Simi School Board Proposes Credit for Volunteer Work

Simi Valley school board members have asked district staff to draft a proposal that would allow students to perform volunteer community service for high school credit.

Although they discussed the possibility of requiring students to work for nonprofit organizations, board members suggested that it begin as a voluntary program.

It was proposed that ninth- through 12th-grade students who complete a minimum of 45 hours of community service work receive 2 1/2 units of high school credit. Students earn five units for a typical semester-long class.

Details of the program--including what would qualify as community service work, the impact on school staff and monitoring of the program--will be outlined in a report given to the board in July or August, officials said. Only a few school districts in California have a community service requirement for graduation.

Board members agreed that community service work benefits both the student and the community.

It can help raise self-esteem among students who are at risk of dropping out of school, board member Carla Kurachi said.

“You realize you can impact the community and that you’re a valuable person,” she said.

Board member Diane Collins said she would be willing to start the program on a voluntary basis but that she would like to see it become a graduation requirement.

“I want us to look at the students who don’t belong to scouts or go to church or have direction at home,” Collins said. “A voluntary program isn’t going to catch the kids who need it.”