You might try calling your state Bureau of Investigation (the state's equivalent to the FBI). We looked into background checks a while back. Our school district doesn't require them, instead leaving the decison to the individual schools. I called our state bureau of invetigation and was pleased with the suggestions they had. It'll be different for each state, but you might give that a try.
Thank you to everyone for your thoughtful responses. I will check to see what the Dept of Ed can do for us. I too hate the liability that goes with hiring, but the sad truth is that in NYC, lots of PTAs pay for teaching assistants because our state and local government "leaders" do not really care about funding public education. The parents have to pick up the slack. Believe it or not, the school does not even get money for photocopier paper -- we have to buy it for them. It's a long long list.
IN OUR STATE, VOLUNTEERS HAVE TO HAVE A BACKGROUND CHECK DONE TO WORK IN THE SCHOOLS. WE HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE STATE DEPARTMENT. YOU COULD CHECK TO SEE IF YOUR STATE HAS THIS PROGRAM. I BELIEVE THERE IS A SMALL FEE THAT THE VOLUNTEER INCURS.
P.S. WE DO NOT PAY FOR EMPLOYEES, AND I SERIOUSLY URGE YOU TO CHANGE YOUR MIND. I WORKED AT A SCHOOL THAT HAD AN ISSUE ONCE AND IT WASN'T WORTH IT! THEY HAD INSURANCE, BUT HAD TO PAY OUT A LARGE SETTLEMENT AND THE INSURANCE SKY-ROCKETED. SINCE ALL THE FUNDS WERE RAISED BY PARENTS, THEY WERE VERY UPSET THAT THEY WERE PAYING FOR AN INSURANCE CASE. BELIEVE ME IT WAS A MESS!
HI NYC I personally am against PTO (Parent Groups) paying for employees what happens when 1 of your fundraisers dose not do good & you have less funds 0r can't pay them anymore, they get hurt on the job etc... but anyway back to the topic....
We pay for volunteers to get fingerprinted through our SHERIFF dept. The program is called LIVE SCAN they take your fingerprints & run it through a computer you get results in 1 day...I would never want my child having someone working in their class who is not cleared.
What if 1 of these people (your employee since you are paying them) turns out to be "bad" & hurts a kid your group may be held responsible!
Quick fingerprint & background check them.... My husband & I have been fingerprinted for soccer coaching, school, scouts etc... all through our local Police or Sheriff...GOOD LUCK!!! [img]tongue.gif[/img]
The Principal has no clue. She thinks its a good idea but, you see, we are part of a gigantic school system where personnel matters such as background checks are done centrally. This sort of thing is not done at the level of an individual school. If we try to go through the Department of Ed. it will take eons, and there are other problems with that approach that I won't go into. We asked the Police -- they were not helpful, and had no suggestions whatsoever. We really hope that another PTA has done this sort of thing before. If not, I guess once again we will be reinventing the wheel.
