K-12 Education: Selected Cases of Public and Private Schools That Hired or Retained Individuals with Histories of Sexual Misconduct
Published: 2010-12-08T00:00:00

Fast Facts:

Highlights:
section_title: Why GAO Did This Study
paragraphs: Prior GAO testimonies have described cases of physical abuse of children at youth residential treatment programs and public and private schools. However, children are also vulnerable to sexual abuse. A 2004 Department of Education report estimated that millions of students are subjected to sexual misconduct by a school employee at some time between kindergarten and the twelfth grade (K-12). GAO was asked to (1) examine the circumstances surrounding cases where K-12 schools hired or retained individuals with histories of sexual misconduct and determine the factors contributing to such employment actions and (2) provide an overview of selected federal and state laws related to the employment of convicted sex offenders in K-12 schools. To identify case studies, GAO compared 2007 to 2009 data employment databases from 19 states and the District of Columbia to data in the National Sex Offender Registry. GAO also searched public records from 2000 to 2010 to identify cases in which sexual misconduct by school employees ultimately resulted in a criminal conviction. GAO ultimately selected 15 cases from 11 states for further investigation. For each case, to the extent possible, GAO reviewed court documents and personnel files and also interviewed relevant school officials and law enforcement. GAO reviewed applicable federal and state laws related to the employment of sex offenders and requirements for conducting criminal history checks.
section_title: What GAO Found
paragraphs: The 15 cases GAO examined show that individuals with histories of sexual misconduct were hired or retained by public and private schools as teachers, support staff, volunteers, and contractors. At least 11 of these 15 cases involve offenders who previously targeted children. Even more disturbing, in at least 6 cases, offenders used their new positions as school employees or volunteers to abuse more children. GAO found that the following factors contributed to hiring or retention: (1) school officials allowed teachers who had engaged in sexual misconduct toward students to resign rather than face disciplinary action, often providing subsequent employers with positive references; (2) schools did not perform preemployment criminal history checks; (3) even if schools did perform these checks, they may have been inadequate in that they were not national, fingerprint-based, or recurring; and (4) schools failed to inquire into troubling information regarding criminal histories on employment applications. GAO found no federal laws regulating the employment of sex offenders in public or private schools and widely divergent laws at the state level. For example, some states require a national, fingerprint-based criminal history check for school employment, while others do not. State laws also vary as to whether past convictions must result in termination from school employment, revocation of a teaching license, or refusal to hire.

section_title: Letter
paragraphs: We have previously reported that children are being physically abused at  youth residential treatment programs and at public and private schools.  Without question, vulnerable children are also victims of sexual abuse.  Nationwide, more than 620,000 convicted sex offenders are either  incarcerated, on probation, or residing freely in localities across the  United States, according to an estimate by the National Center for Missing  and Exploited Children. This large and growing population of convicted  offenders has raised public concerns in part because the victims of sexual  assaults are more likely to be children; most offenders live in communities  rather than in prison; and some sex offenders, particularly those who go  without treatment, are at greater risk of committing another offense. But  convicted offenders and their victims represent just a fraction of the  problem. In 2004, troubling surveys documented by the Department of  Education estimated that millions of students are subjected to sexual  misconduct by a school employee sometime between kindergarten and the  twelfth grade (K-12). Interviews with actual offenders corroborate such  statistics; one series of studies found that 232 child molesters admitted to  molesting a total of 17,000 victims. In these cases, the individuals molested  dozens, hundreds, and even thousands of victims, sometimes without ever  being caught. In this context, you asked us to explore how these  individuals obtain and maintain contact with school children. Specifically,  you asked that we (1) examine the circumstances surrounding cases  where K-12 schools hired or retained individuals with histories of sexual  misconduct and determine the factors contributing to such employment  actions and (2) provide an overview of selected federal and state laws  related to the employment of sex offenders in K-12 public and private  schools.
To select our case studies, we compared social security numbers (SSN) in  the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) National Sex Offender Registry (NSOR)  to SSNs in employment databases maintained by 19 states and the District  of Columbia and covering approximately the years 2007 to 2009. From  this comparison, we identified hundreds of potential cases of registered  sex offenders working in schools. For each of these cases, we attempted  to validate the identity of the offender and verify that their term of  employment was after their conviction for a sex offense by using public  records searches and contacting employers. We did not conduct any  further investigation if we could not confirm that a registered sex offender  had gained or retained employment at a school following their conviction.  We also searched public records and identified dozens of cases from 2000  to 2010 in which sexual misconduct by school employees ultimately  resulted in a criminal conviction. We then interviewed related parties,  including current and former school officials, law enforcement officials,  and representatives from state agencies to investigate the factors  contributing to the hire or retention of the individuals in these cases.  Where applicable, we reviewed police reports, witness statements, court  documents, offenders’ personnel files, and employer policy manuals.  Ultimately, through a combination of our data matching and public  records searches, we selected 15 case studies from 11 states. In addition,  to the extent possible, we conducted searches to determine whether the  sex offenders in our cases had previous criminal histories or were the  subject of previous allegations of abuse. We also interviewed experts in  fields related to child abuse investigations, prosecutions, and prevention.
To provide an overview of selected federal and state laws, we researched  federal and state laws related to the employment of sex offenders in K-12  public and private schools. Specifically, we searched for prohibitions  against working or being present in schools, requirements for conducting  criminal history checks, other regulations pertaining to termination of  employment or revocation of a teaching license, and requirements for  mandatory reporting of suspected child abuse. Our analysis of relevant  laws focused solely on statutory provisions at the state level because of  their greater degree of permanence. We did not analyze state regulations  or policies, nor any laws, regulations, or policies at the local or school  district level. We performed our work from April 2010 to September 2010  in accordance with standards prescribed by the Council of the Inspectors  General on Integrity and Efficiency.
subsections: section_title: Cases of Individuals with Histories of Sexual Misconduct Hired or Retained by Public and Private Schools
paragraphs: Our 15 cases show that individuals with histories of sexual misconduct  were hired or retained by public and private schools as teachers,  administrative and support staff, volunteers, and contractors. In at least 11  of these 15 cases, schools allowed offenders with histories of targeting  children to obtain or continue employment. Even more disturbing, in at  least 6 of the cases, offenders used their new positions as school  employees or volunteers to abuse more children after they were hired. We  identified the following factors contributing to these employment actions.
Voluntary Separations and Positive Recommendations: In four of the  cases we investigated, school officials allowed teachers who would have  been subject to disciplinary action for sexual misconduct toward students  to resign or otherwise separate from the school rather than face  punishment. As a result, these teachers were able to truthfully inform  prospective employers that they had never been fired from a teaching  position and eventually were able to harm more children. In three of these  four cases, school officials actually provided positive recommendations or  reference letters for the teachers. We found that suspected abuse was not  always reported to law enforcement or child protective services. Examples  from our case studies include the following.
An Ohio teacher was allowed to resign after a school investigation  revealed he was having relationships with students that were “too  much like boyfriend and girlfriend.” However, district officials felt that  they still did not have enough evidence to fire the teacher.  Subsequently, the school superintendent wrote him a letter of  recommendation, which the offender used to apply to a second Ohio  school district, describing him as possessing “many qualities of an  outstanding teacher.” The school did not provide us with any evidence  that this suspected abuse was reported to law enforcement or child  protective services. The teacher was later convicted for committing  sexual battery on a sixth grade girl at the second Ohio school district.
A Connecticut public school district compelled a teacher to resign  after he accessed pornography on a school computer. Although the  school district reported the abuse to child protective services, a  district administrator told another Connecticut school seeking a  reference that they would rehire the teacher “without reservation.” A  second Connecticut school district also compelled him to resign, but  his separation specifically directed all inquiries from future employers  to the superintendent and agreed that he would provide a letter of  recommendation. This school district also provided him with positive  references. He was eventually hired by a third Connecticut school  district, where he was convicted of sexually assaulting two students.
