99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2015 and 2016
SB0706

 

Introduced 2/3/2015, by Sen. Bill Cunningham

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
105 ILCS 5/2-3.25o
105 ILCS 5/10-21.9  from Ch. 122, par. 10-21.9
105 ILCS 5/34-18.5  from Ch. 122, par. 34-18.5

    Amends the School Code. In provisions concerning the registration and recognition of non-public elementary and secondary schools, (i) changes a statutory reference, (ii) makes changes concerning the release of criminal history record information concerning an applicant for employment, (iii) requires a student teacher, prior to the commencement of any student teaching experience (or required internship) in a school, to authorize a fingerprint-based criminal history records check, and (iv) requires a school to perform a check of the Statewide Sex Offender Database and of the Statewide Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Database for each student teacher. In provisions concerning criminal history records checks and checks of the Statewide Sex Offender Database and Statewide Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Database for applicants for employment with a school district, (i) requires the Department of State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to furnish records of convictions forever and hereinafter (until expunged), (ii) makes changes concerning the release of confidential information concerning criminal convictions, (iii) provides that information obtained by a school district within the last year with respect to employees of persons or firms holding contracts with the school district must be made available to a requesting school or school district (instead of to a requesting school, school district, community college district, or private school), and (iv) makes changes concerning checks for student teachers.


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FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY
STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

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1    AN ACT concerning education.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Sections
52-3.25o, 10-21.9, and 34-18.5 as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/2-3.25o)
7    Sec. 2-3.25o. Registration and recognition of non-public
8elementary and secondary schools.
9    (a) Findings. The General Assembly finds and declares (i)
10that the Constitution of the State of Illinois provides that a
11"fundamental goal of the People of the State is the educational
12development of all persons to the limits of their capacities"
13and (ii) that the educational development of every school
14student serves the public purposes of the State. In order to
15ensure that all Illinois students and teachers have the
16opportunity to enroll and work in State-approved educational
17institutions and programs, the State Board of Education shall
18provide for the voluntary registration and recognition of
19non-public elementary and secondary schools.
20    (b) Registration. All non-public elementary and secondary
21schools in the State of Illinois may voluntarily register with
22the State Board of Education on an annual basis. Registration
23shall be completed in conformance with procedures prescribed by

 

 

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1the State Board of Education. Information required for
2registration shall include assurances of compliance (i) with
3federal and State laws regarding health examination and
4immunization, attendance, length of term, and
5nondiscrimination and (ii) with applicable fire and health
6safety requirements.
7    (c) Recognition. All non-public elementary and secondary
8schools in the State of Illinois may voluntarily seek the
9status of "Non-public School Recognition" from the State Board
10of Education. This status may be obtained by compliance with
11administrative guidelines and review procedures as prescribed
12by the State Board of Education. The guidelines and procedures
13must recognize that some of the aims and the financial bases of
14non-public schools are different from public schools and will
15not be identical to those for public schools, nor will they be
16more burdensome. The guidelines and procedures must also
17recognize the diversity of non-public schools and shall not
18impinge upon the noneducational relationships between those
19schools and their clientele.
20    (c-5) Prohibition against recognition. A non-public
21elementary or secondary school may not obtain "Non-public
22School Recognition" status unless the school requires all
23certified and non-certified applicants for employment with the
24school, after July 1, 2007, to authorize a fingerprint-based
25criminal history records check as a condition of employment to
26determine if such applicants have been convicted of any of the

 

 

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1enumerated criminal or drug offenses set forth in Section
221B-80 21-23a of this Code or have been convicted, within 7
3years of the application for employment, of any other felony
4under the laws of this State or of any offense committed or
5attempted in any other state or against the laws of the United
6States that, if committed or attempted in this State, would
7have been punishable as a felony under the laws of this State.
8    Authorization for the check shall be furnished by the
9applicant to the school, except that if the applicant is a
10substitute teacher seeking employment in more than one
11non-public school, a teacher seeking concurrent part-time
12employment positions with more than one non-public school (as a
13reading specialist, special education teacher, or otherwise),
14or an educational support personnel employee seeking
15employment positions with more than one non-public school, then
16only one of the non-public schools employing the individual
17shall request the authorization. Upon receipt of this
18authorization, the non-public school shall submit the
19applicant's name, sex, race, date of birth, social security
20number, fingerprint images, and other identifiers, as
21prescribed by the Department of State Police, to the Department
22of State Police.
23    The Department of State Police and Federal Bureau of
24Investigation shall furnish, pursuant to a fingerprint-based
25criminal history records check, records of convictions,
26forever and hereafter, until expunged, to the president or

