Volunteer Background Check Process – Important Update
Posted Date: 08/28/26 (09:39 AM)
If you are currently on the District's Approved Volunteer List, your approval will remain valid for the entire 2026–2027 school year. You do not need to complete a new background check this year because of the change outlined below.
We are updating the District's background check process for parents and community members who volunteer in our schools, including field trip chaperones and other occasional volunteers.
What's changing?
In the past, once someone completed a background check and was added to the Approved Volunteer List, families were told that the approval would remain valid for as long as they had a child attending Waterloo schools.Beginning with the 2027–2028 school year, volunteer approval will instead be valid for five school years.
The five-year period will be based on the school year in which you were originally added to the Approved Volunteer List, not the exact date your background check was completed.
For example:
Added during 2022–2023 → Approved through the end of 2027–2028
Each summer, the list will be reviewed and updated for the upcoming school year. Once an approval reaches the end of its five-school-year period, a new background check will only be needed if you would like to continue volunteering.
What do I need to do this year?
If you are already on the Approved Volunteer List: Nothing. Your current approval will remain valid through the end of the 2026–2027 school year, even if your original background check was completed more than five years ago.If you are not currently approved and would like to volunteer: Complete the Volunteer Background Check Authorization Form attached to this post and return it with the $20 processing fee to your child's school. The fee should be paid in the form of a check or money order made out to WCUSD#5.
Please plan ahead when submitting your form. Background checks typically take about two weeks to be processed and approved, but occasionally results can take up to four weeks to be returned to the District. You must be approved and added to the Approved Volunteer List before participating in a volunteer activity.
If you think you may want to volunteer during the school year, we recommend completing the process far enough in advance to allow time for your results to be received. At the same time, there is no need to complete a background check years in advance simply to have one on file.
About the $20 Processing Fee
The $20 is the amount charged to the District by the Regional Office of Education (ROE) to process each background check. This fee is not set or retained by the District.
Not sure if you're on the list?
If you aren't sure whether you are currently on the Approved Volunteer List, or would like to know through which school year your approval will remain valid under the new process, please email dcurtis@wcusd5.net and we will be happy to check your status for you.We understand that this is a change from what families have been told in the past. After reviewing our volunteer background check procedures and practices used in other area districts, we determined that moving to a five-school-year approval period will provide a more consistent process going forward.
By keeping all current approvals in place for this school year, families will have time to transition to the new process before the five-year timeline takes effect next summer.
Thank you to all of our parents and community members who volunteer their time to support our students and schools!