FILE: GBCA
PROTECTION OF CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORD INFORMATION (CHRI)
AUTHORIZATION AND ACCESSIBLE USE
The purpose of a background check is necessary to determine whether a person has been arrested for, convicted of, or pled nolo contendere to, any criminal offense. No person who has been convicted of or has pled nolo contendere to a crime listed in La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §15:587.1 (C) shall be hired by a public elementary or secondary school as a teacher, substitute teacher, bus operator, substitute bus operator, janitor, or as a temporary, part-time, or permanent employee of any kind, including any person employed to provide cafeteria, transportation, janitorial, or maintenance services by any person or entity that contracts with a school or school system to provide such services unless approved in writing by a district judge of the parish and the district attorney or, if employed on an emergency basis, unless approved in writing by the superintendent of the school system.
The School Board shall establish by regulation, requirements and procedures consistent with La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:15 and La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §15:587.1 through which it may request information from the Louisiana Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information necessary to ascertain whether an employee or applicant for employment as a teacher, substitute teacher, bus operator, substitute bus operator, or janitor, or as a temporary, part-time, or permanent employee of any kind, including any person employed to provide cafeteria, transportation, janitorial, or maintenance services by any person or entity that contracts with a school or school system to provide such services, has been arrested for convicted of, or pled nolo contendere to, any criminal offense.
USE AND DISSEMINATION
When an applicant has an issue/record that has not been resolved or is not dismissed, expunged, or nolo contendere, the Richland Parish School Board gives a reasonable time line (2 weeks) in order to get a final disposition from the District Attorney’s office to be able to comply for employment. Unless the applicant declines to do so, then applicant will not be hired.
PHYSICAL PROTECTION
The Richland Parish School Board (RPSB) has designated an area accessible only to authorized personnel for storage of Criminal History Record Information (CHRI) hard copy documents of applicants. The area has a locking file cabinet that is in a locked room which is a controlled area for that purpose only. The keys for this area are secured to prevent any unauthorized personnel/individuals access to the area. The RPSB shall, at a minimum:
Limit access to the controlled area during CHRI processing times to only those personnel authorized by the RPSB to access or view CHRI.
Keep the area, room, or storage container locked at all times when unattended.
Position information system devices and documents containing CHRI in such a way as to prevent unauthorized individuals from access and view.
RETENTION AND DESTRUCTION
The Richland Parish School Board fingerprints applicants every two years for renewal of their substitute employment. It is our practice that the previous years’ CHRI documents are disposed of by shredding them in a secured area by authorized personnel.
DISCIPLINARY ACTION
The Richland Parish School Board is required to forward any incident of access or misuse of the CHRI information by unauthorized personnel/individual to the state. The RPSB follows state policy accordingly regarding any mishandling or misuse of CHRI documents or information. Any exchange of said information can result in the cancellation of CHRI access to our system. Using CHRI for any purpose other than for its’ original purpose of hiring employees for the RPSB could also result in the loss of employment and/or criminal prosecution. Any misuse will be immediately reported to the state/proper authorities.
INCIDENT RESPONSE
The Richland Parish School Board will address any security breach immediately when discovered. If any type of incident should occur such as – records misplaced, breaches of information, and potential security violations of the CHRI, the Local Agency Security Officer (LASO) will be informed of such incident and Incident Response Form will be filled out and sent to state.
New policy: December 14, 2021
Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§15:587.1, 17:15
Board minutes, 12-14-21
Richland Parish School Board