 

 

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1principal of the non-public school that requested the check.
2The Department of State Police shall charge that school a fee
3for conducting such check, which fee must be deposited into the
4State Police Services Fund and must not exceed the cost of the
5inquiry. Subject to appropriations for these purposes, the
6State Superintendent of Education shall reimburse non-public
7schools for fees paid to obtain criminal history records checks
8under this Section.
9    A non-public school may not obtain recognition status
10unless the school also performs a check of the Statewide Sex
11Offender Database, as authorized by the Sex Offender Community
12Notification Law, for each applicant for employment, after July
131, 2007, to determine whether the applicant has been
14adjudicated a sex offender.
15    Any information concerning the record of convictions
16obtained by a non-public school's president or principal under
17this Section is confidential and may be disseminated only to
18the governing body of the non-public school or any other person
19necessary to the decision of hiring the applicant for
20employment. A copy of the record of convictions obtained from
21the Department of State Police shall be provided to the
22applicant for employment. Upon a check of the Statewide Sex
23Offender Database, the non-public school shall notify the
24applicant as to whether or not the applicant has been
25identified in the Sex Offender Database as a sex offender. Any
26information concerning the records of conviction obtained by

 

 

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1the non-public school's president or principal under this
2Section for a substitute teacher seeking employment in more
3than one non-public school, a teacher seeking concurrent
4part-time employment positions with more than one non-public
5school (as a reading specialist, special education teacher, or
6otherwise), or an educational support personnel employee
7seeking employment positions with more than one non-public
8school may be shared with another non-public school's principal
9or president to which the applicant seeks employment. Any
10unauthorized release of confidential information may be a
11violation of Section 7 of the Criminal Identification Act. Any
12person who releases any criminal history record information
13concerning an applicant for employment is guilty of a Class A
14misdemeanor and may be subject to prosecution under federal
15law, unless the release of such information is authorized by
16this Section.
17    No non-public school may obtain recognition status that
18knowingly employs a person, hired after July 1, 2007, for whom
19a Department of State Police and Federal Bureau of
20Investigation fingerprint-based criminal history records check
21and a Statewide Sex Offender Database check has not been
22initiated or who has been convicted of any offense enumerated
23in Section 21B-80 of this Code or any offense committed or
24attempted in any other state or against the laws of the United
25States that, if committed or attempted in this State, would
26have been punishable as one or more of those offenses. No

 

 

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1non-public school may obtain recognition status under this
2Section that knowingly employs a person who has been found to
3be the perpetrator of sexual or physical abuse of a minor under
418 years of age pursuant to proceedings under Article II of the
5Juvenile Court Act of 1987.
6    In order to obtain recognition status under this Section, a
7non-public school must require compliance with the provisions
8of this subsection (c-5) from all employees of persons or firms
9holding contracts with the school, including, but not limited
10to, food service workers, school bus drivers, and other
11transportation employees, who have direct, daily contact with
12pupils. Any information concerning the records of conviction or
13identification as a sex offender of any such employee obtained
14by the non-public school principal or president must be
15promptly reported to the school's governing body.
16    Prior to the commencement of any student teaching
17experience or required internship (which is referred to as
18student teaching in this Section) in any non-public elementary
19or secondary school that has obtained or seeks to obtain
20recognition status under this Section, a student teacher is
21required to authorize a fingerprint-based criminal history
22records check. Authorization for and payment of the costs of
23the check must be furnished by the student teacher to the chief
24administrative officer of the non-public school where the
25student teaching is to be completed. Upon receipt of this
26authorization and payment, the chief administrative officer of

 

 

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1the non-public school shall submit the student teacher's name,
2sex, race, date of birth, social security number, fingerprint
3images, and other identifiers, as prescribed by the Department
4of State Police, to the Department of State Police. The
5Department of State Police and the Federal Bureau of
6Investigation shall furnish, pursuant to a fingerprint-based
7criminal history records check, records of convictions,
8forever and hereinafter, until expunged, to the chief
9administrative officer of the non-public school that requested
10the check. The Department of State Police shall charge the
11school a fee for conducting the check, which fee must be passed
12on to the student teacher, must not exceed the cost of the
13inquiry, and must be deposited into the State Police Services
14Fund. The school shall further perform a check of the Statewide
15Sex Offender Database, as authorized by the Sex Offender
16Community Notification Law, and of the Statewide Murderer and
17Violent Offender Against Youth Database, as authorized by the
18Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Registration Act,
19for each student teacher. No school that has obtained or seeks
20to obtain recognition status under this Section may knowingly
21allow a person to student teach for whom a criminal history
22records check, a Statewide Sex Offender Database check, and a
23Statewide Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Database
24check have not been completed and reviewed by the chief
25administrative officer of the non-public school.
26    A copy of the record of convictions obtained from the

