Volunteer Process
We love our Volunteers!
Volunteers are an important part of the MLA community. Your involvement supports our students and shows them that their education matters.
For the safety of our Meerkats, all volunteers must complete a background check and required training. Please apply early, as approval may take several days—especially if you have lived in another state or country within the last 10 years. Once approved, volunteer clearance is valid for three years.
Before volunteering, please review the MLA Volunteer Handbook for important policies, procedures, and expectations.
Ready to get started? Complete the online Volunteer Application below and continue the remaining steps while your background check is being processed.
.Step 1: Background Check Application
The Volunteer Background Check process may take 14–20 business days, depending on district processing times. The screening includes a national criminal history check and, as required by Senate Bill 155 (SB 155), verification of any reports of sexual misconduct or harassment. A criminal record does not automatically disqualify an applicant; each case is reviewed individually.
Start a New Application Online!
Click below to begin a New Volunteer Application:
Time to renew your MLA volunteer status?
Manage your profile:
Approval to volunteer is based on the background check and at the discretion of administration based on student safety, program needs, school operations and any other information deemed relevant by administration.
Information regarding SB155: www.oregon.gov
MLA SB155 informational brochure: sb155 brochure.pdf
Step 2: Background Check Payment $10
Applications will not start processing until the application fee is paid.
Volunteer Fee payment options:
1. Make your payment online by visiting our online store: https://osp.osmsinc.com/MLA
OR
2. Visit the school office to pay by cash, check, or to pay by credit card
Step 3: Required Safe Schools Training
SafeSchools training for staff and volunteers covers the required SB155 requirements for student safety. The online training is approximately 30minutes and broken into manageable segments with progress tracked if you are unable to complete the videos in one set. An email will be sent from [email protected] with your temporary login information to the email provided in the Volunteer Application; check junk folder if not found within 3-5 business days after application submission.
At the end of your training you will receive a certificate of completion for you to download or print and submit to [email protected] (PDF, JPG, PNG).
Additional trainings may be required depending on areas of volunteer interest.
Mandatory Reporter Flier
The training takes approximately 30 minutes to complete and is broken into small segments if you are unable to complete it all at once. Your account username is your email; an email will be sent when your account is created.
Step 4: Review MLA Volunteer Handbook
Finally: Clearance Notification
You will be emailed a notification of "APPROVED" once your application is complete. If your email states "PENDING", please complete the requested steps as soon as possible.
Non-Discrimination Policy
The Multnomah Learning Academy (MLA) does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, religion, disability, or age in its programs and activities.
Need to update your existing MLA Volunteer Profile?
Have questions about your volunteer status, updated procedures, and more?