Klein ISD Criminal History Standards for Volunteers
One of the ways Klein ISD seeks to assure safety and security in its schools is by ensuring that the adults working with students are free of certain past criminal convictions. Pursuant to the Texas Education Code and KISD Board Policy GKG (Local), KISD conducts criminal history/background checks on all school volunteers, including parents of KISD students, before they are allowed to provide services to students on a regular basis.
In accordance with Tex. Educ. Code § 22.0835(c), all volunteer applicants must submit the criminal history check form with their online volunteer application and must, except in extenuating circumstances and in the sole discretion of KISD, provide a copy of a driver’s license or other form of identification containing the person’s photograph issued by an entity of the United States government.
A Computerized Criminal History (CCH) check may be performed by accessing the Texas Department of Public Safety Secure Website and may be based on name and DOB identifiers. (This is not a consent form, but serves as information for the applicant.) Authority for this agency to access an individual’s criminal history data may be found in Texas Government Code 411; Subchapter F.
Name-based information is not an exact search and only fingerprint record searches represent true identification to criminal history record information (CHRI), therefore the organization conducting the criminal history check is not allowed to discuss with me any CHRI obtained using the name and DOB method. The agency may request that I also have a fingerprint search performed to clear any misidentification based on the result of the name and DOB search.
Volunteer applicants with no history of disqualifying offenses will be included in the approved volunteer database. Volunteer applications with identified criminal histories will be subject to further review. Volunteer applicants who fail to meet the standards detailed below will be provided written notification of the denial of their application.
Volunteers shall be denied if they meet the following criteria: Prior felony conviction under Texas Penal Code Title 5 (Crimes Against the Person); or Conviction requiring registration as a sex offender.
Volunteers may be denied if they meet the following criteria: Prior conviction or deferred adjudication of any felony offense; Prior conviction or deferred adjudication of any offense (felony or misdemeanor) involving drugs or drug paraphernalia; Prior conviction or deferred adjudication of a misdemeanor offense within the last 5 years involving moral turpitude (acts that are generally considered morally or ethically wrong), including, but not limited to crimes that involve dishonesty, fraud, deceit, misrepresentation, or deliberate violence; Failure to disclose prior convictions or arrests on the volunteer application and/or provide additional requested written information regarding any offense(s).
KISD will consider the following factors when circumstances require discretionary judgment:
Possibility of incorrect identity: Applicant may provide evidence to support his/her identity or choose to be fingerprinted to clear any misidentification at the expense of the applicant; Nature of the offense: age of applicant at time of offense; length of time since offense occurred; Number and nature of offenses since the disqualifying offense: a clear record of 10 years or more may indicate remediation; Period of probation completed, with no infractions; Dismissed charges may be disregarded; Details disclosed on the application regarding any prior offenses; Any other factor within the District’s discretion relevant to the applicant’s suitability for working with students; Type of volunteer work to be performed.