 

 

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1Department of State Police must be provided to the student
2teacher. Any information concerning the record of convictions
3obtained by the chief administrative officer of the non-public
4school is confidential and may be transmitted only to the chief
5administrative officer of the non-public school or his or her
6designee, the State Superintendent of Education, the State
7Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, or, for
8clarification purposes, the Department of State Police or the
9Statewide Sex Offender Database or Statewide Murderer and
10Violent Offender Against Youth Database. Any unauthorized
11release of confidential information may be a violation of
12Section 7 of the Criminal Identification Act.
13    No school that has obtained or seeks to obtain recognition
14status under this Section may knowingly allow a person to
15student teach who has been convicted of any offense that would
16subject him or her to license suspension or revocation pursuant
17to Section 21B-80 of this Code or who has been found to be the
18perpetrator of sexual or physical abuse of a minor under 18
19years of age pursuant to proceedings under Article II of the
20Juvenile Court Act of 1987.
21    (d) Public purposes. The provisions of this Section are in
22the public interest, for the public benefit, and serve secular
23public purposes.
24    (e) Definition. For purposes of this Section, a non-public
25school means any non-profit, non-home-based, and non-public
26elementary or secondary school that is in compliance with Title

 

 

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1VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and attendance at which
2satisfies the requirements of Section 26-1 of this Code.
3(Source: P.A. 96-431, eff. 8-13-09; 97-607, eff. 8-26-11.)
 
4    (105 ILCS 5/10-21.9)  (from Ch. 122, par. 10-21.9)
5    Sec. 10-21.9. Criminal history records checks and checks of
6the Statewide Sex Offender Database and Statewide Murderer and
7Violent Offender Against Youth Database.
8    (a) Certified and noncertified applicants for employment
9with a school district, except school bus driver applicants,
10are required as a condition of employment to authorize a
11fingerprint-based criminal history records check to determine
12if such applicants have been convicted of any of the enumerated
13criminal or drug offenses in subsection (c) of this Section or
14have been convicted, within 7 years of the application for
15employment with the school district, of any other felony under
16the laws of this State or of any offense committed or attempted
17in any other state or against the laws of the United States
18that, if committed or attempted in this State, would have been
19punishable as a felony under the laws of this State.
20Authorization for the check shall be furnished by the applicant
21to the school district, except that if the applicant is a
22substitute teacher seeking employment in more than one school
23district, a teacher seeking concurrent part-time employment
24positions with more than one school district (as a reading
25specialist, special education teacher or otherwise), or an

 

 

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1educational support personnel employee seeking employment
2positions with more than one district, any such district may
3require the applicant to furnish authorization for the check to
4the regional superintendent of the educational service region
5in which are located the school districts in which the
6applicant is seeking employment as a substitute or concurrent
7part-time teacher or concurrent educational support personnel
8employee. Upon receipt of this authorization, the school
9district or the appropriate regional superintendent, as the
10case may be, shall submit the applicant's name, sex, race, date
11of birth, social security number, fingerprint images, and other
12identifiers, as prescribed by the Department of State Police,
13to the Department. The regional superintendent submitting the
14requisite information to the Department of State Police shall
15promptly notify the school districts in which the applicant is
16seeking employment as a substitute or concurrent part-time
17teacher or concurrent educational support personnel employee
18that the check of the applicant has been requested. The
19Department of State Police and the Federal Bureau of
20Investigation shall furnish, pursuant to a fingerprint-based
21criminal history records check, records of convictions,
22forever and hereinafter, until expunged, to the president of
23the school board for the school district that requested the
24check, or to the regional superintendent who requested the
25check. The Department shall charge the school district or the
26appropriate regional superintendent a fee for conducting such

 

 

