The Jefferson City School District is committed to providing a safe environment for students to
learn. As part of this effort, in accordance with this policy, the district will require criminal
background checks of employees as well as certain volunteers and others working on school grounds.
The Board directs the superintendent or designee to develop procedures and practices consistent with
this policy.
Definitions
Criminal Background Check – A search of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s criminal history
files; the Missouri Highway Patrol's criminal history database and sexual offender registry; the
Family Care Safety Registry (FCSR) or the central registry of child abuse and neglect of the
Children's Division (CD) of the Department of Social Services; Missouri Case.net; and other
databases required by law or by the district.
Driving Records – Traffic-related offenses contained in the Missouri Department of Revenue’s
databases.
Employees
Generally, the district will conduct criminal background checks in accordance with law on all new
employees authorized to have contact with students prior to the employees working with students;
however, the district may forgo a criminal background check when:
1. A teacher is employed to work on a part-time or substitute basis within one year of having
retired from the Jefferson City School District.
2. An employee or potential employee who has had a background check conducted by another
Missouri public school within the past year and the district receives a copy of the background
check directly from the other district. If the district requires a new background check, it will
be at the district's expense.
3. An employee or potential employee has successfully completed a criminal background check,
including a check of the FCSR, as part of the professional license application process within
one year prior to employment.
Any offer of employment is contingent upon the satisfactory outcome of the criminal background
check, when required by the district. The district has the sole and absolute discretion to determine
whether the outcome is satisfactory.
Drivers
The district will conduct a criminal background check on all bus drivers the district employs. The
district may allow bus drivers to operate district transportation pending the results of the criminal
background check.
If the district contracts for student transportation services, the contract will require the transportation
company to conduct background checks on the company's employees who will have contact with
district students. The contract will require the company to exclude persons who have exhibited
behavior that is violent or harmful to children or adults.
Volunteers
The district will conduct a search of the Missouri Highway Patrol's criminal history database and the
FCSR or the central registry of child abuse and neglect of the CD on all persons volunteering in
positions where they will be left alone with a single child. If the volunteer is a sponsor, advisor or
coach, he or she must satisfactorily complete the criminal background check required of employees.
The superintendent or designee is directed to identify any additional volunteer positions in the
district that will also require a criminal background check. The superintendent or designee must
receive the results of the background check and officially approve the volunteer before he or she may
begin service in the identified volunteer position.
Payment
In general, applicants for employment and volunteers are responsible for the cost of the criminal
background check, but the district may later reimburse the person at the district's discretion.
However, when an applicant has had a background check conducted by another Missouri public
school within the past year and the district receives a copy of the background check directly from
the other district, the district will not require an additional background check as a condition of
employment unless the district pays the cost, in accordance with law.
The district will pay the expenses associated with conducting and renewing criminal background
checks for current employees. In cases where the district requires independent contractors to conduct
criminal background checks, payment for the background checks will be determined by the contract.
Updating Information
The district reserves the right to require any employee or volunteer to submit to additional criminal
background checks at the district's expense or to rerun background checks at any time. The district
will provide the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) the relevant personnel
information necessary to conduct postemployment background checks as allowed by law.
Any employee refusing to submit to a background check may be disciplined or terminated. The
district may decline to utilize the services of volunteers or contractors who refuse to participate.
District Notification
As a condition of continuing to work within the district, all employees and other persons required
to submit to a criminal background check pursuant to this policy must notify the district if they are
charged, convicted, plead guilty to or are otherwise found guilty of any misdemeanor or felony,
regardless of the imposition of sentence. This notification must be made as soon as possible, but no
later than five business days after the event.
Reporting Requirements
The district will report to DESE when information is obtained that a certificated person has pled
guilty or no contest to or been found guilty of a crime or offense, regardless of whether a sentence
has been imposed, in this state, another state or another country that may put the person's certificate
in jeopardy pursuant to Missouri law.
Confidentiality
Information received by the district pursuant to a criminal background check is confidential. Except
as allowed by law, the district will only use this information for the district’s internal purposes in
determining the suitability of an applicant, employee, volunteer or other worker on district property.
The district will keep this information in a location that is only accessible to persons who need to
know the information to carry out their responsibilities with the district. Any person submitting to
a criminal background check may receive a copy of the background check information received by
the district.
Pursuant to state law and upon the written request of an employee or former employee, the district
may transfer a criminal background check to another school district within one (1) year of receiving
the background check.
Consequences
The superintendent or designee is directed to exclude from employment or to take action to terminate
individuals whose criminal background checks reveal that they have exhibited behavior that is
violent or harmful to children or adults. Employees who fail to keep background checks confidential
as required by law or this policy or who violate any portion of this policy or district procedure will
be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination.
* * * * * * *
In the event of a discrepancy between an administrative procedure and a Board policy, the Board
policy will take precedence.
Note: The reader is encouraged to check the index located at the beginning of this section
for other pertinent policies and to review administrative procedures and/or forms for
related information.
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Adopted: 02/13/2006
Revised: 02/09/2009; 06/14/2010; 07/12/2010; 05/14/2012
Cross Refs: IICC, School Volunteers
Legal Refs: §§ 43.540, 168.133, 576.050, RSMo.
Jefferson City School District, Jefferson City, Missouri
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