General Rule
No district employee will 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.  Failure to comply with this policy may result in disciplinary action.

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

A.   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 used to influence the sale.

B.   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 these instances the district shall retain a proprietary interest in the materials or equipment.

C.   Encouraging a student who is enrolled in one or more of the teacher’s classes to take private lessons or to participate tutoring for a fee from the staff member.

D.   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 clients or customer contacts.

E.   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.

F.    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.

G.   Using the interschool mail or e-mail to promote sales of a product in which a staff member has a financial interest.

H.   Providing a staff or student directory for use in promoting sales of a product or service.

I.     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/designee or principal is necessary when:

A.    A certificated staff member wishes to tutor or give private lessons for a fee to any student who is enrolled in one or more of the teacher’s classes;

B.   A certificated staff member, such as communication disorder specialists, psychologists or specialized music teachers, wishes to give private instruction for a fee to any student who is concurrently being served by that individual in the regular school program.

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

Cross References:
Student Awards, Prizes and Incentives (includes de minimus amount) - Policy 3515

Legal References:
Use of persons, money, or property for private gain - RCW 28A.400.332
Improper remunerative conduct - WAC 180-87-090

Management Resources: 
Policy & Legal News - October 2015

Highline School District 401
Adopted by the Board: August 9, 2000
Revised by the Board: 3.04; 1.16; 10.17
Classification: Priority