A Louisiana private school district allowed a teacher’s contract to  expire after his eighth grade students searched his name on the  Internet and discovered he was a registered sex offender. The school  did not pursue action or notify authorities, but did provide him with a  letter of recommendation, which he used to apply to another Louisiana  school, which eventually hired him. There, he is alleged to have  engaged in inappropriate conversations with a student using an instant  messaging service.
The school officials we interviewed cited a variety of reasons for allowing  the resignations and providing the recommendations. One administrator  told us that it could cost up to $100,000 to fire a teacher, even with “a slam  dunk case.” Other officials told us that, depending on the terms of a  separation agreement, school administrators may not be able to provide  anything less than a positive recommendation for an employee for fear of  potential lawsuits. One expert we spoke with noted that it is often easier  and faster for school administrators to remove a problem teacher  informally in order to protect the children within their own district,  especially when the administrator agrees to provide a positive  recommendation to encourage a resignation.
Nonexistent Preemployment Criminal History Checks: In 10 of our  15 cases, school officials did not perform preemployment criminal history  checks on prospective employees, including teachers, administrative staff,  maintenance workers, volunteers, and contractors. As a result, registered  sex offenders were allowed to gain access to both public and private  schools. In 7 of these 10 cases, the offenders had been convicted for  offenses against children and in at least 2 of the cases, they subsequently  committed sexual crimes against children at the schools where they were  working or volunteering. The documents we reviewed and the officials we  spoke with indicated that the schools chose to forego these checks for a  variety of reasons, including that they felt that the process was too time- consuming and costly or that the positions in question would not require  daily interaction with children. We found that although the cost of  performing a criminal history check varies by state, generally a fingerprint- based national and state check ranges from $21 to $99, paid by either the  applicant or the school, and takes as long as 6 weeks to complete. Some  schools also told us that they do not perform criminal history checks for  support staff, such as maintenance workers, until after they have reported  to work. Examples from our case studies including the following.
An Arizona public school hired a teacher who had been convicted in  Florida for lewd and lascivious acts with a minor. The school chose  not to conduct a criminal history check on the teacher because it was  in a hurry to fill the position. Ultimately, the offender was arrested and  convicted for sexually abusing a young female student at the school.
A church-run private school in Ohio employed a maintenance worker  who had been convicted in California for lewd and lascivious acts with  two minors. The school told us it did not conduct a criminal history  check because the maintenance worker was supposed to work  primarily for the church that operated the school. However, officials  told us that he had regularly worked at the school and frequently  interacted with the children, going so far as to buy them meals.
In New York, a public school employed a maintenance worker for 5  months until the results of a criminal history check conducted after he  had already reported to work revealed that he had been convicted of  raping a woman at knife point and was classified as a threat to public  safety.
A Florida public school allowed an individual who was convicted of  having sex with an underage male to work as a volunteer coach  without a criminal history check, even though school policy provided  that volunteers would be subject to such checks. He was eventually  arrested for having sexual contact with a student on one of the  school’s sports teams.
As we previously noted, state laws with regard to employing sex offenders  and conducting criminal history checks vary widely; see appendix I for an  overview.
Inadequate Criminal History Checks: Even if schools do perform  criminal history checks on employees, they may not be adequate because  they are not national, fingerprint-based, or recurring. For example:    Schools in eight of our cases told us that they conducted state criminal  history checks, which only reveal offenses committed by a prospective  employee in the state where it is conducted. These schools were  located in California, Ohio, New York, Michigan, and Louisiana.  Although we did not identify any cases where conducting a state  criminal history check resulted in hiring an employee who committed  an offense in another state, such an outcome is highly likely.
We identified one school in Michigan that used a name-based criminal  history search to hire an administrative employee. This online search  required officials to search for the precise name under which an  individual’s criminal background is recorded. However, the officials  used a common nickname instead of the applicant’s full name, so the  search did not reveal his eight convictions, which included various sex  offenses. A fingerprint criminal history check would likely have  revealed these charges.
None of the schools we spoke with indicated that they perform  recurring criminal history checks. In fact, only a few states have laws  requiring schools to conduct such recurring checks intended to  identify individuals if they commit offenses while they are employed at  schools. For example, we identified two cases where sex offenders  were currently employed by California public schools, despite the fact  that California has a “subsequent arrest notifications” process to track  the criminal history of employees after they are hired. For example,  one school never received a subsequent arrest notification when one  of its maintenance workers was convicted of sexual battery in 1999.  Since they conducted no recurring criminal history checks, school  officials were unaware of the employee’s conviction until we notified  them during the course of this investigation. In the other case, school  officials received notice of an administrative employee’s 2000 arrest  for the molestation of a minor, but did not terminate his employment  because they believed they were not legally obligated to do so. These  officials subsequently left the school district and did not notify current  staff about the arrest. Current officials told us they did not have any  reason to examine the offender’s employment file during their tenure.  Consequently, these officials were not aware that they were employing  a convicted sex offender until we notified them. A recurring  background check would likely have alerted current staff to the  offense.
Red Flags on Employment Applications: Many of the schools we spoke  with require job applicants to self-report basic information regarding their  criminal background, but in three of our cases, schools failed to ask  applicants about troubling responses. For example, an applicant for an  Arizona teaching position answered yes when asked if he had been  convicted of “a dangerous crime against children.” However, that school  could provide no information to suggest that it followed up with the  applicant or law enforcement about this admission before hiring the  offender. The offender eventually was arrested for sexually abusing a  young female student at the school. In the two remaining cases, applicants  did not provide any response when asked about previous criminal history  and school officials could not provide evidence that they had inquired  about the discrepancy or required the applicant to provide the  information. For example, a Michigan public school hired an  administrative employee who had multiple convictions for sexual offenses.  On his application, the offender did not respond to a question about  whether he had ever been convicted of a crime, though he answered every  other question on the application. Similarly, a California charter school  hired an administrative employee who failed to answer a question about  previous felony convictions, even though he had been convicted of a  felony sex offense against a minor.
Table 1 provides a summary of the 15 cases we examined; a more detailed  narrative on seven of the cases follows the table.
Case 1: After being forced to resign from teaching at one Ohio public  school system due to allegations of inappropriate relationships with  female students, this offender received a letter of recommendation, and  was hired to teach at a second Ohio public school district where he was  later convicted of sexual battery against a student.
In August 1993, the offender began working at the first Ohio public school  district as a teacher and also coached several sports. During his fourth  year of teaching, an investigation confirmed that the teacher was acting  inappropriately toward multiple female students. According to the  summary of this investigation, the superintendent found that multiple  coworkers agreed that the teacher’s relationships with female students  were “too much like boyfriend/girlfriend.” Coworkers also noted that the  teacher was found in a room with the lights off supposedly counseling a  female student on more than one occasion and that he would become  overly infatuated with a single girl each year. Further interviews with  students, parents, and the teacher himself corroborated these allegations.  For example, parents of the female athletes he coached agreed there was  generally too much touching of the players. One student noted that a  number of girls dropped out of his class because of the way he behaved  around female students. When confronted with allegations that some of  his behavior was inappropriate, the teacher responded that “the girls loved  what  was doing.” The school did not provide us with any evidence  that this suspected abuse was reported to authorities.
According to the current superintendent, district officials did not feel they  had enough evidence to terminate the teacher and therefore gave him 1  year to find a new job. The teacher submitted his letter of resignation in  April 1997, effective in July 1997. Despite having requested his  resignation, the former district superintendent provided the teacher with a  letter of recommendation which noted that the teacher “exhibited many  qualities of an outstanding teacher” and “has an outgoing personality  which is an asset in this area of instruction.” In contrast, the former  superintendent also sent a letter directly to the teacher saying that the  teacher was at least guilty of “poor judgment” and “behavior unbecoming a  professional educator.” Although we were unable to locate the former  superintendent to ask why he wrote such conflicting letters, the current  superintendent said he believed that the former superintendent feared that  the teacher would file a lawsuit if he disclosed any incriminating  information.
