New Background Check Requirements Coming for Heartland AEA Staff

With the passage of the most recent education reform bill in the Iowa legislature, schools and AEAs are now required to review the state sex offender registry, the state central child abuse registry and the state central dependent adult abuse registry for information regarding any applicant for a school employee position before an applicant is hired. The law requires school districts and AEAs to follow the same procedure every five years upon the anniversary of the employee’s date of hire for those who are not licensed through the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners or for those who are licensed through the Board with a permanent professional license. It also requires the districts and AEAs to pay for the cost of the background checks. What this means for AEA staff is two-fold. 

Federal Background Checks 
First, any staff member who has never had a federal background check (fingerprinting) conducted, will receive a fingerprint card and authorization form in the mail to complete. You will need to take the fingerprint card to your local police station (or anywhere that conducts fingerprinting) to get fingerprinted and return the card and authorization form to the Human Resources Department within two weeks of receipt. Be aware that most police stations will charge a small fee for the fingerprinting service and that fee cannot be turned in as an expense. Instructions will be enclosed as well. You can expect to receive notification if you need to complete the background check requirements anytime between October 1, 2013 and June 1, 2014, depending on your hire date. 

Iowa Background Checks 
Second, the new law not only requires new staff and staff who haven’t had a background check to be verified, but it also requires that ALL staff who don’t have a license through the Board of Educational Examiners (including temporary staff), as well as all licensed staff with a permanent professional license, to have a state of Iowa background check and abuse registries checked every five years from the date of hire. If you need to have a state of Iowa background check, you will be notified via email. We have set up automated reminders going forward, and you will receive an email with the State of Iowa Criminal History Record Check Request Form attached. You will need to complete and return the form to Human Resources by the deadline in your email. This form cannot be faxed or sent via PDF; it must have original signatures. 

We appreciate your help in getting these items turned in on time so we our agency is in compliance with state requirements. If you have any questions, contact Chrissy Bradley, Human Resources Specialist, at cbradley@heartlandaea.org or ext. 14432 or Tony Chiaramonte, Human Resources Manager, at tchiaramonte@heartlandaea.org or ext. 14534.