State Board of Education reacts to audit, implements arrest, criminal background rules

In reaction to a recent legislative audit, the State Board of Education Friday implemented several rules regarding arrests and background checks of education employees.

New employees will continue to undergo background checks when starting their jobs. Current employees renewing their licenses will be required to have a criminal background check starting July 1.

"One at the beginning of your 30 years of teaching isn't good enough," said state deputy superintendent Larry Shumway.

Educators renew their licenses every five years for a cost of $60. The criminal background check will cost educators an additional $65 for a total $125.

Periodic background checks will also be required of non-licensed education employees, such as bus drivers. The new state board rule requires school districts to put this policy in place.

Both licensed and classified employees are to report any arrests for an alleged offense or a conviction within 48 hours to their charter school director or district superintendent, who is then required to notify the State Office of Education.

Emphasized are offenses involving sex, drugs, alcohol or crimes against a person such as assault, stalking and threats.

Further, the Utah State Office of Education will begin working with the Department of Public Safety to begin tracking education employees in a database so state education officials can be alerted if an education employee is arrested.

The board's action comes after legislative auditors deemed the current system for finding the criminal histories of public school employees "flawed and ineffective."

A sample of approximately 1,200 individuals at 32 schools in the Salt Lake, Jordan, Granite and Davis school districts identified 17, or 1.4 percent of current employees, with "concerning criminal convictions" such as felony sex assault, indecent exposure, aggravated assault, theft and drugs, according to auditors.

Go to le.utah.gov/audit/newaudit.htm to view the audit.

E-mail: astewart@desnews.com