Licking Heights Local School District	
Bylaws & Policies	

4121 - CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORD CHECK
In accordance with State law, the Board of Education requires a criminal background check including information from the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation (BCII) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of each applicant the Superintendent recommends for employment of the District's non-teaching staff as well as for all non-teaching staff on a periodic basis. These requirements apply to any non-teaching employee, including individuals employed by a private company under contract with the Board to provide essential school services in accordance with Policy 8142, and all substitutes and persons employed on a part-time basis such as coaches or activity supervisors. Specific rules relating to employees engaged in the operation of a vehicle for student transportation (bus/van drivers) and non-teaching employees who are also licensed by the Ohio Department of Education (e.g. aides with a permit, paraprofessionals with a license, and those individuals who do not hold a valid educator’s license but who are employed by the Board under a student activity permit) shall be implemented as prescribed by law and applicable administrative code. 
A criminal background check is not required of any currently-employed staff member who is a candidate for another position in the District, unless otherwise required by law and/or this policy. 
The Superintendent shall establish administrative guidelines that require an appropriate records check  that complies with the law. Any information and records obtained from such inquiries are not public record and shall be kept confidential and not released or disseminated. 
Should it be necessary to employ a person in order to maintain continuity of the District’s operations, prior to receipt of the criminal history record, the Superintendent may, except in the case of a bus driver, employ the person on a provisional basis until the report is received.  
Effect of Guilty Plea and/or Conviction of Enumerated Crimes – All Non-Teaching Employees
Non-teaching employees who are also licensed by the Ohio Department of Education (e.g., aides with a permit, paraprofessionals with a license, and those individuals who do not hold a valid educator’s license but who are employed by the Board under a student activity permit) who engage in conduct unbecoming of the teaching profession and/or who it is determined 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, are subject to the mandatory reporting requirements set forth in Policy 8141, in addition to an action by the Board to terminate their employment. In addition, consistent with State law and Policy 4138, the Superintendent shall immediately suspend such licensed non-teaching employees from all duties that require the care, custody, or control of a child during any pending criminal action for which that licensed, non-teaching staff member has been arrested, summoned and/or indicted for any crimes set forth in R.C. 3319.31(C).
All other non-teaching employees who are the subject of a criminal records check including applicants hired provisionally in advance of a completed criminal records check, as well as student transportation employees (bus/van drivers, preschool and special needs bus aides), and/or individuals employed by a private company under contract with the Board to provide essential school services in accordance with Policy 8142, who it is determined have pled guilty to or been convicted of any offense enumerated under R.C. 3313.39(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, shall not be hired or shall be released from employment, as applicable, unless such individual meets the rehabilitation standards adopted by the Ohio Department of Education under division (E) of that section at the time of the hiring and/or upon discovery of such plea or conviction by the Board. 
In the case of employees hired by the Board to operate a vehicle used for student transportation (i.e., bus/van drivers), a guilty plea or conviction of a crime to any offense listed in R.C. 3313.31© will serve as a bar to further employment with the Board and the rehabilitation standards will not apply. 
Suspension From Duties Involving Care, Custody or Control of a Child for Arrest, Summons and/or Indictment for Certain Crimes
In accordance with State law and Policy 4138, the Superintendent (or Treasurer in the case of an employee whose duties are assigned by the Treasurer) shall immediately suspend any non-licensed, non-teaching employee 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 listed under R.C. 32313.39(B)(1).

R.C. 109.57, 109.572, 2950, 2953.32, 3319.39, 3301.541, 3313.291, 3319.311 
R.C. 3319.391, 3319.392, 3319.40, 3327.10
A.C. 3301-83-06 (B)(10), 3301-83-06 (F)(2), 3301-83-06 (F)(5)
A.C. 3301-83-10 (F), 3301-20-01, 4501-1-05

Adopted 9/91
Revised 2/92
Revised 1/94
Revised 2/94
Revised 9/94
Revised 11/17/03
Revised (DATE)