Fingerprinting Policy
Policy Statement
The Board of Trustees is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of all students. In accordance with New York State Charter School Act § 2852(4), Charter Schools must fingerprint prospective employees for the purposes of a criminal history background check.
Applicability
This policy applies to all individuals seeking employment with the School, including but not limited to instructional staff, administrative personnel, support staff, and any other individuals who will have direct or indirect contact with students, as required by law.
The School requires fingerprints of long-term volunteers, prospective employees and contractors who are in direct contact with children. Individuals must comply with any related processing procedures and must provide all required information. Failure to do so may result in termination from interactions with DCS. Employment with the School is conditional upon background check and fingerprint clearance. Furthermore, no one required to be fingerprinted may enter the school building until and unless they are cleared by their background check. These requirements are the responsibility of the employee, and the information must be submitted to Human Resources. To the extent permitted by law, the School may require that these costs be borne by the employee.
Conditional Employment
The School may permit conditional employment only to the extent allowed by law and NYSED regulations. Any such employment shall be contingent upon the successful completion of the fingerprinting process and receipt of clearance.
Compliance and Verification
The Institute requires all fingerprint-supported criminal history reports to be reviewed by two or more employees designated by the education corporation's board of trustees. The Executive Director and Principal shall be responsible for ensuring compliance with this policy, including:
- Verifying fingerprint clearance prior to the commencement of employment
- Maintaining appropriate documentation of clearance
- Ensuring adherence to all NYSED procedures and timelines
Confidentiality
All information obtained through the fingerprinting and criminal history records check process shall be maintained in strict confidentiality and handled in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
Record Keeping
The School shall maintain records of fingerprint clearance in accordance with NYSED requirements and applicable record retention laws.
Review of Policy
The Board of Trustees shall review this policy periodically to ensure continued compliance with state law and best practices.