Recruiters of all types (employment, education, service opportunities, military, or military alternatives) shall be given equal access to Seattle Public Schools high schools. This procedure does not apply to required District service learning requirements or curricular activities.  Each school shall have the flexibility to determine when recruiters may visit, but in order to be in compliance with the equal access rule, no organization that recruits shall have the opportunity to visit any single campus more than twice per year.  A Seattle Public Schools centralized career fair and a pre-approved private appointment are not included as a campus visit.  For the purposes of this policy, each branch of the military is considered to be a separate recruiting organization. 

Pursuant to this policy, each high school is required to have written school-based recruiter rules in place.   At a minimum, each school’s rules shall include:

• A requirement that the school rules regarding recruiting on campus be posted throughout the school year.  At a minimum, the rules shall be posted in the school office, the counseling center, the career center, and on the school’s website;
  • At the principal’s discretion, the school rules may include a limit on the number of recruiting visits a recruiter can make, while ensuring equal access for all recruiters, or the number of people a recruiter can bring to campus for any one visit
• A provision for recruiters to receive written permission to be on campus from the principal, or principal’s designee.  Such permission may be granted for the full year;
• Guidelines outlining where approved recruiters may set up, as well as a location for recruiters to leave information when they are not on campus;
• A requirement that all recruiters sign in and out of the school office at every visit;
• A requirement that information left by recruiters be dated, and clearly identify a contact name and number that students, staff, or others can call if they have questions about the information;
• A requirement that the District’s “Acts of Hostility, Defamation or Discrimination” policy (D50.00) and a written statement be clearly posted in the locations where recruiting takes place or where recruiters leave information.  The written statement must indicate that all information is provided by the recruiters and is not evaluated or endorsed by the school or by Seattle Public Schools;
• A process for approved recruiters to schedule specific times to be on campus that precludes a personal visit for purposes of scheduling a visit (appointments must be made by email or phone to prevent unofficial recruitment visits); 
• A requirement that the principal, or the principal’s designee (“recruitment scheduler”), keep a monthly calendar of upcoming recruiter visits.  All appointments must be made only through this designee, for purposes of proper tracking.  At a minimum, such calendar shall be posted in the school office, the counseling center, the career center, and on the school’s website; 
• A requirement that all recruiters clearly identify the organization that they are recruiting for;
• A requirement that all recruiters for the military be in uniform;
• A rule that no recruiting is to happen in any classroom during any class period, or during any assembly.  For the purposes of this policy, it is not considered to be “recruiting” if, in conjunction with the stated curriculum, a person is invited into a classroom to talk about his or her experiences.  Staff should ensure that the School Board’s “Controversial Issues” policy (2331) is complied with when speakers are invited;
• A rule that no private appointments be held on campus, except that a private appointment may be held if it is pre-arranged through a staff member and the student consents to the meeting;
• A rule that no private appointments be held during a time when the student is scheduled to be attending class;
• A rule that the school’s recruitment scheduler keep an auditable log of recruitment visits; and
• A provision that permits organizations that counsel alternatives to the military (see Policy 4200) to be on campus at the same time, and in the same location, as military recruiters.  

Recruiters of all types are cautioned to remember that the primary goal of the Seattle high schools is to educate the students who are enrolled in that school.  Recruiting activities that interfere with the traditional activities of a given school day are not permitted.  Recruiters who harass students or staff, provide misleading or untrue information, or who do not comply with applicable state and federal laws, or other school or District rules may have their organization’s permission to recruit on campus revoked for the remainder of the semester, or for the semester following the infraction, if the infraction occurs after the fifteenth week of the semester.

Seattle high school principals are reminded that pursuant to both RCW 28A.230.180 and the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (Public Law 107-110, Section 9528) schools must provide military recruiters with the same access to secondary school students as they generally provide to postsecondary institutions or prospective employers.  For example, if a school has a policy of allowing postsecondary institutions or prospective employers to come on school property to provide information to students about educational or professional opportunities, it must afford the same access to military recruiters.  Equal access, however, does not require more access. 

Seattle Public Schools shall establish and maintain a website that collects recruitment policies and procedures, makes available forms and materials that may be useful to career counselors, parents, and students (including the opt-out form for not allowing information to be provided to the military), lists individual school recruitment polices and date on opt-out counts, and gives military recruitment program information and counter-recruitment information.  Opt-out forms are provided to every student, every year.  Schools should ensure that students and families are aware of their options via the school’s normal communication methods. 

No recruiting shall take place when tests are administered or results disseminated. 

Schools are required to retain their recruiting calendars and sign-in sheets, and send copies of the calendars and sign-in sheets to the Office of the Superintendent no later than July 15 of each year.

Superintendent Procedure

• 4200SP.A – Visitors to Schools
• 4200SP.C – Unauthorized Persons on School Property
• 4200SP.D – Public Use of Outside School Grounds

Policy Cross References

• 4200 – School Visitations and Maintaining Safe and Orderly Environments

Approved

• February 28, 2012