State Legislature To Explore Heightened Background Checks For Teachers

Risa Regnier, assistant superintendent of school support services for Indiana Department of Education, presents at the legislative study committee on education. (Peter Balonon-Rosen/Indiana Public Broadcasting)” credit=”

INDIANAPOLIS — State officials say heightened background checks could be a solution to reducing sexual misconduct in Indiana schools.

After a recent string of high-profile sexual misconduct cases involving school staff, state Rep. Robert Behning wants schools to investigate their workforce more often.

He’s asked the legislature to examine the costs of background checks every five years.

“Not just for teachers, but this would be for all school employees that would have any exposure with children,” Behning said.

Currently, Indiana law only requires background checks at time of employment and only for fully licensed educators. Local districts determine how to check the histories of non-licensed staff, including coaches, custodial workers and volunteers.

Education department officials said sexual misconduct could also be reduced if judges get the right to revoke teachers’ licenses when they’re involved in criminal matters.

Kelly Bauder, staff attorney with the Indiana Department of Education, said there’s another loophole to address.

She said prosecutors often neglect to let the department know when teachers are involved in sexual misconduct cases. That notification is required by law.

In a recent USA Today article that examined states’ teacher background check protocol, Indiana received an F.

That grade was largely due to the following reasons: the absence of a statewide protocol, Indiana does not use information from a national teacher database, and the state lacks online information about teacher disciplinary actions.