To complete the MDCPS field trip request packet, Form FM-2431, download the current version from the Miami-Dade County Public Schools Records and Forms Management portal at forms.dadeschools.net, fill in the trip details, funding, chaperone, and transportation sections, attach any supplemental forms the trip type requires, and route the packet for signatures on a timeline set by whether the trip is in-county, out-of-county, out-of-state, or out-of-country. The packet is multi-page, so plan to gather attachments before you start.
What Goes in the Packet
FM-2431 is not a single sheet. The packet includes the main request page and parent permission slips you will distribute to families after approval. Depending on the trip, you also attach:
- A letter of invitation or written justification explaining the trip’s educational value.
- A complete itinerary with transportation details and hotel information if applicable.
- FM-6298 if any student will ride in a private vehicle.
- FM-6614, the Water Related Field Trip Packet, if the trip involves any water activity.
- FM-0994, the Travel Expense Report, for faculty accompanying students.
- FM-1104 if you are renting a car or van.
- A refund policy if students are paying fees that might need to be returned.
Pull these together before you open the main page. Missing attachments are one of the most common reasons packets come back.
Filling Out the Main Request Page
The top of the form asks for school name, the date, and whether the trip is in-county, out-of-county, out-of-state, or out-of-country. Check the right box carefully. It drives both the approval route and the submission deadline.
Trip Details and Funding
Enter the destination name and address, the departure and return dates and times, the school group name, the sponsor’s name, and the sponsor’s signature. List the total students in the group, how many are participating, and the per-student cost. If some students cannot afford the fee, note what provision the school is making so they can still attend.
The “Means of Funding Trip” field identifies the source: internal account, student payments, grant, Title I funds, or some mix. If you are using Title I funds, check the designated box and follow the district’s Title I handbook.
In the “Purpose for Trip” section, write a clear objective tied to the curriculum. Attach the invitation letter or written justification along with the itinerary showing what students will be doing at each point of the trip.
Chaperone Information
Fill in the number of teachers, parents, and total chaperones. Board Policy 2340 sets the baseline ratio at one chaperone for every fifteen students or fewer. Water-related trips require one for every five; out-of-country trips require one for every six. Every chaperone must be at least 21.
Any chaperone who is not a school employee must be cleared through the MDCPS School Volunteer Program. Level I clearance is the minimum for a standard day trip. Overnight trips that involve lodging require Level II clearance, which includes fingerprint-based background screening. Your signature and the principal’s signature confirm you verified each volunteer’s clearance, so check it before you submit.
Transportation Rules by Mode
The transportation section lists MDCPS school bus, chartered bus, private vehicle, airline, train, ship, or other. Each mode has its own rules, and some trigger additional forms.
School and Chartered Buses
If you are using a private or chartered bus company instead of an MDCPS bus, verify the vendor is on the district’s approved list through the Department of Procurement Management Services website. Print the page showing approval status and attach it. For out-of-state bus travel, the carrier must be certified by the Bureau of Motor Carrier Safety. In-state and local bus trips must comply with Florida law and School Board policies.
Private Vehicles
When an adult will drive students in a personal vehicle, complete FM-6298 for each driver. That form collects the vehicle owner’s name and address; the make, model, year, and license plate; and the driver’s license number and expiration. It also requires proof of auto liability insurance with minimum coverage of $10,000/$20,000 and property damage coverage of at least $10,000. The vehicle must have an operable seat belt for every student and can carry a maximum of eight students. Verify the driver’s license before the trip and note on FM-2431 who did the verification.
Air, Rail, Ship, and Rentals
Air travel must be on an FAA-certified carrier. Train travel requires a carrier certified by the Federal Railroad Administration. Ship travel requires U.S. Coast Guard certification. If you rent a vehicle, the rental company must be an MDCPS-approved vendor; the district recommends Avis Budget under the state contract, payable with a purchase order.
Limousines and rideshare services such as Uber and Lyft are not permitted as field trip transportation under any circumstances.
Water-Related Trips
Any trip with a water activity, including a beach visit, kayaking, a boat ride, or anything near a body of water, triggers extra requirements. Check the “Water Related” box on the main form and complete FM-6614 separately.
Before approval, you must:
- Call the Office of Risk and Benefits Management at 305-995-7133 to confirm a current certificate of insurance is on file for the destination or organization.
- Call the Department of Safety, Environment and Hazards Management at 305-995-4949 to confirm the activity meets district water safety standards.
- Attach verification that each participating student has passed the American Red Cross Level III Swimming Standard.
- Attach the lead chaperone’s Community Water Safety Training certificate to FM-6614.
The ratio drops to one chaperone for every five students. Hotel pools and jacuzzis are prohibited on any field trip, including overnight trips with pool access at the hotel. Students participating in sanctioned swim or water polo events through GMAC, FHSAA, or the Middle School Athletics Program are exempt from FM-6614 and the Red Cross Level III requirement.
Who Approves the Trip and How Early to Submit
Where the packet goes and how much lead time you need depend on the trip type.
In-County Day Trips
The principal has approval authority for in-county trips with no overnight stay and no vehicle rental. Submit at least two weeks ahead. Forward one copy of the cafeteria notification page to the school’s cafeteria manager so meal counts can be adjusted. Send one copy of the full packet to the Region office for review, even though the principal has final sign-off.
In-County Trips With Overnight Stays or Rentals
If an in-county trip involves hotel accommodations or a rental vehicle, the Region office must also approve it in advance on top of the principal. Build extra time into your submission schedule.
Out-of-County Trips Within Florida
Principals can approve certain out-of-county trips on their own: scheduled FHSAA events, vocational student organization events, and interscholastic athletic events. If any of these need lodging or a rental, the Region must approve as well. For every other out-of-county in-state trip, the principal recommends it to the Region Superintendent, who approves or denies it before planning moves forward.
Out-of-State and Out-of-Country Trips
These require School Board approval unless the trip appears on the pre-approved list the Superintendent’s ad hoc task force submits to the Board before September 1 each year. Send the packet to the Division of Athletics, Activities and Accreditation (mail code 9723) and to the Region office. Submit original documents to the Region Superintendent at least 60 days before the Board meeting at which the trip will be considered, and get the packet to the Division of Athletics and Activities no later than 30 school days before that same Board meeting. Miss these and the trip will not reach the Board agenda in time.
For out-of-country trips, every designated chaperone must be an instructional employee of the school; parent volunteers alone do not satisfy this requirement. The principal must also complete the United States Government Travel Registration form online for all participating students.
Extra Rules for Overnight Trips
If the student group includes both boys and girls, chaperones of each sex must accompany the group. All overnight chaperones who are not school employees need Level II volunteer clearance, which requires fingerprinting through the MDCPS School Volunteer Program. The trip sponsor should personally inspect each hotel room with a hotel representative at check-out to assess additional charges or damage. Hotel pools and jacuzzis remain off-limits regardless of the facility’s amenities.
After Approval: Permission Slips and Day-Of
Once the packet is approved, distribute the parent permission slips to every participating student’s family. Signed slips must be on file in the principal’s office before the trip, not collected on the bus that morning. The chaperone leading the trip should carry a copy of each student’s Emergency Medical Authorization Form and have a plan for administering medication to any student who normally receives it during school hours.
If any student or chaperone has a disability, the plan must include accommodations at the destination and in transportation. An instructional staff member cannot change the planned itinerary once the trip is underway unless student health or safety is at risk, or circumstances beyond the staff member’s control have made the original plan impossible. If the itinerary does change, the staff member in charge must notify the principal immediately.