The Fly Paper
A
bulletin from the Director on those sticky issues in special education
Summer Tutoring – I have received a number of requests for an opinion
on the issue of "tutoring" for the summer. Requests have come
from people in related services positions, e.g. Speech & Language Pathology
and Social Work. Based on your request, I did some investigating, and
have found that District 97 has a Board Policy, 520.23 – Professional
Personnel – Tutoring, that reads as follows:
Tutoring shall be defined as teaching privately for
pay and shall be reported as outside employment. The District’s policy on this matter shall be
as follows:
1.
There shall be no tutoring in the school building.
2.
No student shall be excused from school for tutoring
3.
No teacher shall tutor a student from his or her own
class and only in unusual circumstances shall a contractual teacher tutor a
student enrolled in the District.
4.
In discussing tutoring with parents. The staff member shall discuss each case on
its own merits.
5.
Building Principals and teachers shall avoid
recommendations regarding the particular tutor to be secured.
6.
Parents shall be urged to keep the Building Principal
or teacher informed of any tutoring that is done.
7.
Financial arrangements for tutoring shall be made
between the parent / guardian and the tutor.
While
it is clear that this policy is specifically related to teaching, I don’t think
it takes much effort to expand the term “tutoring” to include Speech &
Language Therapy or Social Work Counseling, or Occupational Therapy, etc. As you can see from the policy, while
tutoring is allowed, there must be some checks and balances. You would be expected to follow items 1
through 7 of Board Policy 520.23 as it is written in the District Board Policy
Manual.
If
you are being asked by parents to work with kids over the summer you need to
think very carefully about any potential conflicts of interest. You must ask, “Am I placing myself or the
parent in a potentially conflictual relationship with
District 97?” In addition, if you enter
into an agreement with parents, as a tutor, counselor, therapist, etc. it will
be a private agreement and it will not involve the District. As a result, you will need to be particularly
conscious of potential liability issues.
In
conclusion I would simply say that while District 97 does not prohibit staff
working with students outside of the school setting (or during the summer
break) you must give the issue some very careful consideration. The choice is yours, but you are encouraged
to make it wisely.