Two months after his resignation, the teacher used the letter of  recommendation from the former superintendent to apply for a position as  a teacher at a second Ohio public school district. The teacher worked at  the second school for nearly a decade, until 2006, when he was indicted on  two counts of sexual battery by the county prosecutor. This indictment  alleged that, several years prior, he committed sexual battery on a sixth  grade girl while in a position of authority and employed by a school. The  detective who investigated the case said that the local police department  found out about the sexual battery years after it occurred because the  victim decided to come forward with the allegations. During the  investigation, the police obtained undercover recordings where the  teacher incriminated himself by describing sexual acts performed between  him and the victim. According to the detective who investigated the sexual  battery case, the second school district was never informed of any  allegations of inappropriate conduct by the first school district. In May  2006, the teacher pled guilty to both counts of sexual battery and was  sentenced to 2 years in state prison.
Case 7: This administrative employee was convicted of misdemeanor  sexual battery while employed at a California public school district. Even  though the school district was notified of his arrest and conviction by  police in 2000 and by GAO in July 2010, district officials decided to retain  him as an employee. After we referred this case to the California Attorney  General and the California Department of Education, the school district  placed this individual on administrative leave. He has since resigned.
In August 1998, this man was employed as an administrative employee in a  California public school district. In February 2000, he molested a minor  and the arresting officer charged the offender with a felony sex offense. In  May 2000, a California court convicted him of misdemeanor sexual battery.  The offender received a 120-day prison sentence and 3 years probation for  the misdemeanor conviction and was required to register as a sex  offender. Notes from the offender’s personnel file at the school district  indicate that he may have served his prison time using personal leave,  which was known to school officials.
In March 2000, district officials were notified of the offender’s arrest by  police through California’s subsequent arrest notification system, wherein  the fingerprints a school employee submits during the hiring process are  used to track any arrests occurring during his tenure as an employee.  California law prohibits an individual convicted of an offense requiring  registration as a sex offender from being hired or retained by a public  school district. Once notified of the arrest, the offender’s lawyer, former  district personnel officials, and a consulting lawyer for the district met to  discuss whether the district could fire the offender. The district ultimately  decided to retain him. According to the consulting lawyer for the district,  the district believed that the offender’s continued employment was “within  the letter and intent of California law.”
In July 2010, we notified current district personnel officials that an  administrative employee in their school system was in fact a registered sex  offender. When we asked why he had been allowed to retain his position, a  current district personnel official stated that no district officials were  aware of his sex offender status, even though his employment file  contained documentation on the arrest, charges, and conviction, as well as  notes from the March 2000 discussion. The personnel officials explained to  us that they did not have any reason to examine the offender’s  employment file during their tenure. District officials stated that while all  new applicants to the district are subject to a state criminal history check  (including submission of fingerprints to the California Department of  Justice), existing employees are not subject to recurring criminal history  checks. Had a recurring criminal history check been performed, current  personnel officials may have been made aware of the offender’s  conviction. According to a current district personnel official, improved  information sharing between former and current district personnel  officials would have increased the likelihood of the school district taking  appropriate action to safeguard students from the offender. In addition,  while the offender had been registering his school employment with the  local police in accordance with his sex offender registration requirements,  police did not inform the school after the original subsequent arrest  notification. After we referred this case to the California Attorney General  and the California Department of Education, the school district placed this  individual on administrative leave. He has since resigned.
Case 8: This maintenance worker was convicted of misdemeanor sexual  battery while employed by a California public school district. Since the  district did not perform any recurring criminal history checks, district  officials remained unaware of his conviction until we notified them. After  this notification, district officials immediately confronted the offender,  who resigned.
In April 1985, this offender began employment in a California public  school district as a maintenance worker. After he was hired, the offender  groped a pregnant, blind woman and was subsequently convicted in  California in 1999 for misdemeanor sexual battery. He received a 120-day  prison sentence and 3 years probation, and was required to register as a  sex offender. The offender later told school officials that he had served his  prison sentence while on leave from the school district for a work-related  injury. In 2009, the offender was promoted after over 2 decades of service  in the same California public school district. On his promotion application,  the offender falsely stated he was never convicted of a misdemeanor or  felony.
In July 2010, we notified school officials that this individual was currently  employed in their district even though the California Education Code  prohibits individuals convicted of sexual battery from retaining  employment in California public schools. District officials then confronted  the offender, who resigned immediately. Though the offender’s  employment had continued for over a decade after his conviction, the  officials told us that they were not aware of his status as a sex offender,  despite California’s subsequent arrest notification process. The human  resource official responsible for receiving subsequent arrest notifications  confirmed that the offender had passed a fingerprint criminal history  check when he was hired. Even though the offender’s fingerprints should  have been on file, the district did not receive any notifications from  California police about his conviction. In addition, district officials told us  that school employees are not subject to recurring criminal history checks  and confirmed that no documentation of the offender’s arrest or  conviction existed in district records. District officials also told us that the  offender had work-related injuries requiring absences from work. At the  time of his resignation, the offender told school officials that one of those  absences coincided with his prison term.
We were unable to determine why the subsequent arrest notification  process failed. However, a police officer involved with the maintenance  worker stated that he had registered as a sex offender in accordance with  annual requirements since his conviction. The officer, who just began  working with sex offenders in 2010, noted that the offender correctly  reported to law enforcement that he was currently employed by the  California public school district. However, the officer stated that he did  not question the offender further on his employment during their meetings  even though California prohibits sex offenders from being employed at  schools. The officer stated that he had no reason to believe the offender  was inappropriately employed because the offender had been working in  the California school district during each of the 12 years he had registered  as a sex offender.
Case 9: After being compelled to resign from teaching in two Connecticut  school districts—due to accessing pornography on school computers at  one district and for “performance reasons” at the other—this offender  received positive recommendations from both districts and was hired to  teach at another Connecticut school district, where he was convicted of  sexual assault against two students.
In early December 2003, a Connecticut public school district compelled a  teacher to resign in the middle of his second year of teaching for accessing  pornography on school computers. In mid-November, the school district  had placed the teacher on paid administrative leave pending an  investigation into allegations that his computer was used to access  pornographic Web sites. According to one district official, the teacher  claimed that he had allowed students to access his computer account, and  that the students had accessed the pornographic Web sites. The school  reported the potential child abuse to state authorities for investigation, but  before taking further disciplinary action, the school district reached a  separation agreement with the teacher. This agreement was signed by the  school district, the teacher, and the local teachers’ union, and required the  teacher to unconditionally resign. The agreement also required the teacher  to waive all rights to file any claim against the school district related to his  employment or separation from employment. The agreement did not  contain a confidentiality or nondisclosure clause. The teacher submitted a  letter of resignation stating that his separation was for “personal reasons,”  effective December 2003.
Beginning in January 2004, the teacher worked as a substitute teacher in a  nearby school district, where he worked for the remainder of the school  year, until obtaining a permanent position as a teacher in a third  Connecticut school district in July. The application for teaching in this  school district required the teacher to provide his employment  background with employment dates, but did not ask for reasons for  leaving any previous jobs. Although the school district did not require any  references, the teacher submitted three letters of recommendation. One of  those recommendations came from an administrator of the district which  had forced the teacher’s resignation in December 2003 and was dated 1  week after the separation agreement was finalized. When we asked the  district’s legal counsel why the administrator provided a positive  recommendation, he told us that the administrator claimed that she was  unaware of the reason for the teacher’s resignation and that she was only  providing a positive recommendation regarding his classroom  performance.
