Military Recruitment Model Policy

Military Recruitment Model Policy

Preamble

Our School District is committed to providing a safe school environment for all students and to promoting student dignity, independence, and thoughtful decision-making.  We strive to prepare our students for the challenges of higher education, help them enter productive careers, and assist them in making responsible life choices. In order to assist students in their career choices, we provide recruiters from the military and representatives from institutions of higher education, vocational schools, and the work force with equal access to the school campus.

Nevertheless, it is our responsibility to protect students’ privacy, prevent disruption of the academic process and defend students from unfair recruitment tactics. To that end, the School District will:

· Direct all high school principals (or designees) to implement written policies and guidelines on recruiter access to students and student information by September 1, 2009, using the attached model policies as a guide.

· Review school guidelines to ensure that they meet District requirements and that they are being implemented appropriately.

· Report recruiter improprieties to the appropriate authorities and assist school employees, students and parents in navigating the grievance procedure.

 

· Direct principals (or designees) of schools that administer the ASVAB exam to choose Option 8, which is the information release option that keeps student information private from military recruiters, and available only to the student and his or her family. 

 

· Ensure public disclosure of all recruitment policies adopted by the District.

Policies

The recruiter policy of each school shall be distributed to students and explained in a letter mailed to parents in the first 30 days of each school year. The policy shall be made available to the public through the school office and displayed prominently on posters in the school, in the school handbook and where applicable, on the school’s website.  Moreover, the recruiter policy shall be distributed to students and parents upon enrollment at the school.

 

A. Recruiter Access:

 

1. Equal Access

Recruiters of all types (employment, education, service opportunities, military, or military alternatives) shall be given equal access to New York public high schools.

·   No recruiting entity shall visit a school more than twice in one semester. For the purposes of this policy, each branch of the military and each college or employer is considered to be a separate recruiting organization.

·   Recruiters must receive permission for campus visits from the principal/designee.  Permission must be renewed, at a minimum, at the beginning of each school year.

 

·   The principal/designee shall keep a monthly calendar of scheduled recruiter visits. Such calendar shall be available to the public and posted prominently at the school and, where applicable, on the school’s website.

 

·      Organizations that counsel alternatives to military service or provide information about the military must be given access equal to that of other recruiters.

 

·      Information about opportunities for military service should be posted in the same manner and same areas that other educational and career information is posted. 

 

2. Visitation Documentation

·   All recruiters shall sign in and out of the school office at the beginning and end of each visit.

·   Each school shall retain a log of recruiter visits. This log shall include:

o       Full name and contact information of the recruiter

o       Organization represented and supervisor’s contact information

o       Date and location of activity

o       The nature of the activity

o       Sign-in and sign-out times

o       Approximate number of students interacted with

o       The name of the school staff who granted permission for the visit to the school

 

·   Each school shall submit copies of the calendars and recruiter visit logs to the District designee no later than 60 days after the end of each semester.

3. School Order and Student Safety

 

·      Recruiters are prohibited from using classroom and/or instructional time.

 

·      Recruiters are prohibited from accessing cafeterias, gyms, libraries, lounges, and other areas unless clearly designated for recruitment activities.

 

·      Recruiters are to remain in one designated location when carrying out recruitment activities.

 

·      School staff shall supervise recruiters at all times.  No recruiter shall have unsupervised access to any student(s).

 

·      The school principal/designee shall be responsible for the oversight of recruiters. If a recruiter fails to comply with applicable laws or school or District rules, the school principal/designee shall contact the District or the recruiter’s organization to report the misconduct.

 

·      All school personnel shall be trained on the school’s recruitment policy. They shall have the power to limit classroom disruption and shall be obligated to report violations of the equal access policy.

 

·      At least one designee within each school must be trained to advise students on the option of military service versus other post-secondary institutions. This individual shall be trained on the meaning and effects of enlistment contracts, including the Delayed Entry Program and military reserves.

 

·      Each school must submit to the District all complaints received about recruiters. (see appendix A for a model complaint form to be used by students and teachers)

·      The principal/designee shall have the option of limiting or prohibiting future access by a particular visitor if s/he determines that the visitor poses a threat to the orderly operation of the school.

 

B. Students’ and Parents’ Rights

 

1. Opt Out Procedure and Deadline

·      Students have the right to opt out of having their information released to recruiters. Students shall be provided with opt-out forms during the first 30 days of each school year.  Students shall be given time to fill out the opt-out forms in homeroom or advisory period during the first 30 days of each school year.

 

·      Opt-out forms shall be included as attachments to student emergency contact cards

 

·      Opt-out forms shall be provided in a student’s enrollment package.

 

·      Opt-out forms shall be made available in an electronic format with clear instructions on how to submit the forms via the Internet.

 

·      Students’ right to opt out must be fully explained and additional guidance made available upon request.

·      Parents shall be mailed an opt-out form during the first 30 days of every school year. The letter to parents shall include a copy of the school recruitment policy and grievance procedure.

·      The principal/designee shall create a system to ensure that students who opt out are removed from all relevant lists, databases, etc. (“lists”).

·      Students who opt out shall be permanently removed from recruiter lists unless the student or parent informs the school in writing that they would like to opt in. Students do not have to fill out a new opt-out form each year.  Students and parents must be informed of how they may find out whether their name is included in the school’s opt our list

·      Under no circumstances shall students and/or parents be required to submit opt-out forms before November 30 of a given school year. No student information shall be released prior to the opt out deadline

2. Release of Student Information

·      No school shall release student directory information before the school has adequately distributed opt-out forms and students and parents have had a minimum of 60 days to submit them. In no case shall student information be released to recruiters before December15^th of a given school year.

·      Only directory information for 11^th and 12^th grade students shall be released to recruiters. 9^th and 10^th grade students have the right to opt out but their information shall never be shared with recruiters.

C. Public Reporting
         At the end of each school year, each school shall make publicly available and report to the District the following information:

• Number and percentage of students who opted out
• The date(s) of receipt of requests for student directory information by recruiters
• The date(s) that student information was disclosed to recruiters

 

D. ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) Testing

• Each school must receive permission from the District before administering the ASVAB exam. 
• Should the District decide to allow administering the ASVAB exam, the principal/designee of each school administering the exam shall select information release Option 8 in order to keep student information private.

 

E. Grievance Procedure

Each school shall create and publicize a grievance procedure that will be included in the parent opt-out letter and explained to students at the beginning of each school year. Acceptable grievance procedures shall include:

• The name and contact information for an employee at the school trained to receive complaints about recruiters; this person shall assist students and parents in submitting complaints to the District.
• An explanation of students’ rights and rules regarding recruiter conduct.

 

F. Recruiters’ Responsibilities

All recruiters are required to:

o       Follow all applicable local school and District guidelines

o       Obtain permission from the principal of each school before visiting

o       Sign the school’s recruiter access log upon entering and leaving the school

o       Honor students’ requests to cease approaching or contacting them

o       Obtain permission from the principal/designee before bringing any specialized vehicles, equipment, and/or promotional materials to a school

o       Refrain from disrupting classes, interfering with the progression of students’ education in any way, or removing students from classes

o       Refrain from tactics that could create an impression of improper influence such as purchasing food, beverages, and/or gifts for students and/or school employees, assisting teachers, coaches, and/or students with school-related activities, and/or attending non-recruitment-related school functions in a recruiting capacity (including prom, graduation, athletic events, etc.)

o       Refrain from disseminating manipulative, misleading, coercive, or false information 

o       Upon request, inform students and parents if the students’ information was obtained from the school or from another source

Download Appendix A - Model Recruiter Complaint Form