In accordance with State law, the Board of Education requires a criminal background check of each applicant the Superintendent recommends for employment on the District's professional staff as well as for current employees on a periodic basis. This requirement includes all substitutes and persons employed on a part-time basis such as coaches or activity supervisors. In addition, all professional staff members with a license, certificate, or permit issued by the Ohio Department of Education must undergo a criminal background check as prescribed by law. Such background check is not otherwise required of any currently-employed staff member who is a candidate for another position within the District.

The Superintendent shall require a records check that complies with the law through the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation (BCII) and through Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) records.

Any information and records obtained from such inquires are not public record and shall be kept confidential and not released or disseminated.

Should it be necessary to employ a person to maintain continuity of the program, prior to receipt of the criminal history record, the Superintendent may employ the person on a provisional basis until the report is received.

Professional staff members determined by virtue of a criminal records check to have pled guilty to or have been convicted of any offense enumerated under R.C. 3319.39(B)(1), including a judicial finding for intervention in lieu of conviction and/or participation in a pre-trial diversion program relating to any of the offenses listed therein, or who are otherwise determined to have engaged in conduct unbecoming the teaching profession under certain specific circumstances set forth in Policy 8141, are subject to mandatory State reporting requirements in addition to the initiation of an action by the Board to terminate their employment.

In accordance with Policy 3138 and State law, the Superintendent shall immediately suspend a licensed professional staff member from all duties that require the care, custody, or control of a child during any pending criminal action for which that staff member has been arrested, summoned and/or indicted for any crimes set forth in R.C. 3319.39(C).

A comprehensive list of the crimes which must result in a suspension are set forth in AG 3121.

R.C. 109.57, 109.572, 2950, 2953.32, 3301.541, 3319.291, 3319.39, 3319.40