In March 2007, the teacher again submitted a midyear resignation letter,  although he taught through the end of that school year. According to one  school district official involved in the process, the teacher’s resignation  was requested for “performance reasons.” The school district and the  teacher signed a confidential memorandum of understanding outlining the  terms of the teacher’s resignation: the teacher would submit an  irrevocable letter of resignation effective at the end of the school year  stating “personal reasons.” The memorandum of understanding further  stipulated that all requests for information regarding the teacher would be  directed to the superintendent and that the superintendent alone would be  allowed to provide references for the teacher.
Despite the compelled departure from two school districts, in July 2007  the teacher received positive recommendations from both school districts  when he applied for and obtained a similar teaching position at a high  school in a fourth Connecticut school district. On the application that the  teacher submitted for this job, when asked whether he had ever been fired  by an employer or told he would be fired if he did not resign, the teacher  responded “No.” As requested, the teacher submitted three references, all  of which were from the most recent school district where he had  worked. School officials told us that because the three submitted  references only covered one of the two school districts listed as prior  employers in the teacher’s application, they contacted the other district  and spoke to an administrator to receive an additional reference. All fo ur  references—including the administrator from the district which forced th teacher’s resignation for accessing pornography—gave positive review the teacher and stated that they would rehire him without reservatio n.  According to one school official involved in the hiring process, the  principal of the school from which the teacher was forced to resign for  accessing pornography only stated that the teacher left his job because of  “family issues and personal problems.” The same official told us that had  the school known about the teacher’s forced resignations, it would have  hired another candidate.
In December 2008, during his second year at his new position in the fourth  Connecticut school district, the teacher again resigned in the middle of the  school year for “personal reasons,” this time when confronted by school  administrators with allegations of having an inappropriate relationship  with a 17-year-old student. At the time of his resignation, the teacher  admitted to kissing the student. According to the superintendent, the  district intended to suspend the teacher but was preempted by the  teacher’s immediate voluntary resignation. The superintendent did request  that the state Board of Education revoke the teacher’s certification. A  subsequent investigation conducted by the police and the Department of  Child and Family Services revealed that the teacher had intimate relations  with two students, including sexual intercourse in the school’s auditorium.  In 2009, he pled guilty to two counts of second degree sexual assault, was  sentenced to 7 years in prison and 20 years probation, and required to  register as a sex offender.
Case 11: Despite allegedly engaging in a pattern of repeated sexual abuse  of underage male students, this offender taught at several schools in  Maryland and Virginia before recently pleading guilty to sexually abusing  an underage student at a Virginia public school at which he taught. He is  currently under investigation by state and federal authorities for numerous  offenses dating back to 1978 and was indicted by a grand jury on multiple  federal child pornography charges.
The offender’s pattern of abuse against students began in the early 1990s.  At that time, he was teaching English to students in Japan. In 1994, the  offender accompanied an underage Japanese student on a trip to the  United States for several weeks. The offender allegedly provided the  student with sufficient alcohol to cause unconsciousness and then  sexually abused him, as evidenced by video recordings and photographs  kept by the offender. In 1999, after returning to the United States, the  offender hosted an underage Danish exchange student who, during his  stay, found pictures in the offender’s possession which indicated that the  offender had abused him. According to the student, after a confrontation,  the offender apologized and burned the photos, but investigators recently  found copies of the photos remaining in the offender’s possession. At the  time, the offender confided in someone regarding this incident, who  subsequently contacted police. At the offender’s urging, the exchange  student told police that nothing improper had happened. Based on the  student’s statements, police discontinued the investigation.
In November 2000, a public school district in Maryland hired the offender  as a teacher. In 2002, the parents of a district student contacted the  offender directly to request that he stop calling their son because they felt  the contacts were inappropriate. While the parents did not contact the  school district directly, rumors about inappropriate relationships reached  the school board and the alleged inappropriate contact was a discussion  point as the district was deciding whether to keep the teacher or quietly  allow his contract to expire. We do not know whether school officials  contacted local law enforcement about their suspicions. In June 2003, the  offender’s contract with the district was allowed to expire. The district  also banned the offender from district property.
In September 2003, the offender began hosting an underage German  exchange student. The foreign exchange company received complaints of  threatening behavior about the offender from the exchange student and  removed the student from the offender’s home immediately, with the help  of local police. In May 2004, the student sought a restraining order against  the offender, but the judge stated that the harassment described was not  grounds for a restraining order and denied the request. The offender is  alleged to have sexually abused this exchange student, again evidenced by  videos, photographs, and other mementos kept by the offender.
In August 2007, the offender began teaching in a Virginia public school  district using multiple positive letters of recommendation as references. In  September 2008, a concerned parent confronted the offender about  inappropriate conversations with two underage boys (her son and a  friend) through a networking Web site. The parent also provided copies of  the inappropriate conversations to the school’s administration. The  school’s principal spoke to the offender and told him not to have any  contact with the two boys. The principal, in consultation with lawyers, a  school human resource officer, and local police, determined that since no  laws had been broken, the school had no grounds to dismiss the offender,  despite the evidence provided by the parent.
In February 2010, an underage student alleged that the offender provided  him with alcohol and engaged in inappropriate sexual contact. The  offender was arrested in February 2010 on felony charges for sex offenses  involving a minor. He pled guilty to these charges and was sentenced to 1  year in prison in October 2010. During the investigation of this case, law  enforcement officials discovered extensive evidence of sexual abuse of  numerous unidentified underage males, including handwritten  recollections, homemade videos, and photographs. He has been charged  by federal authorities with numerous counts of possession of child  pornography and transporting it across state lines. In addition, North  Carolina police are currently investigating the alleged molestation of a 10- year-old disabled boy at the offender’s family home in 1978.
Case 12: This offender was convicted of sexually assaulting a minor in  Florida and subsequently worked as a teacher in a school in Arizona for 6  months without having his criminal history or educational qualifications  verified by the school district.
In March 1994, the offender was convicted in Florida of lewd and  lascivious assault against a victim under the age of 16. The offender was  given probation but was imprisoned for a violation from July 1996 to June  1999. Once released, he was required to register as a sex offender  permanently. He moved to Arizona in 2001. In August 2001, an Arizona  school district hired the offender as a teacher. On his application for the  position, the offender was asked several questions regarding his criminal  history, and he correctly responded that he had been convicted of “a  dangerous crime against children,” but failed to provide the complete  details of his conviction, as the application required. When we asked the  school how they had responded to this disclosure, they were unable to  provide any information to suggest that they had independently verified  any of the offender’s responses or requested the missing details of his  conviction. In addition, his resume listed an employment history including  positions as a rental car worker, a lifeguard, and athletic trainer, but no  history of classroom instruction. The teaching position he held also  required a teaching certificate, but there is no documentation from the  school to show that the offender received or submitted such a certificate.
In addition to failing to verify his educational requirements, the school  district neglected to conduct a criminal history check on the offender.  Arizona requires criminal history checks for all public school employees.  To complete the check, the applicant must turn in his/her fingerprints to  the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS), which performs a state  and federal criminal history check. Once the Arizona DPS completes the  criminal history check and verifies that the applicant is suitable for school  work, a fingerprint clearance card is issued, which the applicant must then  send to the Arizona Department of Education. According to school  officials, this process can take up to 90 days. In this case, the school  district circumvented this requirement because it was anxious to fill the  position before school started. Instead of treating the offender as an  employee applying for a teaching position, the school district treated him  as though he were applying for a nonteaching position, such as a food  service worker or a bus driver. The school district performed a verbal  reference check, and allowed the offender to provide a fingerprint  clearance card at a later date. The district’s verbal reference check  involved contacting employment references, provided by the applicant,  and asking questions such as, “Has this applicant ever sexually abused a  minor?” In this case, the offender provided references who gave glowing  recommendations.
As requested by the school, the offender eventually sent fingerprints to the  Arizona DPS, but the Arizona DPS sent back a letter several months later  stating that the fingerprint criminal history check could not be completed  because the submitted fingerprints were smudged. A message was placed  in the offender’s personnel file noting the need for him to complete the  fingerprint criminal history check, but there was no indication of any  additional follow-up by school officials on the subject.
