Associated Student Body

1. What turns a bonafide parent group fundraiser into an ASB activity?

• The cash receipts are given to the school ASB secretary and/or stored in the school safe.
• The students handle the cash receipting reconciliation process.
• The inventory is purchased by the ASB... Student officer signs a purchase order.
• The school district holds and inventories the goods for resale.
• A majority of the work is performed by the students.
• The parent group uses the school name (without at least adding "boosters").
• The use of district facilities is not followed per district policy.
• School district personnel are involved during staff time.

2. Parent Groups - Booster Club and Parent Teacher Association - Private Money

• The school board should have policies to address the approval of activities of private groups.
• Selling any item at school that is for a private business would be regulated by the school
• district policies.
• Activities/events must be planned, managed and operated solely under the direction of the
• parent group.
• When using district facilities, the group must follow district policies.
• Funds cannot be commingled with ASB money.
• Keep the activity an “arms length” transaction.

3. Student Involvement 

Children have a private life and can always work for an outside entity, but not during school time. If the student is selling an item at school or representing the school- the money is generally considered ASB. Students are able to raise money for an outside entity during school time with prior school district approval. The key is how a prudent person would view the sale- if it looks like a school sale, the money must go to ASB.

If issues are noted during an audit, it will be decided if the funds in question belong to the district. The answers to the following questions will help determine if the funds are district funds or parent/booster funds.

How was the information presented to those that participated-both sellers and buyers? For example, was the information presented as, “Sample School District Girls Soccer” or “Sample School Girls Soccer PTA”? If you found a “name” on the fundraiser/event promotional information you can perform a search at http://www.secstate.wa.gov/corps/search.aspx to determine if they have registered with the Washington State Secretary of State. Ask yourself, “Would a reasonable person in the community think that this was a Booster Club or School activity?”

4. Prizes

State audit staff has determined that any prize or other incentive must be within the de minimis range as defined by school board policy. That prize may be donated by an outside organization, but it cannot be the vendor providing the product or service.