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1check, which fee shall be deposited in the State Police
2Services Fund and shall not exceed the cost of the inquiry; and
3the applicant shall not be charged a fee for such check by the
4school district or by the regional superintendent, except that
5those applicants seeking employment as a substitute teacher
6with a school district may be charged a fee not to exceed the
7cost of the inquiry. Subject to appropriations for these
8purposes, the State Superintendent of Education shall
9reimburse school districts and regional superintendents for
10fees paid to obtain criminal history records checks under this
11Section.
12    (a-5) The school district or regional superintendent shall
13further perform a check of the Statewide Sex Offender Database,
14as authorized by the Sex Offender Community Notification Law,
15for each applicant.
16    (a-6) The school district or regional superintendent shall
17further perform a check of the Statewide Murderer and Violent
18Offender Against Youth Database, as authorized by the Murderer
19and Violent Offender Against Youth Community Notification Law,
20for each applicant.
21    (b) Any information concerning the record of convictions
22obtained by the president of the school board or the regional
23superintendent shall be confidential and may only be
24transmitted to the superintendent of the school district or his
25designee, the appropriate regional superintendent if the check
26was requested by the school district, the presidents of the

 

 

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1appropriate school boards if the check was requested from the
2Department of State Police by the regional superintendent, the
3State Superintendent of Education, the State Teacher
4Certification Board, any other person necessary to the decision
5of hiring the applicant for employment, or for clarification
6purposes the Department of State Police or Statewide Sex
7Offender Database, or both. A copy of the record of convictions
8obtained from the Department of State Police shall be provided
9to the applicant for employment. Upon the check of the
10Statewide Sex Offender Database, the school district or
11regional superintendent shall notify an applicant as to whether
12or not the applicant has been identified in the Database as a
13sex offender. If a check of an applicant for employment as a
14substitute or concurrent part-time teacher or concurrent
15educational support personnel employee in more than one school
16district was requested by the regional superintendent, and the
17Department of State Police upon a check ascertains that the
18applicant has not been convicted of any of the enumerated
19criminal or drug offenses in subsection (c) or has not been
20convicted, within 7 years of the application for employment
21with the school district, of any other felony under the laws of
22this State or of any offense committed or attempted in any
23other state or against the laws of the United States that, if
24committed or attempted in this State, would have been
25punishable as a felony under the laws of this State and so
26notifies the regional superintendent and if the regional

 

 

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1superintendent upon a check ascertains that the applicant has
2not been identified in the Sex Offender Database as a sex
3offender, then the regional superintendent shall issue to the
4applicant a certificate evidencing that as of the date
5specified by the Department of State Police the applicant has
6not been convicted of any of the enumerated criminal or drug
7offenses in subsection (c) or has not been convicted, within 7
8years of the application for employment with the school
9district, of any other felony under the laws of this State or
10of any offense committed or attempted in any other state or
11against the laws of the United States that, if committed or
12attempted in this State, would have been punishable as a felony
13under the laws of this State and evidencing that as of the date
14that the regional superintendent conducted a check of the
15Statewide Sex Offender Database, the applicant has not been
16identified in the Database as a sex offender. The school board
17of any school district may rely on the certificate issued by
18any regional superintendent to that substitute teacher,
19concurrent part-time teacher, or concurrent educational
20support personnel employee or may initiate its own criminal
21history records check of the applicant through the Department
22of State Police and its own check of the Statewide Sex Offender
23Database as provided in subsection (a). Any unauthorized
24release of confidential information may be a violation of
25Section 7 of the Criminal Identification Act. Any person who
26releases any confidential information concerning any criminal

 

 

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1convictions of an applicant for employment shall be guilty of a
2Class A misdemeanor, unless the release of such information is
3authorized by this Section.
4    (c) No school board shall knowingly employ a person who has
5been convicted of any offense that would subject him or her to
6license suspension or revocation pursuant to Section 21B-80 of
7this Code. Further, no school board shall knowingly employ a
8person who has been found to be the perpetrator of sexual or
9physical abuse of any minor under 18 years of age pursuant to
10proceedings under Article II of the Juvenile Court Act of 1987.
11    (d) No school board shall knowingly employ a person for
12whom a criminal history records check and a Statewide Sex
13Offender Database check has not been initiated.
14    (e) Upon receipt of the record of a conviction of or a
15finding of child abuse by a holder of any certificate issued
16pursuant to Article 21 or Section 34-8.1 or 34-83 of the School
17Code, the State Superintendent of Education may initiate
18certificate suspension and revocation proceedings as
19authorized by law.
20    (e-5) The superintendent of the employing school board
21shall, in writing, notify the State Superintendent of Education
22and the applicable regional superintendent of schools of any
23certificate holder whom he or she has reasonable cause to
24believe has committed an intentional act of abuse or neglect
25with the result of making a child an abused child or a
26neglected child, as defined in Section 3 of the Abused and