In January 2002, the offender was arrested for sexually abusing a young  female student between December 2001 and January 2002. The offender  was alleged to have touched the girl at the school and to have sent the girl  sexually explicit letters. Officers investigating the case found multiple  letters between the offender and the girl containing mature sexual content,  some in a gym bag the offender was carrying at the time of his arrest.  Police also found a home video recording of girls changing into bathing  suits and walking around naked in a restroom. The offender could be  heard adjusting the camera and talking on this video, which the Arizona  police suspected was shot at a pool where the offender had previously  worked as a manager.
The offender was found guilty of felony sexual abuse and luring a minor  for sexual exploitation in 2002. He was sentenced to 4 years in prison, as  well as 15 years probation. In 2010, he was convicted for failing to register  as a sex offender as required. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison, and  is currently incarcerated.
Case 13: In June 1998, this man was convicted for the second time for  misdemeanor indecent exposure and was required to register as a sex  offender. He was a teacher in Texas at the time, and remained there until  May 2001, when his teaching certification was permanently revoked for  engaging in a pattern of sexually inappropriate behavior. At least two  schools in Louisiana, one private and one public, subsequently hired him  without conducting criminal history checks. He continued to teach at the  public school until October 2007, when he voluntarily resigned after being  accused of having inappropriate sexual conversations with students.
With the loss of his Texas teaching license in 2001, the offender taught in  Mexico temporarily then moved to Louisiana. According to his resume, he  worked at a series of Louisiana public and private schools from August  2002 until June 2006; we were unable to verify the circumstances leading  to this employment. In June 2006, he was hired by a high school in a  Louisiana private school district. The principal mistakenly assumed he had  received a Louisiana criminal history check from a prior Louisiana school,  and, desperate to hire teachers in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina,  allowed the offender to report to work without conducting a criminal  history check. The principal did, however, contact a Louisiana private  school that was listed as a previous employer for an oral reference, and  the offender was highly recommended. He worked for 1 year on a year-to- year contract before eighth grade students identified him as a sex offender  after conducting an Internet search for photos of him for a school event.  His contract was allowed to expire, but no disciplinary actions were taken  against him and we found no evidence that the school contacted law  enforcement to report the offender’s presence in the school. After the  expiration of this contract, the principal contacted the private school that  had provided a positive reference for the offender to determine why she  had not been provided with information on the offender’s past. The private  school officials she spoke with stated that the specific individual who had  provided the reference was a close friend of the offender, and that no one  else at the private school would have provided a positive reference.
The day before the beginning of the 2007-2008 school year, a principal  from a Louisiana public high school hired the offender to begin  immediately teaching, based on a resume appearing on an online job  search Web site for prospective teachers. Because the hire occurred so  close to the beginning of the school year, school officials told us they did  not complete a state criminal history and reference checks before the  offender reported for duty. School officials told us that, at that time,  completing the state fingerprint background check generally took between  3 and 6 months.
In his application to work for the school, the offender falsely stated that he  had not been convicted of a criminal offense and that he held or was  eligible for a teaching certificate in Texas. The offender further indicated  that he was in the process of applying for a Louisiana teaching certificate;  however, the Louisiana teacher certification database holds no record of  the offender. He also provided a letter of recommendation from the  principal of the private school that had allowed his contract to expire in  2007. When we spoke to the principal regarding this recommendation, she  told us that she had never personally provided a positive reference for the  offender, but that a subordinate may have drafted the letter in her absence.
A few months into the school year, a parent of one of the students  provided the principal with copies of inappropriate sexual conversations  between the offender and a student over an instant messaging service. The  school district began investigating the allegations and became aware of the  offender’s criminal history. The superintendent of the district told us that  he intended to take action against the teacher, but was preempted by the  teacher’s immediate voluntary resignation. Police were notified of the  allegations, which resulted in November 2007 charges of indecent  behavior with a minor and failing to fulfill sex offender registration  requirements. A warrant is currently out for his arrest on these charges.
section_title: Overview of Federal and State Laws Related to the Employment of Sex Offenders in K-12 Public and Private Schools
paragraphs: We found no federal laws regulating the employment of sex offenders in  public or private schools and widely divergent laws at the state level,  especially with regard to requirements and methods for conducting  criminal history checks on employees. For a summary of laws related to  the hire and retention of sex offenders by schools in all 50 states and the  District of Columbia, see appendix 1.
Federal law: The Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006  requires the Department of Justice to conduct a criminal history check for  employees who work around children at the request of a public or private  school. This check allows for a fingerprint-based criminal history search of  the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Crime Information Center  database. However, federal law does not require schools to use this  service. In addition, we found no federal laws that restrict the employment  of sex offenders in public or private schools or that mandate criminal  history checks for employees at these schools.
Prohibitions working in or being present at schools: A majority of  states have enacted laws to restrict sex offenders from having access to  schools, but they may only apply to select types of schools (e.g., public  schools) in certain situations. Eighteen states have broad restrictions  prohibiting registered sex offenders from entering, or being a specified  distance from, all schools. Seventeen states have some type of statute  that specifically prohibits registered sex offenders from working or  volunteering at or near schools. However, in some states such  prohibitions may only apply to individuals who have been convicted of a  felony.
Criminal history check requirements for public and private school  employees: These requirements vary widely. For example, 2 states do not  appear to have any laws requiring criminal history checks for either public  or private school employees. Twenty-five states and the District of  Columbia require criminal history checks for all public school  employees. Six states require criminal history checks for all public  school employees and conditional checks for private school employees,  often tied to such things as accreditation or acceptance of state  scholarship funds. Seven states require that both public and private  school employees undergo criminal history checks. The remaining 10  states require checks only for select employees in certain situations. For  example:    Four states require criminal history checks for licensed tea make no reference to other types of employees.
Four states require checks for employees only if t unsupervised or direct contact with children.
One state only requires criminal history checks for certified teachers  and administrators if they have not been residents in the state for 5  years.
One state requires individual public school districts to have a policy  which determines which employees are subject to criminal history  checks.
Criminal history check requirements for contractors and  volunteers: Only five states require criminal history checks for all  contractors at both public and private schools. Seven states require  criminal history checks for all contractors at public schools only. Other  states require criminal history checks for contractors only under select  circumstances, typically if they have direct access to children. Only eight  states require criminal history checks for those volunteering with  children.
Method of conducting criminal history checks: As shown in appendix  I, the vast majority of states specify that teacher and school employee  criminal history checks are to be fingerprint-based and must check both  national and state databases. However, not all states specifically require  that criminal history checks be completed prior to an employee’s start  date. In addition, two states limit the check to state databases, while  another state limits the check to state databases if the employee or  applicant has been a state resident for the prior 2 years. In addition, some  states specify that criminal history checks must be reperformed at  specified intervals and some states rely upon a system of subsequent  conviction or arrest notifications, but often such systems only catch  subsequent convictions or arrests in the same state and may miss such  events that occur in other states.
Termination of employment, revocation of license, or refusal to  hire: Some states prohibit public schools from employing an individual  convicted of a violent or sexual felony, while others have a broader  prohibition that applies to both public and private schools, as well as to  contractors and employees. Other states apply such mandatory  disqualification criteria only to holders of teaching licenses or  certificates.
Requirements to report suspected child abuse: All 50 states and the  District of Columbia have statutes that mandate that teachers and other  school officials report suspected child abuse, including sexual abuse, to  law enforcement, child protection agencies, or both. Typically, these  statutes require the teacher or official to have a reasonable suspicion that  abuse occurred before making such a report. Although these statutes were  developed with the goal of preventing abuse by parents or guardians, they  also cover abuse by a teacher or school employee. Furthermore, several  states have adopted additional statutory precautions to ensure that abuse  allegations against school employees are not suppressed by school  officials; however, at least half of the states do not have any such  additional statutory precautions. These statutes vary widely across the  states and require mandatory reporting such as  superintendents must report to the state education department or  licensing board the resignation or dismissal of a licensed educator  following reports of alleged abuse;  superintendents must report to law enforcement crimes, including  sexual abuse, committed on school property; and    prosecutors must report to the state education department or licensing  board felony convictions of licensed educators.
