DCPS Introduces New, Restrictive Field Trip Policies

School Without Walls is based on the idea that students will go beyond the walls of the school and use the city as their campus. However, new field trip policies implemented by DC Public Schools (DCPS) are set to change the way schools across the district plan and execute trips. While trips scheduled through May will continue under the current guidelines, any future trips will need to adhere to the new policy.

One of the most significant changes impacts international travel. Walls has been taking international trips for years, and Rowan King (‘25) explained, “Going to Rome was one of the best experiences of my life. I got to learn so much more about a culture that I had been interested in since middle school.”

International trips are often planned well in advance. Mr. Harrison Davis shared, “We started planning Rome in January and submitted the paperwork in March.” However, under the new policy, teachers must announce international travel plans at least six months in advance, excluding summer months. Mr. Davis added, “I think it will be hard to get student interest a year in advance.”

Another new requirement is that all DCPS international trips have to be organized through an educational travel agency. While this policy aims to ensure consistency, safety, and accountability, it also means that schools no longer have the flexibility to coordinate their own travel logistics. Lexi Padre (‘25) shares, “I loved visiting all these small spots with Mr. Ghazi when I went to India. I think if we had a travel agency it wouldn’t have been as interesting since we probably would’ve just seen the tourist spots.”

Previously, teachers had the flexibility to manage expenses by booking accommodations and transportation directly. However, under the new system, they must adhere to the pricing structures of approved travel companies. This shift may also limit their ability to customize itineraries to align with students' academic interests. Highlighting these challenges, Mr. Davis explained, “With a travel agency, you often travel to multiple cities rather than staying in one place. It’s harder to immerse yourself in a city because agencies are very restrictive with the activities you can actually do.”

Another major impact of this change is the cost. Travel agencies typically charge additional fees, increasing the overall price of trips. Mr. Davis adds, “When we looked at using a travel agency for Rome, the price was almost double, and they planned about half of the things we wanted to do.” While DCPS has pledged to provide financial assistance where possible, higher costs may make it more difficult for students to participate. Mr. Davis continued, “The international trips are already pretty restrictive because there are no scholarship opportunities, and the increased costs from a travel agency would shrink the pool of students who can participate even more.”

Despite these challenges, some argue that working with travel agencies may help the planning process and improve safety measures. However, the concern remains that fewer teachers will offer international trips due to cost and logistical barriers. Students like Rebecca Frost (‘28) hope that the policy won’t make these experiences inaccessible. Frost shared, “Hearing all the upperclassmen talk about their experiences with international trips made me excited to potentially experience one, and I hope the new field trip policy won’t hinder this opportunity.”

Local field trips will also be impacted but not as badly. Mr. Davis shares, “The old policy was 10 students to 1 teacher, so this isn’t a big change. I think local field trips will still happen and feel basically the same.”

The new chaperone policy could mean that students won’t have as much independence during field trips. Annabelle Levine (‘26) shared, “I love that teachers let us do our own thing during field trips; it gives us a chance to focus on things we want to learn from the museum, and I hope the new policy won’t make us feel like we’re constantly being watched or restricted.”

With these new regulations in place, School Without Walls students and faculty may need to adapt their expectations and approaches to planning field trips. While the policies aim to improve safety and organization, they also introduce new challenges that could make trips—especially international ones—harder to organize and more expensive for students.