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Schools pass tough test
By Billie Dunn
Hudson-Catskill Newspapers
CATSKILL - Auditors examining the State Education Department's monitoring of criminal background checks for those seeking school employment from March 2006 until August 2008 found that of the checks performed, 469 of them had not been completed and had been in process for an average of at least eight months.
One application was outstanding for 27 months and at least 157 of the 469 applicants being checked had been hired by public schools before their checks were completed.
Furthermore, 30 of the 157 applicants hired had some kind of criminal history.
"When it comes to children, safety has to come first," said state Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. "That did not happen and kids were put at risk."
DiNapoli noted that some background checks were delayed for as long as two years because no one was monitoring their status. In the meantime, he says, some individuals with criminal backgrounds were working with students.
According to a release, most of the background checks could not be completed because of data transmission failures or blurred fingerprints. The checks were only completed after DiNapoli's auditors stepped in.
COLUMBIA, GREENE PASS THE TEST
The Safe Schools Against Violence in Education (SAVE) Act became effective in July 2000 and it requires applicants for teaching and most other positions in public schools throughout the state, to be checked for criminal histories.
Though the act does not specify a time frame, it does state that background checks should be completed promptly.
Hudson City School District's Director of Human Resources John Knight says the Hudson district still uses manual finger printing but that school officials are looking into an electronic method.
According to Knight, most prints are cleared within four to six weeks and for the most part, they're accurate. Every once in a while, he says, the prints will be returned as unreadable and the employee in question will be re-fingerprinted.
Since the process began, Knight says the district has only ever denied one person based on their criminal history.
A list of the 30 districts which failed the comptroller's audit is available on-line at www.osc.state.ny.us. None of the listed districts are in Columbia or Greene counties.
SED officials say the comptroller's audit "covered a crucial transition when the workflow process was undergoing dramatic change from a largely paper-based process to an electronic process."
"The State Education Department must improve their oversight over this program and work with schools to ensure that all necessary steps are taken to make sure our kids are safe," said DiNapoli.
To reach reporter Billie Dunn, call 518-943-2100 ext. 3323 or e-mail bdunn@thedailymail.net.
CATSKILL - Auditors examining the State Education Department's monitoring of criminal background checks for those seeking school employment from March 2006 until August 2008 found that of the checks performed, 469 of them had not been completed and had been in process for an average of at least eight months.
One application was outstanding for 27 months and at least 157 of the 469 applicants being checked had been hired by public schools before their checks were completed.
Furthermore, 30 of the 157 applicants hired had some kind of criminal history.
"When it comes to children, safety has to come first," said state Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. "That did not happen and kids were put at risk."
DiNapoli noted that some background checks were delayed for as long as two years because no one was monitoring their status. In the meantime, he says, some individuals with criminal backgrounds were working with students.
According to a release, most of the background checks could not be completed because of data transmission failures or blurred fingerprints. The checks were only completed after DiNapoli's auditors stepped in.
COLUMBIA, GREENE PASS THE TEST
The Safe Schools Against Violence in Education (SAVE) Act became effective in July 2000 and it requires applicants for teaching and most other positions in public schools throughout the state, to be checked for criminal histories.
Though the act does not specify a time frame, it does state that background checks should be completed promptly.
Hudson City School District's Director of Human Resources John Knight says the Hudson district still uses manual finger printing but that school officials are looking into an electronic method.
According to Knight, most prints are cleared within four to six weeks and for the most part, they're accurate. Every once in a while, he says, the prints will be returned as unreadable and the employee in question will be re-fingerprinted.
Since the process began, Knight says the district has only ever denied one person based on their criminal history.
A list of the 30 districts which failed the comptroller's audit is available on-line at www.osc.state.ny.us. None of the listed districts are in Columbia or Greene counties.
SED officials say the comptroller's audit "covered a crucial transition when the workflow process was undergoing dramatic change from a largely paper-based process to an electronic process."
"The State Education Department must improve their oversight over this program and work with schools to ensure that all necessary steps are taken to make sure our kids are safe," said DiNapoli.
To reach reporter Billie Dunn, call 518-943-2100 ext. 3323 or e-mail bdunn@thedailymail.net.
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