As agreed with your offices, unless you publicly announce the contents of  this report earlier, we plan no further distribution until 10 days from the  report date. At that time, we will send copies of this report to relevant  congressional committees, the Department of Education, and the  Department of Justice. In addition, this report will be available at no  charge on GAO’s Web site at www.gao.gov.
For further information about this report, please contact me at (202) 512- 6722 or kutzg@gao.gov. Contact points for our Offices of Congressional  Relations and Public Affairs may be found on the last page of this report.
section_title: Appendix I: Summary of State Laws Related to the Hiring and Retention of Sex Offenders
paragraphs: Public and private schools are  required to conduct fingerprint- based FBI and state criminal  history checks of employees with  unsupervised access to children.
Individuals convicted of  crimes involving the physical  or mental injury, sexual  abuse or exploitation, or  maltreatment of a child are  deemed unsuitable for  employment.
All teachers and school  officials must report known or  suspected cases of child  abuse or neglect to a duly  constituted authority. If the  report is received by the  Department of Human  Resources, it must report it  to law enforcement.
Teachers are required to undergo  a fingerprint-based national  criminal history check as part of  the certification process. School  bus drivers must undergo a  fingerprint-based national  criminal history check.
Individuals with a sex  offense conviction may not  hold a teacher certificate or  a school bus driver license.
All public and private school  teachers and employees are  required to report to the  Department of Health and  Social Services when they  suspect that a child has  suffered abuse or neglect.  Law enforcement who  receive a report of abuse by  a teacher are required to  report the fact to the  Professional Teaching  Practices Commission.
Fingerprint-based federal and  state criminal history checks are  required of all certified teachers,  public school employees, public  school volunteers with  unsupervised access to children,  and employees of public school  contractors and vendors.
Teachers convicted of sex  offenses are subject to  mandatory permanent  revocation of their teaching  certificate.
Licensed educators and  school boards must report all  reasonable allegations of  misconduct by a licensed  educator involving minors to  the AZ Department of  Education. All school  personnel who reasonably  believe that a child has been  the victim of abuse must  report to law enforcement or  child protective services.
Teachers are required to undergo  fingerprint-based national and  state criminal history checks as  part of the licensing and renewal  processes. School districts must  conduct a fingerprint-based  national and state criminal history  check of all nonlicensed  employees.
Individuals with a felony or  sex offense conviction may  not hold a teacher license or  be employed by a public  school.
Public school  superintendents must report  to the Board of Education  any employee who is  convicted of a felony or  certain misdemeanors or  who is the subject of a  substantiated report in the  Child Maltreatment Central  Registry. School teachers  and officials must notify the  Child Abuse Hotline if they  have reasonable cause to  suspect a child has been  subject to abuse.
Fingerprint-based national and  state criminal history checks are  required for all certified teachers,  public and private school  employees, and public and  private school contract  employees who may have  contact with pupils.
Public schools may not  employ persons convicted of  sex offenses or violent or  serious felonies. Individuals  with a sex offense or violent  or serious felony conviction  may not hold a teacher  certificate. Private schools  must notify all parents  before hiring a convicted sex  offender.
If a licensed educator is  dismissed, suspended,  placed on administrative  leave, or resigns as a result  of or while an allegation of  misconduct is pending, the  school must report the  allegation to the Committee  on Credentials. All public and  private school employees  must notify law enforcement  or the county welfare agency  if they know or reasonably  suspect a child has been the  victim of abuse or neglect.
Fingerprint-based national and  state criminal history checks and  previous employer checks are  required of all public school  teachers. Fingerprint-based  national and state criminal history  checks are required of all public  school employees. Private  schools are authorized to  conduct fingerprint-based  national and state criminal history  checks of their employees.
Public and charter schools  may not employ anyone with  a felony or sexual offense  conviction.
If a public school employee  is dismissed or resigns as a  result of an allegation of  unlawful behavior involving a  child, the school district must  notify the CO Department of  Education. Any public or  private school employee who  has reasonable cause to  know or suspect that a child  has been subjected to abuse  or neglect must notify law  enforcement or the county  human services department.
Fingerprint-based national and  state criminal history checks are  required of all public school  employees. Private schools are  authorized to conduct fingerprint- based national and state criminal  history checks.
A conviction for child abuse  or neglect or other selected  serious felonies is grounds  for revocation of a teaching  certificate.
Prosecutors must notify the  Commissioner of Education if  a licensed educator is  convicted of a felony. School  teachers and officials who  have reasonable cause to  suspect a child has been  abused or neglected must  notify the Commissioner of  Children and Families or law  enforcement.
Fingerprint-based FBI and state  criminal history checks are  required of all public school  employees, school bus drivers,  and public school student  teachers.
A felony or child-victim  conviction disqualifies an  applicant from public school  employment or a school bus  license.
Public and charter schools  must report to the DE  Secretary of Education when  a licensed educator is  dismissed, resigns, or retires  following allegations of  misconduct. Any school  employee who knows or in  good faith suspects child  abuse or neglect shall notify  the Department of Services  for Children, Youth and Their  Families.
Periodic fingerprint-based local  and FBI criminal history checks  are required of all employees and  volunteers in city organizations  that provide services to children.
None located.
School teachers and officials  who know or have  reasonable cause to suspect  child abuse or neglect must  notify law enforcement or the  Child and Family Services  Agency.
Periodic (every 5 years)  fingerprint-based FBI and state  criminal history checks are  required of all public school  teachers and employees and  contractual employees who have  direct contact with students or  are permitted access to school  grounds when students are  present. Private school owners or  operators are required to  undergo a fingerprint-based  criminal history check and are  authorized to conduct such a  check for their employees; if the  private school accepts state  scholarships, such checks are  mandatory.
Individuals with a felony  conviction or a misdemeanor  conviction involving a child  are prohibited from  employment in a public  school or a private school  that accepts state  scholarships if they will have  contact with children.  Owners or operators of  private schools may not  have been convicted of a  felony involving moral  turpitude.
Public, charter schools, and  private schools that accept  state scholarships must  notify the FL Department of  Education after receipt of  allegations of misconduct  against a licensed educator.  School personnel must notify  the state hotline if they know  or have reasonable cause to  suspect child abuse.
Fingerprint-based state and  federal criminal history checks  are required of all certified  teachers and all public school  employees.
None located.
Superintendents must report  to the county board of  education when an educator  commits a sexual offense.  School teachers and  administrators with  reasonable cause to believe  that a child is a victim of  abuse must notify a child  welfare agency.
Fingerprint-based FBI and state  criminal history checks are  required of all public and private  school employees whose position  places them in close proximity to  children.
Conviction of a sexual  offense is grounds for  permanent revocation of a  teaching license.
Employees or officers of any  public or private school must  notify law enforcement or the  HI Department of Human  Services if they have reason  to believe that child abuse or  neglect has occurred.
Fingerprint-based FBI and state  criminal background and sex  offender registry checks are  required of all certified teachers,  and public school employees with  unsupervised contact with  children. Private schools are  authorized to conduct such  checks of their employees.
Convicted felons may not  receive a teaching  certificate.
School districts must notify  the ID State Department of  Education when an educator  is dismissed or resigns for a  reason that could constitute  grounds for certificate  revocation. Teachers with  reason to believe that a child  has been abused or  neglected must notify law  enforcement or the ID  Department of Health &  Welfare.
