Where I Stand on Level 2 Background Checks for Pinellas County School Volunteers

By Curtis Campogni, Candidate for Pinellas County School Board, District 3 (At-Large)

Pinellas County Schools is starting 2026 with a major shift in how school volunteers are screened, and it’s a topic every parent, educator, and community member should understand.

I’m Curtis Campogni, and as a candidate for Pinellas County School Board, District 3 (At-Large), I believe we can improve school safety while also protecting what makes our schools stronger: the people who show up.

The district is now requiring Level 2 background checks for all volunteers, including fingerprinting, with a cost to volunteers of roughly $75 to $90.

Let me say this upfront.

Student safety has to come first.

A Level 2 screening is safer. It provides stronger oversight. It improves accountability.

I support that.

But I also believe the success of this policy will come down to one thing:

Implementation.

Because even the best safety policy can backfire if it creates barriers that unintentionally reduce the number of caring adults willing to show up for kids in Pinellas County Schools.

And right now, Pinellas County needs more mentors, more volunteers, and more community support, not less.

The Goal Is Right, Safety Comes First

When it comes to school safety in Pinellas County, the goal here is clear.

Keep kids safe. Increase oversight. Strengthen trust.

That is the right direction.

Level 2 screening adds continuous monitoring, and it helps ensure schools have a stronger layer of protection for students. For families who want safe campuses, safe classrooms, and safe environments for children, this matters.

I respect that.

The Risk Is Real, Volunteers Can’t Be an Afterthought

Here’s the concern I have as both a parent and a Pinellas County School Board candidate.

If we’re not careful, this becomes one more example of a policy that is good in theory but creates friction in practice.

Because volunteering is not just about “wanting to help.”

It’s about: Time - Access - Clarity - Follow-through - And feeling like the system actually wants you there

When the process feels confusing, expensive, or overly bureaucratic, good people quietly stop showing up.

Not because they don’t care.

Because life is already full.

And if the process feels like a maze, the maze wins.

What Pinellas County Schools Should Do Next

This cannot fall on one coordinator, one department, or one person trying to manage thousands of volunteers across Pinellas County Schools.

We need a system that is built to scale, and built to support families, schools, and volunteers.

Here are the solutions I support.

1. Shared responsibility, not a single point of failure

If one office becomes the only gatekeeper for volunteer questions, approvals, and troubleshooting, we create bottlenecks.

Pinellas County Schools needs a district-wide plan that includes school-level support, clear handoffs, and accountability.

2. Empower experienced Level 2 volunteers as “Mentor Leads”

Pinellas has experienced volunteers who already understand the process.

We should build a “Mentor Lead” model where vetted volunteers help guide new volunteers through the steps, answer common questions, and reduce confusion.

Not to replace staff, but to strengthen the village.

3. Clear, consistent communication about roles and expectations

People need to know:

What counts as volunteering?

What requires Level 2?

What doesn’t?

What is the timeline?

What are the steps?

Who to contact?

And it needs to be consistent across every school.

4. Reduce friction with clear timelines and simple talking points

If thousands of volunteers need to transition from Level 1 to Level 2 by June, that requires a plan that is easy to follow.

Not vague reminders.

Not last-minute panic.

A clear timeline with simple “here’s what to do next” communication.

5. Leverage partnerships with organizations that already have Level 2 screened mentors

Pinellas County has nonprofits, youth programs, and community partners who already operate with Level 2 screening requirements.

We should actively recruit those organizations into schools so we are not rebuilding the wheel from scratch.

6. Target outreach to professions already familiar with Level 2 screening

There are entire industries where Level 2 screening is already normal.

Healthcare, Child welfare, Behavioral health, Education support staff, Youth sports organizations, Faith-based youth programs

Those groups understand the process, and many of them already have a heart to serve.

Let’s invite them in.

7. Incentivize outcomes, not just effort

Volunteers matter, but mentors change lives.

If Pinellas County Schools wants to build a true mentoring culture, we should be tracking outcomes like: Student engagement, Attendance improvement, Behavior improvement, Academic confidence, School connection

Not just “how many volunteers signed up.”

Let’s Keep It Real

I’m Curtis Campogni, a dad of two kids in Pinellas County Schools, and I volunteer myself.

I want safer schools.

But I also want schools that make it easier for good people to show up and help.

Because the truth is simple.

The safest schools are not just schools with locked doors.

They are schools with strong relationships.

They are schools where kids know they have adults who see them, support them, and don’t give up on them.

That’s what volunteering is really about.

It’s about planting trees you may never sit under.

But a child will.

My Bottom Line

I support Level 2 screening.

Now let’s make sure Pinellas County Schools implements it in a way that protects students and strengthens the village around them.

If we do it right, this can be a safety upgrade and a community upgrade.

That is what Pinellas County deserves.

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are solely those of Curtis Campogni, Candidate for Pinellas County School Board, District 3 at Large, and do not represent the official position of any organization or governing body.