House File 607 - Introduced
HOUSE FILE
BY TYMESON
Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act requiring a background investigation of certain teachers
2 prior to issuance of an initial contract by a school district.
3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
4 TLSB 1337YH 82
5 kh/es/88
PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. Section 279.13, subsection 1, Code 2007, is
1 2 amended to read as follows:
1 3 1. a. Contracts with teachers, which for the purpose of
1 4 this section means all licensed employees of a school district
1 5 and nurses employed by the board, excluding superintendents,
1 6 assistant superintendents, principals, and assistant
1 7 principals, shall be in writing and shall state the number of
1 8 contract days, the annual compensation to be paid, and any
1 9 other matters as may be mutually agreed upon. The contract
1 10 may include employment for a term not exceeding the ensuing
1 11 school year, except as otherwise authorized.
1 12 b. Prior to entering into an initial contract with a
1 13 teacher who holds a license other than an initial license
1 14 issued by the board of educational examiners under chapter
1 15 272, the school district shall require the teacher to submit a
1 16 completed fingerprint packet. The school district shall
1 17 submit the packet to the division of criminal investigation of
1 18 the department of public safety which shall conduct a thorough
1 19 background investigation of the teacher. The superintendent
1 20 of a school district or the superintendent's designee shall
1 21 have access to and shall review the sex offender registry
1 22 information under section 692A.13, the central registry for
1 23 child abuse information established under section 235A.14, and
1 24 the central registry for dependent adult abuse information
1 25 established under section 235B.5 for information regarding
1 26 applicants for employment as a teacher. The school district
1 27 may charge the teacher a fee for the background investigation,
1 28 which shall not exceed the fee charged by the division of
1 29 criminal investigation for conducting the background
1 30 investigation.
1 31 c. The contract is invalid if the teacher is under
1 32 contract with another board of directors to teach during the
1 33 same time period until a release from the other contract is
1 34 achieved. The contract shall be signed by the president of
1 35 the board, or by the superintendent if the board has adopted a
2 1 policy authorizing the superintendent to sign teaching
2 2 contracts, when tendered, and after it is signed by the
2 3 teacher, the contract shall be filed with the secretary of the
2 4 board before the teacher enters into performance under the
2 5 contract.
2 6 EXPLANATION
2 7 This bill directs school districts to require teachers
2 8 being considered for employment to submit a fingerprint
2 9 packet, which shall be submitted to the division of criminal
2 10 investigation of the department of public safety for a
2 11 thorough background investigation prior to entering into an
2 12 initial contract with the teacher. The school district may
2 13 pass on to the teacher the fee charged by the division for the
2 14 investigation.
2 15 The superintendent of a school district or the
2 16 superintendent's designee shall have access to and shall
2 17 review the sex offender registry information, the central
2 18 registry for child abuse information, and the central registry
2 19 for dependent adult abuse information for information
2 20 regarding applicants for employment as a teacher.
2 21 Because the board of educational examiners is required to
2 22 perform background investigations on all initial applicants
2 23 for licensure, school districts are not required to submit
2 24 teachers who hold an initial license to an investigation.
2 25 LSB 1337YH 82
2 26 kh:nh/es/88