Fingerprint-based FBI and state  criminal background and sex  offender registry checks are  required of all public school  employees and employees of  contractors (including school bus  operators). In order to obtain  state recognition, a private school  must conduct such checks on its  employees.
Felons convicted of sexual  or physical abuse of a minor  may not be employed by a  public school. Felons are  ineligible for a school bus  license.
Superintendents must notify  the State Superintendent of  Education when any licensed  educator is dismissed or  resigns as a result of child  abuse or neglect. School  administrators and  employees must notify the  Department of Children &  Family Services if they have  reasonable cause to believe  a child is abused or  neglected.
Fingerprint-based FBI and state  criminal background and sex  offender registry checks are  required of all public, charter, and  accredited private school  employees and contractor  employees.
Schools may not employ or  contract with individuals  convicted of violent or  sexual felonies.
Public and private school  employees who have reason  to believe that a child has  been abused or neglected  must report the incident to  law enforcement or the  Department of Child  Services.
Fingerprint-based FBI and state  criminal background and sex  offender registry checks are  required of all public school  teachers.
Conviction of a crime related  to the teaching profession is  grounds for revocation of a  teaching license. Conviction  of sex with a minor  disqualifies an individual  from holding a school bus  license.
Public and private schools  must report to the state  education board if a licensed  educator is terminated or  resigns as a result of alleged  or actual misconduct.  Licensed educators must  report child abuse to the IA  Department of Human  Services.
None located.
Conviction of a violent,  sexual, or child-victim  offense disqualifies a  teacher from receiving or  renewing a teaching  certificate.
School employees who have  reason to suspect that a child  has been harmed as a result  of physical, mental, or  emotional abuse or neglect  or sexual abuse must notify  the Department of Social &  Rehabilitation Services.
Fingerprint-based FBI and state  criminal history checks are  required of all public school  teachers, student teachers, and  employees. Public schools are  authorized to conduct such a  check of contractor employees,  volunteers, and visitors. Private  schools are authorized to  conduct such checks of their  employees.
Public schools may not  employ individuals convicted  of a sex offense felony.
Principals must report all  sexual offenses that occur on  school property to law  enforcement. School  personnel who have  reasonable cause to believe  that a child is neglected or  abused must notify law  enforcement.
Fingerprint-based FBI and state  criminal history checks are  required of all public school  employees and contractor  employees.
Public and private schools  may not employ or contract  with an entity that employs  individuals convicted of a  violent or sexual felony if  such individuals will have  contact with students.
Public or private school  personnel who have cause to  believe that a child’s physical  or mental health or welfare is  endangered as a result of  abuse or neglect must notify  law enforcement or child  protective services.
Fingerprint-based national and  state criminal history checks are  required of all public school  employees.
None located.
Teachers and school officials  who know or have  reasonable cause to suspect  that a child has been abused  or neglected must notify the  district attorney.
Fingerprint-based national and  state criminal history checks are  required of all public and private  school employees.
Public or private schools  may not employ an  individual convicted of a  violent felony or of child  sexual abuse.
All educators who have  reason to believe that a child  has been subjected to abuse  must notify law enforcement  or the Department of Human  Resources.
Criminal history checks are  required every 3 years of all  public and accredited private  school employees, volunteers,  bus drivers, and contractor  employees.
None located.
Public and private school  teachers and administrators  who have reasonable cause  to believe that a child is  suffering physical or  emotional injury resulting  from abuse must notify the  Department of Social  Services.
Fingerprint-based FBI and state  criminal background and  previous employer checks are  required of all public and private  school employees, contractor  employees, and bus drivers.
Convicted sex offenders  may not be employed in  public or private schools.
School teachers and  administrators must report  suspected child abuse or  neglect to the Department of  Human Services.
State criminal history checks are  required of all public employees  and volunteers. Public schools  are authorized to conduct such  checks on independent  contractors. School bus licenses  require a criminal history check.
Public schools may not  employ an individual with a  conviction for a violent or  sexual felony.
School boards must report to  the state Board of Teaching  when a teacher or  administrator is dismissed or  resigns as a result of  commission of a felony or  immoral conduct.  Educational professionals  who know or have reason to  believe a child is being  neglected or physically or  sexually abused must notify  law enforcement or the local  welfare agency.
Fingerprint-based FBI and state  criminal history checks are  required of all public school  employees and substitute  teachers.
Public schools may not  employ individuals convicted  of a violent or sexual felony  or of child abuse.
Superintendents must notify  law enforcement of all crimes  that occur on school  property. Public and private  school employees who have  reasonable cause to suspect  a child is abused or  neglected must notify the  Department of Human  Services.
Fingerprint-based FBI and state  criminal history checks are  required of all certified teachers  and public school employees and  bus drivers.
None located.
Principals must report all  sexual assaults to law  enforcement. School  teachers and officials who  have reasonable cause to  suspect that a child has been  subjected to abuse or  neglect must notify the  Department of Social  Services.
None located.
None located.
School districts must report  the dismissal or resignation  of teachers and  administrators resulting from  a felony conviction or  immoral conduct to the state  Superintendent of Public  Instruction. School  employees who have  reasonable cause to suspect  child abuse or neglect must  notify the Department of  Public Health and Human  Services.
Fingerprint-based FBI and state  criminal history checks are  required of all certified teachers  and administrators if they have  not been state residents for the  previous 5 years.
None located.
School employees who have  reasonable cause to suspect  a child has been subject to  abuse or neglect must notify  law enforcement or the NE  Department of Health &  Human Services.
Fingerprint-based FBI and state  criminal history checks are  required of all licensed teachers  and public and charter school  employees.
Convicted felons or  offenders with convictions  involving moral turpitude are  ineligible for a teaching  license.
Teachers who know or have  reasonable cause to believe  that a child has been abused  or neglected must notify law  enforcement or a child  welfare agency.
Fingerprint-based FBI and state  criminal history checks are  required of all public and charter  school employees, volunteers,  and contractor employees.  Private schools are authorized to  conduct such checks of their  employees. Criminal history  checks are required of all  applicants for a school bus  license.
Public schools may not  employ felons convicted of  murder, sexual assault, child  pornography, or kidnapping.
School teachers and officials  who suspect child abuse or  neglect must notify the NH  Department of Health &  Human Services.
Fingerprint-based FBI and state  criminal history checks are  required of all public school  employees and selected  contractor employees (including  school bus drivers). Public  schools are also authorized to  conduct such checks on  volunteers with regular contact  with children. Private schools are  authorized to conduct such  background checks of their  employees and contractor  employees.
Public schools may not  employ or use as contractor  employees persons  convicted of a felony in the  first or second degree.
Any person with reasonable  cause to believe that a child  has been subjected to child  abuse must notify the  Division of Youth and Family  Services.
Fingerprint-based FBI criminal  history checks are required of all  licensed teachers and public  school employees and contractor  employees.
None located.
Superintendents must notify  the NM Department of  Education when a licensed  educator is dismissed or  resigns resulting from  allegations of misconduct.  School teachers and officials  who know or reasonably  suspect child abuse or  neglect must notify law  enforcement or the Children,  Youth & Families  Department.
Fingerprint-based FBI and state  criminal history checks and  background checks are required  of all certified teachers and public  school employees. Private  schools are authorized to  conduct such background checks  of their employees and  volunteers.
Public schools may not  employ registered sex  offenders. Felons convicted  of certain violent or sexual  offenses may not hold a  school bus driver license.
School administrators or  superintendents must notify  law enforcement of  allegations of child abuse in  an educational setting.  School personnel with  reasonable cause to suspect  child abuse must notify the  Office of Children & Family  Services.
Public school districts are  required to have a policy  determining which employees  and contract employees are  subject to fingerprint-based FBI  and state criminal history checks.
None located.
Principals must report any  sexual offenses occurring on  school property to law  enforcement, and school  boards must notify the  parents of such victims.  Anyone who has cause to  suspect child abuse or  neglect must notify the  Department of Social  Services.