 

 

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1Neglected Child Reporting Act, and that act resulted in the
2certificate holder's dismissal or resignation from the school
3district. This notification must be submitted within 30 days
4after the dismissal or resignation. The certificate holder must
5also be contemporaneously sent a copy of the notice by the
6superintendent. All correspondence, documentation, and other
7information so received by the regional superintendent of
8schools, the State Superintendent of Education, the State Board
9of Education, or the State Teacher Certification Board under
10this subsection (e-5) is confidential and must not be disclosed
11to third parties, except (i) as necessary for the State
12Superintendent of Education or his or her designee to
13investigate and prosecute pursuant to Article 21 of this Code,
14(ii) pursuant to a court order, (iii) for disclosure to the
15certificate holder or his or her representative, or (iv) as
16otherwise provided in this Article and provided that any such
17information admitted into evidence in a hearing is exempt from
18this confidentiality and non-disclosure requirement. Except
19for an act of willful or wanton misconduct, any superintendent
20who provides notification as required in this subsection (e-5)
21shall have immunity from any liability, whether civil or
22criminal or that otherwise might result by reason of such
23action.
24    (f) After January 1, 1990 the provisions of this Section
25shall apply to all employees of persons or firms holding
26contracts with any school district including, but not limited

 

 

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1to, food service workers, school bus drivers and other
2transportation employees, who have direct, daily contact with
3the pupils of any school in such district. For purposes of
4criminal history records checks and checks of the Statewide Sex
5Offender Database on employees of persons or firms holding
6contracts with more than one school district and assigned to
7more than one school district, the regional superintendent of
8the educational service region in which the contracting school
9districts are located may, at the request of any such school
10district, be responsible for receiving the authorization for a
11criminal history records check prepared by each such employee
12and submitting the same to the Department of State Police and
13for conducting a check of the Statewide Sex Offender Database
14for each employee. Any information concerning the record of
15conviction and identification as a sex offender of any such
16employee obtained by the regional superintendent shall be
17promptly reported to the president of the appropriate school
18board or school boards.
19    (f-5) Upon request of a school or school district, any
20information obtained by a school district pursuant to
21subsection (f) of this Section within the last year must be
22made available to the requesting school or school district.
23    (g) Prior to the commencement of any student teaching
24experience or required internship (which is referred to as
25student teaching in this Section) In order to student teach in
26the public schools, a student teacher person is required to

 

 

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1authorize a fingerprint-based criminal history records check
2and checks of the Statewide Sex Offender Database and Statewide
3Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Database prior to
4participating in any field experiences in the public schools.
5Authorization for and payment of the costs of the check checks
6must be furnished by the student teacher to the school district
7where the student teaching is to be completed. Upon receipt of
8this authorization and payment, the school district shall
9submit the student teacher's name, sex, race, date of birth,
10social security number, fingerprint images, and other
11identifiers, as prescribed by the Department of State Police,
12to the Department of State Police. The Department of State
13Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation shall furnish,
14pursuant to a fingerprint-based criminal history records
15check, records of convictions, forever and hereinafter, until
16expunged, to the president of the school board for the school
17district that requested the check. The Department shall charge
18the school district a fee for conducting the check, which fee
19must not exceed the cost of the inquiry and must be deposited
20into the State Police Services Fund. The school district shall
21further perform a check of the Statewide Sex Offender Database,
22as authorized by the Sex Offender Community Notification Law,
23and of the Statewide Murderer and Violent Offender Against
24Youth Database, as authorized by the Murderer and Violent
25Offender Against Youth Registration Act, for each student
26teacher. No school board may knowingly allow a person to

 

 

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1student teach for whom a criminal history records check, a
2Statewide Sex Offender Database check, and a Statewide Murderer
3and Violent Offender Against Youth Database check have not been
4completed and reviewed by the district. Results of the checks
5must be furnished to the higher education institution where the
6student teacher is enrolled and the superintendent of the
7school district where the student is assigned.
8    A copy of the record of convictions obtained from the
9Department of State Police must be provided to the student
10teacher. Any information concerning the record of convictions
11obtained by the president of the school board is confidential
12and may only be transmitted to the superintendent of the school
13district or his or her designee, the State Superintendent of
14Education, the State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board,
15or, for clarification purposes, the Department of State Police
16or the Statewide Sex Offender Database or Statewide Murderer
17and Violent Offender Against Youth Database. Any unauthorized
18release of confidential information may be a violation of
19Section 7 of the Criminal Identification Act.
20    No school board may knowingly allow a person to student
21teach who has been convicted of any offense that would subject
22him or her to license suspension or revocation pursuant to
23Section 21B-80 of this Code or who has been found to be the
24perpetrator of sexual or physical abuse of a minor under 18
25years of age pursuant to proceedings under Article II of the
26Juvenile Court Act of 1987.

