Chaperone ratio refers to the mandated or recommended number of supervising adults relative to the number of students on a school-sponsored trip or activity. These ratios exist to ensure adequate supervision, mitigate risk, and fulfill an organization's duty of care obligations.
Ratios vary by jurisdiction, student age, activity type, and destination considerations. A common baseline for K-12 field trips is one chaperone per ten students for older children and one per five for elementary-age students. Higher-attention activities such as water sports, overnight travel, or international trips typically require tighter ratios.
State education codes and district board policies often set minimum ratio requirements.