aug. 1, all volunteers will be required to pay $41.25 for a Level 2 background screening. District officials say it is necessary to ensure students safety, but some parents say they worry the cost will discourage people from volunteering.

“While I agree with increasing security, it puts and undue strain on families, especially the poorer families,” said Danielle Dukes, who has three boys, aged 8, 10 and 11.

She has volunteered at their school for the last few years, but while she has the time to give this coming school year, she doesn’t have the money.

“I know myself, I’m struggling with how I’m going to be able to pay the fee,” she said. “Because they want you to do it 30 days ahead of time. So that pretty much gives us until the end of the month.”

Pasco County Schools sent all of its volunteers an email a few days ago to let them know about changes to volunteer requirements and the application process. 

“Some of our schools, especially our Title I schools, they have a hard enough time getting volunteers as it is, because a lot of the families work two, three jobs, or they just don’t have the ability to give their time,” Dukes said. “And the ones that can, can’t necessarily afford the fee.”

With nationwide teacher and staff shortages, Dukes says she has noticed volunteers at her boys’ school doing more, and playing a crucial role in students’ education. She said she worries what will happen without them.

“If there’s only a couple left at the end now, and people are going to struggle to pay the fees, we’re going to really struggle having volunteers to do anything,” she said.

Pasco County Schools volunteer applications will open July 1.