 

 

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1    (h) (Blank). Upon request of a school, school district,
2community college district, or private school, any information
3obtained by a school district pursuant to subsection (f) of
4this Section within the last year must be made available to
5that school, school district, community college district, or
6private school.
7(Source: P.A. 96-431, eff. 8-13-09; 96-1452, eff. 8-20-10;
896-1489, eff. 1-1-11; 97-154, eff. 1-1-12; 97-248, eff. 1-1-12;
997-607, eff. 8-26-11; 97-813, eff. 7-13-12.)
 
10    (105 ILCS 5/34-18.5)  (from Ch. 122, par. 34-18.5)
11    Sec. 34-18.5. Criminal history records checks and checks of
12the Statewide Sex Offender Database and Statewide Murderer and
13Violent Offender Against Youth Database.
14    (a) Certified and noncertified applicants for employment
15with the school district are required as a condition of
16employment to authorize a fingerprint-based criminal history
17records check to determine if such applicants have been
18convicted of any of the enumerated criminal or drug offenses in
19subsection (c) of this Section or have been convicted, within 7
20years of the application for employment with the school
21district, of any other felony under the laws of this State or
22of any offense committed or attempted in any other state or
23against the laws of the United States that, if committed or
24attempted in this State, would have been punishable as a felony
25under the laws of this State. Authorization for the check shall

 

 

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1be furnished by the applicant to the school district, except
2that if the applicant is a substitute teacher seeking
3employment in more than one school district, or a teacher
4seeking concurrent part-time employment positions with more
5than one school district (as a reading specialist, special
6education teacher or otherwise), or an educational support
7personnel employee seeking employment positions with more than
8one district, any such district may require the applicant to
9furnish authorization for the check to the regional
10superintendent of the educational service region in which are
11located the school districts in which the applicant is seeking
12employment as a substitute or concurrent part-time teacher or
13concurrent educational support personnel employee. Upon
14receipt of this authorization, the school district or the
15appropriate regional superintendent, as the case may be, shall
16submit the applicant's name, sex, race, date of birth, social
17security number, fingerprint images, and other identifiers, as
18prescribed by the Department of State Police, to the
19Department. The regional superintendent submitting the
20requisite information to the Department of State Police shall
21promptly notify the school districts in which the applicant is
22seeking employment as a substitute or concurrent part-time
23teacher or concurrent educational support personnel employee
24that the check of the applicant has been requested. The
25Department of State Police and the Federal Bureau of
26Investigation shall furnish, pursuant to a fingerprint-based

 

 

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1criminal history records check, records of convictions,
2forever and hereinafter, until expunged, to the president of
3the school board for the school district that requested the
4check, or to the regional superintendent who requested the
5check. The Department shall charge the school district or the
6appropriate regional superintendent a fee for conducting such
7check, which fee shall be deposited in the State Police
8Services Fund and shall not exceed the cost of the inquiry; and
9the applicant shall not be charged a fee for such check by the
10school district or by the regional superintendent. Subject to
11appropriations for these purposes, the State Superintendent of
12Education shall reimburse the school district and regional
13superintendent for fees paid to obtain criminal history records
14checks under this Section.
15    (a-5) The school district or regional superintendent shall
16further perform a check of the Statewide Sex Offender Database,
17as authorized by the Sex Offender Community Notification Law,
18for each applicant.
19    (a-6) The school district or regional superintendent shall
20further perform a check of the Statewide Murderer and Violent
21Offender Against Youth Database, as authorized by the Murderer
22and Violent Offender Against Youth Community Notification Law,
23for each applicant.
24    (b) Any information concerning the record of convictions
25obtained by the president of the board of education or the
26regional superintendent shall be confidential and may only be

 

 

