At our school the guidance couselor and teachers decide how many people are needed to chaperone.
The PTO has always provided anyone beyond the teachers themselves. This being the roomparent, alternate roomparent and then the roomparent would call from the class list any other parents needed, who signed up to go on trips.
Our concern is the NUMBER of chaperones. We will gladly pay their way, just want to be sure there is enough security for the kids.

At our school, as a volunteer, be it for the PTO or to help in the lunch room you are required to be finger printed and then on a list with the office as a volunteer. My daughter brings home the notice for a field trip and on the notice we are informed if helpers are needed or not. If not enough parents are able to go they go to the list.

I forgot to include this point, in the case where more parents had offered to drive than were needed or allowed, their names were drawn out of a hat as you mentioned above. You could request to have your child drive with a specific parent of the ones chosen.

In our experience, any parent from that particular class can offer to drive and chaperone for a field trip. They have to have a special form on file with insurance limits etc. There is no background check that I am aware of. Usually the teachers need the drivers and chaperones to help supervise on the trips. Recently there have been two separate field trips where the destination organization has limited the amount of adults that could participate. It felt awkward at first, but then I realized how overwhelming that group could have been if all the parents that had wanted to go were allowed to. It was a 3 day, two night field trip and only so much room for lodging, etc. Also the natural habitat that was being studied may have been trodden on too much. It would have changed the experience for the children to have so many adults there. I came to understand what a wise decision it had been. By networking with the other families in class, it is possible to feel comfortable with many of the chaperones so that the parents not attending are at ease with the situation. It was a growing process for all of us (children and parents alike)

beewinki,

If I read your last post correctly, you are saying that anyone can go on a field trip - they pull names out of a hat?

As a parent I would be very conserned in learning that a parent that does not have a child in my sons class can just go with his group. I would also have a hard time volunteering to chaperon a field trip that my child was not attending. When I take off from work I want to spend it with my child.

Our school is small (k-12 / less then 400 students). In the spring each class k-6 gets to go on a different field trip. The teacher sends a note home telling when and where they will be going. Some teachers really invite you to come with the class... All volunteers going on the trip goes through the teachers. I don't know if the principle knows who's chaperoning. I am sure the teachers tell the principle how many are going with the class. The chaperons are always parents of the children in the class going on the trip.

We do not have your problem and I agree with you that it should be addressed. I know that PTO's main concern is for the children, and if some feel that this does not effect the children they are wrong. I missed my sons last year's field trip, because I thought the parents weren't invited (I mis-understood). My son told me alot of the other childrens parents went and I could of too. He was bothered by me not attending the trip with him (I always had in the past).

I hope this is helpful in some way. And I agree with Tim, somtimes people want to reply and help but they miss the question that was asked by just typing off a quick message. Please don't get discouraged with this site. Most of the time people are really helpful. Hang in there girl and keep smilling, it helps.