Board Agenda - January 15, 2008
3. SB9 School Fingerprinting Bill Update
Presenter: Jeff Bailey/Tamira Griffin
Purpose: B - Update/status report
Time: 10 minutes
Description:
The 80th Texas Legislature enacted Senate Bill 9 (SB 9), which requires most district employees to submit to a national background check, which now means they must submit to fingerprinting which will be entered into a Texas Department of Public Safety clearinghouse. This new clearinghouse will eventually contain national criminal history for school employees across Texas.
All non-certified employees hired by the district after January 1, 2008 must be fingerprinted. Current employees, including substitutes, will be required to be fingerprinted by September 1, 2011, upon notification from the State. (Note: Certified new hires, since October 2003, are already required to be fingerprinted.)
SB 9 represents an unfunded mandate for Plano ISD and other Texas districts. While it is permissible to require new hires to pay the cost of fingerprinting, most districts are opting to pay for these expenses so as to continue to attract qualified employees. In order to maintain a competitive position in the hiring market and remain an employer of choice, Plano ISD is planning to pay for fingerprinting required under SB 9 (approximately $52/person).
Recommendation:
This item is informational only. No board action is required at this time.
Business Impact:
Initially to fingerprint non-certified applicants that are being recommended for employment is expected to cost at least $32,000. At some point between now and 2011, most district employees will be required to be fingerprinted. Those cost estimates are in process.
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