Board debates exception for nonprofit tutoring in staff-tutoring policy

The Richmond Community Schools policy work session on March 24 opened with a review of Policy 3231, which regulates staff tutoring and conflicts of interest. Chair said the proposed draft "clarifies that staff members can't tutor students outside of school, but actually gives them more leeway than what was in the policy for" and described an exception allowing tutoring so long as "the student is not enrolled in their class."

Board members raised concerns that the draft could bar teachers from providing services through partner nonprofits such as Every Child Can Read or the Boys and Girls Club. Staff member explained the practical problem: if a student is enrolled in a teacher's class, the current language could prevent that teacher from tutoring the same student at an external nonprofit program.

Committee member proposed building in a waiver process that would let a teacher obtain building-principal consent and document parental permission. Several members favored a narrow nonprofit exception rather than removing the provision entirely, arguing it would preserve safeguards during school hours while allowing legitimate partnerships.

The board directed staff to work with legal counsel to draft clearer language — either an exceptions clause for nonprofit-provided tutoring or amended wording to address conflicts of interest — and to bring the revised text back for discussion at the next business meeting or the next policy meeting for first reading.