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1transmitted to the general superintendent of the school
2district or his designee, the appropriate regional
3superintendent if the check was requested by the board of
4education for the school district, the presidents of the
5appropriate board of education or school boards if the check
6was requested from the Department of State Police by the
7regional superintendent, the State Superintendent of
8Education, the State Teacher Certification Board or any other
9person necessary to the decision of hiring the applicant for
10employment. A copy of the record of convictions obtained from
11the Department of State Police shall be provided to the
12applicant for employment. Upon the check of the Statewide Sex
13Offender Database, the school district or regional
14superintendent shall notify an applicant as to whether or not
15the applicant has been identified in the Database as a sex
16offender. If a check of an applicant for employment as a
17substitute or concurrent part-time teacher or concurrent
18educational support personnel employee in more than one school
19district was requested by the regional superintendent, and the
20Department of State Police upon a check ascertains that the
21applicant has not been convicted of any of the enumerated
22criminal or drug offenses in subsection (c) or has not been
23convicted, within 7 years of the application for employment
24with the school district, of any other felony under the laws of
25this State or of any offense committed or attempted in any
26other state or against the laws of the United States that, if

 

 

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1committed or attempted in this State, would have been
2punishable as a felony under the laws of this State and so
3notifies the regional superintendent and if the regional
4superintendent upon a check ascertains that the applicant has
5not been identified in the Sex Offender Database as a sex
6offender, then the regional superintendent shall issue to the
7applicant a certificate evidencing that as of the date
8specified by the Department of State Police the applicant has
9not been convicted of any of the enumerated criminal or drug
10offenses in subsection (c) or has not been convicted, within 7
11years of the application for employment with the school
12district, of any other felony under the laws of this State or
13of any offense committed or attempted in any other state or
14against the laws of the United States that, if committed or
15attempted in this State, would have been punishable as a felony
16under the laws of this State and evidencing that as of the date
17that the regional superintendent conducted a check of the
18Statewide Sex Offender Database, the applicant has not been
19identified in the Database as a sex offender. The school board
20of any school district may rely on the certificate issued by
21any regional superintendent to that substitute teacher,
22concurrent part-time teacher, or concurrent educational
23support personnel employee or may initiate its own criminal
24history records check of the applicant through the Department
25of State Police and its own check of the Statewide Sex Offender
26Database as provided in subsection (a). Any unauthorized

 

 

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1release of confidential information may be a violation of
2Section 7 of the Criminal Identification Act. Any person who
3releases any confidential information concerning any criminal
4convictions of an applicant for employment shall be guilty of a
5Class A misdemeanor, unless the release of such information is
6authorized by this Section.
7    (c) The board of education shall not knowingly employ a
8person who has been convicted of any offense that would subject
9him or her to license suspension or revocation pursuant to
10Section 21B-80 of this Code. Further, the board of education
11shall not knowingly employ a person who has been found to be
12the perpetrator of sexual or physical abuse of any minor under
1318 years of age pursuant to proceedings under Article II of the
14Juvenile Court Act of 1987.
15    (d) The board of education shall not knowingly employ a
16person for whom a criminal history records check and a
17Statewide Sex Offender Database check has not been initiated.
18    (e) Upon receipt of the record of a conviction of or a
19finding of child abuse by a holder of any certificate issued
20pursuant to Article 21 or Section 34-8.1 or 34-83 of the School
21Code, the State Superintendent of Education may initiate
22certificate suspension and revocation proceedings as
23authorized by law.
24    (e-5) The general superintendent of schools shall, in
25writing, notify the State Superintendent of Education of any
26certificate holder whom he or she has reasonable cause to

 

 

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1believe has committed an intentional act of abuse or neglect
2with the result of making a child an abused child or a
3neglected child, as defined in Section 3 of the Abused and
4Neglected Child Reporting Act, and that act resulted in the
5certificate holder's dismissal or resignation from the school
6district. This notification must be submitted within 30 days
7after the dismissal or resignation. The certificate holder must
8also be contemporaneously sent a copy of the notice by the
9superintendent. All correspondence, documentation, and other
10information so received by the State Superintendent of
11Education, the State Board of Education, or the State Teacher
12Certification Board under this subsection (e-5) is
13confidential and must not be disclosed to third parties, except
14(i) as necessary for the State Superintendent of Education or
15his or her designee to investigate and prosecute pursuant to
16Article 21 of this Code, (ii) pursuant to a court order, (iii)
17for disclosure to the certificate holder or his or her
18representative, or (iv) as otherwise provided in this Article
19and provided that any such information admitted into evidence
20in a hearing is exempt from this confidentiality and
21non-disclosure requirement. Except for an act of willful or
22wanton misconduct, any superintendent who provides
23notification as required in this subsection (e-5) shall have
24immunity from any liability, whether civil or criminal or that
25otherwise might result by reason of such action.
26    (f) After March 19, 1990, the provisions of this Section

