Policy 5251

General Rule

No District employee shall engage in or have a direct financial interest in any activity which conflicts with his/her duties and responsibilities. Further, no district employee may employ or use any person, money or school property under the employee’s official supervision, control or direction for the private gain of that employee or another.

Situations where a conflict of interest may exist include but are not limited to:

1. Receiving economic benefit from selling or promoting the sale of goods or services to the students or their parents where the knowledge of the staff member’s relationship to the district is in any way utilized to influence the sale.
2. Receiving economic benefit from the sale of instructional and training materials and/or equipment where the district has specifically engaged a staff member(s) to develop such materials or equipment. In such instances, the district shall retain a proprietary interest.
3. Encouraging a student who is enrolled in one or more of the teacher’s classes to take private lessons or to engage tutoring for a fee from the staff member.
4. Using or providing for others a list of names and home addresses obtained from school records or school-related contacts for purposes of identifying potential client or customer contacts.
5. Participating in any way in the selection process for materials, books or equipment when an item developed by or authored by the staff member or a member of his/her family is under consideration for approval for district use.
6. Being involved in the selection of an applicant or in the appointment, evaluation or supervision of any other staff member who is a family member.
7. Using the interschool mail to promote sales of a product in which a staff member has a financial interest.
8. Providing a staff or student directory for use in promoting sales of a product or service.
9. Purchasing or otherwise acquiring surplus district property, where the staff member was involved in or had influence in the process of declaring the item(s) as surplus.

Written permission from the superintendent or principal is necessary when:

A staff member tutors or gives private lessons for a fee to students. Students may not be currently enrolled in one or more of the teacher’s classes.

Exceptions

A district employee may use public resources to benefit others as part of the employee’s official duties, if the expenditure is of de minimis value (of little or no value; no impact on public funds) and is purchased with the consent of his/her supervisor.

Legal Reference:      RCW 28A.400.332 Use of persons, money or property for private gain

                                    WAC  180-87-090  Improper remunerative conduct

Management Resources:  October 2015 Policy Issue

Encouraged

La Center School District

Adoption Date: September 25, 2007

Revised:   January 28, 2025