Fingerprint-based national and  state criminal history checks are  required of all licensed teachers,  school counselors, and public  and private school employees  with unsupervised contact with  children.
None located.
School teachers and  administrators with  reasonable cause to suspect  that a child is abused or  neglected must notify the  Department of Human  Services.
Fingerprint-based FBI and state  criminal history checks are  required of all licensed  educators, preschool employees,  public school contractor  employees with unsupervised  access to children, and school  bus license holders. Such checks  are required of all public or  charter school employees every  5 years; however, the FBI check  is not required if the employee  has been a resident of Ohio for  the past 5 years.
Public and charter schools,  school bus operators, and  preschools may not employ  a person convicted of a  violent or sexual offense.  Conviction of a felony is  grounds for revocation of an  educator licensing.
School teachers and  employees who have  reasonable cause to suspect  child abuse or neglect must  notify law enforcement or a  public children services  agency.
Fingerprint-based national and  state criminal history checks are  required of all licensed teachers.  Public school districts are  required to implement a criminal  history check policy for all  employees.
None located.
Any person who has reason  to believe a child is a victim  of abuse or neglect must  notify the state hotline.
Fingerprint-based national and  state criminal history checks are  required of all licensed teachers.  Public schools are required to  conduct such checks of their  employees and contractors.  Private schools are authorized to  conduct such checks. Public and  private schools are authorized to  conduct state criminal checks on  their volunteers with direct,  unsupervised contact with  children.
Felons convicted of certain  violent or sexual offenses  may not hold a teaching  license.
School employees who have  reasonable cause to suspect  child abuse must notify law  enforcement or the  Department of Human  Services. School boards  must adopt policies requiring  employees to report such  abuse.
State criminal history checks are  required of all public and private  school employees and contractor  employees who have direct  contact with children. If the  individual has not been a state  resident for at least 2 years prior,  then a fingerprint-based FBI  criminal history check is required.  Public schools are required to  conduct an abuse registry check  on all new employees.
Public and private schools  may not employ felons  convicted of certain violent  or sexual offenses within the  past 5 years or persons  listed as a perpetrator of  child abuse.
Superintendents must report  information which constitutes  reasonable cause to believe  that a licensed educator has  committed sexual abuse to  the PA Department of  Education. School  administrators and teachers  who have reasonable cause  to suspect child abuse must  notify the Department of  Public Welfare.
Fingerprint-based national and  state criminal history checks are  required of all public and private  school employees.
None located.
Any person who has  reasonable cause to suspect  child abuse must notify the  Department of Children,  Youth & Families.
State name-based criminal  history checks and national sex  offender registry checks are  required of all public school  employees, volunteers, and  school bus drivers.
Public schools may not hire  anyone convicted of a  violent crime.
Any crimes committed in a  school must be reported to  law enforcement. Teachers  and principals who have  reason to believe a child has  been abused or neglected  must notify law enforcement.
Fingerprint-based national and  state criminal history checks are  required of all public school  employees.
Public schools may not hire  or contract with felons  convicted of violent, drug, or  sexual offenses.
Public and private school  teachers and officials who  have reasonable cause to  suspect child abuse or  neglect must notify their  principal or superintendent  who must notify law  enforcement, a state’s  attorney, or the Department  of Social Services.
Fingerprint-based national and  state criminal history checks are  required of all public school  teachers and employees or  contractual employees in  positions requiring proximity to  children. Criminal history checks  are required of all school bus  license holders.
Felons convicted of certain  violent or sexual offenses  may not hold a teaching  license. Sexual offenders  may not come into direct  contact with children.
School personnel who have  reasonable cause to suspect  child abuse must report it to  a juvenile judge, law  enforcement, or the  Department of Children’s  Services. If the abuse  occurred on school grounds,  then the parents of the victim  must also be given notice.
National criminal history checks  are required of all certified  educators, public school  employees and contractor  employees (with direct contact  with students), student teachers,  volunteers, substitute teachers,  and bus drivers. Private schools  are authorized to conduct such  checks of their employees,  volunteers, and contractor  employees.
Public schools may not hire  persons or use contractor  employees with felony or  sex offender convictions.  Bus driver operators may  not employ individuals with  felony or misdemeanor  (involving moral turpitude)  convictions.
Superintendents must notify  the State Board for Educator  Certification if an educator is  terminated for abusing a  student. Principals must  notify law enforcement when  a felony is committed on  school property. Teachers  who have cause to believe  that a child’s physical or  mental health or welfare has  been adversely affected by  abuse or neglect must notify  a state agency or law  enforcement.
Fingerprint-based criminal history  checks are required of all public  school employees and volunteers  and employees and volunteers of  private schools that accept state  scholarships. Other private  schools are authorized to  conduct criminal history checks  of their employees.
None located.
Any person who has reason  to believe that a child has  been subjected to abuse or  neglect must notify law  enforcement or the Division  of Child and Family Services.
Fingerprint-based FBI and state  criminal background and abuse  registry checks are required of all  licensed educators and public  and independent school  employees and contractor  employees.
Sex offenders are ineligible  for public or independent  school employment.
Any person who has  reasonable cause to believe  that a licensed educator has  engaged in unprofessional  conduct must notify the VT  Department of Education.  School district employees,  teachers, or principals who  have reasonable cause to  believe that any child has  been abused or neglected  must notify the Department  for Children & Families.
Fingerprint-based national and  state criminal history checks are  required of all public school  employees and accredited  private school employees.
Persons convicted of sexual  molestation, sexual abuse,  or rape of a child are  ineligible for public school  employment or employment  with a contractor who  provides services to public  schools. Persons found to  be a perpetrator of child  abuse are ineligible for  public school employment.
School boards must notify  the Board of Education when  licensed educators are  dismissed or resign as a  result of a sexual offense.  Public and private school  employees who have reason  to suspect child abuse or  neglect must notify the local  child-protective services unit  or a state hotline.
Fingerprint-based national and  state criminal history checks are  required of all public school  employees, volunteers, and  contractor employees.
Conviction of a felony  against a child is grounds for  permanent revocation of a  teaching certificate.
Public school employees  who have reasonable cause  to believe that a student is  the victim of sexual  misconduct by a school  employee must notify the  school’s administrator, who  must notify law enforcement.  Professional school  personnel who have  reasonable cause to believe  that a child has suffered  abuse or neglect must notify  law enforcement or the  Department of Social &  Health Services.
Fingerprint-based FBI and state  criminal history checks are  required of all licensed teachers.  School bus drivers are also  subject to criminal history checks.
None located.
School teachers and  personnel who have  reasonable cause to suspect  sexual abuse of a child must  notify law enforcement and  the Department of Health  and Human Resources.
State criminal history checks are  required of all licensed teachers.  Fingerprint-based FBI criminal  history checks are required of all  teacher license applicants who  have not been state residents. A  state criminal history check is  required of all school bus license  applicants, and a federal  background check is required if  the applicant had not resided in  the state at any time during the  preceding 2 years.
Individuals convicted of  violent or child-victim crimes  during the past 6 years are  ineligible for a teacher  license. Individuals  convicted of violent or  sexual or child-victim crimes  during the past 5 years are  ineligible for a school bus  license.
School administrators must  report to the State  Superintendent if a licensed  educator is charged with a  sexual offense or is  dismissed or resigns as a  result of immoral conduct.  School teachers and  administrators who have  reasonable cause to suspect  that a child has been abused  or neglected must notify law  enforcement or the local  child welfare agency.
Fingerprint-based national and  state criminal history checks are  required of all certified teachers  and public school employees with  access to minors.
None located.
School boards must notify  the state teaching board if a  licensed educator is  dismissed or resigns as a  result of a felony conviction.  Any person who has  reasonable cause to believe  or suspect that a child has  been abused or neglected  must notify the child  protective agency or law  enforcement.