School board updates criminal history records policy
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The Marshalltown Community School District (MCSD) got more in line with some Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations (DCI) requirements during Monday morning's regular school board meeting.
The board approved changes to the National Criminal History Record Information (CHRI) policy.
"In this handbook a couple years ago, I presented information on how we store information we receive from the [DCI] for Iowa," Director of Human Resources Jacque Wyant told the board. "Most people want to know their personal information is kept securely, and it is."
She reported that there was an internal audit, and the district was commended for the provided answers to 45 questions. However, there were five additional answers pertaining to communication which the DCI did not like.
"In the past, we have said we would review the contents of findings provided to us from FBI results," Wyant said. "We are required to provide those findings with staff members."
A standard email is to be sent to staff members who receive such history checks. She said the person will be asked for the best time for them to participate in the private setting review with someone from Wyant's department.
"They are not allowed to record anything, just allowed to look at it," she said. "We will and have always provided them with the method to challenge anything that appears in their criminal record that maybe they thought didn't belong there."
Wyant said if adverse employment action is taken as a result of background checks, they are not usually at "this level."
"Those happen at different background check levels," she said.
Another clarification Wyant said was necessary was that before she began working as the head of human resources in 2021, a new HR system was implemented. All personnel records were converted to PDF files and stored in a Google shared drive which only HR personnel have access to. Since those files have CHRI records and were accessible by staff in the district technology department, Wyant said they asked the tech department to purchase an encrypted storage device to house the criminal records.
"That storage device will be stored with our CHRI in a locked cabinet inside of a locked closet that only HR members have access to," she said. "Again, it's very important to protect people's personal information and private information."
Wyant added records are destroyed when an employee leaves the district, as per board policy.
After the meeting, Wyant said there has never been an instance of an unauthorized person gaining access to the files. She said the district does its due diligence when it comes to performing background checks on potential employees.
"If we decide not to hire someone because of the background check, we are required to tell them," she said. "The challenge is you don't know what anyone will do after you hire them.'
Wyant added that the MCSD is utilizing the E-Verify program to confirm work authorization.
Contact Lana Bradstream at 641-753-6611 ext. 210 or lbradstream@timesrepublican.com.