 

 

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1shall apply to all employees of persons or firms holding
2contracts with any school district including, but not limited
3to, food service workers, school bus drivers and other
4transportation employees, who have direct, daily contact with
5the pupils of any school in such district. For purposes of
6criminal history records checks and checks of the Statewide Sex
7Offender Database on employees of persons or firms holding
8contracts with more than one school district and assigned to
9more than one school district, the regional superintendent of
10the educational service region in which the contracting school
11districts are located may, at the request of any such school
12district, be responsible for receiving the authorization for a
13criminal history records check prepared by each such employee
14and submitting the same to the Department of State Police and
15for conducting a check of the Statewide Sex Offender Database
16for each employee. Any information concerning the record of
17conviction and identification as a sex offender of any such
18employee obtained by the regional superintendent shall be
19promptly reported to the president of the appropriate school
20board or school boards.
21    (f-5) Upon request of a school or school district, any
22information obtained by the school district pursuant to
23subsection (f) of this Section within the last year must be
24made available to the requesting school or school district.
25    (g) Prior to the commencement of any student teaching
26experience or required internship (which is referred to as

 

 

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1student teaching in this Section) In order to student teach in
2the public schools, a student teacher person is required to
3authorize a fingerprint-based criminal history records check
4and checks of the Statewide Sex Offender Database and Statewide
5Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Database prior to
6participating in any field experiences in the public schools.
7Authorization for and payment of the costs of the check checks
8must be furnished by the student teacher to the school
9district. Upon receipt of this authorization and payment, the
10school district shall submit the student teacher's name, sex,
11race, date of birth, social security number, fingerprint
12images, and other identifiers, as prescribed by the Department
13of State Police, to the Department of State Police. The
14Department of State Police and the Federal Bureau of
15Investigation shall furnish, pursuant to a fingerprint-based
16criminal history records check, records of convictions,
17forever and hereinafter, until expunged, to the president of
18the board. The Department shall charge the school district a
19fee for conducting the check, which fee must not exceed the
20cost of the inquiry and must be deposited into the State Police
21Services Fund. The school district shall further perform a
22check of the Statewide Sex Offender Database, as authorized by
23the Sex Offender Community Notification Law, and of the
24Statewide Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth
25Database, as authorized by the Murderer and Violent Offender
26Against Youth Registration Act, for each student teacher. The

 

 

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1board may not knowingly allow a person to student teach for
2whom a criminal history records check, a Statewide Sex Offender
3Database check, and a Statewide Murderer and Violent Offender
4Against Youth Database check have not been completed and
5reviewed by the district. Results of the checks must be
6furnished to the higher education institution where the student
7teacher is enrolled and the general superintendent of schools.
8    A copy of the record of convictions obtained from the
9Department of State Police must be provided to the student
10teacher. Any information concerning the record of convictions
11obtained by the president of the board is confidential and may
12only be transmitted to the general superintendent of schools or
13his or her designee, the State Superintendent of Education, the
14State Educator Preparation and Licensure Board, or, for
15clarification purposes, the Department of State Police or the
16Statewide Sex Offender Database or Statewide Murderer and
17Violent Offender Against Youth Database. Any unauthorized
18release of confidential information may be a violation of
19Section 7 of the Criminal Identification Act.
20    The board may not knowingly allow a person to student teach
21who has been convicted of any offense that would subject him or
22her to license suspension or revocation pursuant to Section
2321B-80 of this Code or who has been found to be the perpetrator
24of sexual or physical abuse of a minor under 18 years of age
25pursuant to proceedings under Article II of the Juvenile Court
26Act of 1987.

 

 

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1    (h) (Blank). Upon request of a school, school district,
2community college district, or private school, any information
3obtained by the school district pursuant to subsection (f) of
4this Section within the last year must be made available to
5that school, school district, community college district, or
6private school.
7(Source: P.A. 96-431, eff. 8-13-09; 96-1452, eff. 8-20-10;
897-154, eff. 1-1-12; 97-248, eff. 1-1-12; 97-607, eff. 8-26-11;
997-813, eff. 7-13-12.)