FILE:  GBC

Cf:  GBBA, GBD

 

RECRUITMENT OF PERSONNEL

 

 

The Lafayette Parish School Board shall make a concerted effort to recruit the best qualified applicants available.  When vacancies occur in existing positions or when new positions are created, and such positions are not filled by transfer of qualified personnel, the Superintendent or his/her designee shall post notice of the vacancy and shall have the discretion to advertise for certain positions when circumstances warrant.

 

APPLICATIONS

 

Applications submitted for any vacancy shall be retained by the Employee Services Department.

 

Disclosure of Information by Applicant

 

Prior to hiring any employee, the School Board shall require the applicant to sign a statement that:

 

  1. Authorizes the release and disclosure of information by the applicant's current or previous employer, if such employer is/was a city, parish, or other local public school board, relative to all instances of sexual misconduct with students committed by the applicant, if any.

  2. Releases the applicant's current or previous employer, if such employer is/was a city, parish, or other local public school board, and any school employee acting on behalf of such employer from any liability for disclosing any information as described above in accordance law.

  3. Authorizes the release and disclosure of information by the applicant's current or previous employer, if such employer is/was the Louisiana School for the Deaf, the Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired, or Special Schools Programs, relative to all instances of abuse or neglect of students committed by the applicant, if any.

  4. Requires disclosure by the applicant of all instances of sexual misconduct with and abuse or neglect of any student committed by the applicant, if any, including:

 

  1. All actual cases of sexual misconduct with a minor or student by the applicant.

  2. All investigations of sexual misconduct by the applicant with a minor or student that occurred within thirty-six months prior to the applicant's resignation, dismissal, or retirement from school employment.

  3. All actual or investigated cases of abuse or neglect of a minor or student by the applicant.

 

If an investigation determined that a formal allegation of an applicant was inconclusive, unjustified, or otherwise without cause for further formal pursuit, the applicant shall not be required to disclose such information listed in A through C above.

 

The School Board shall not hire any applicant who does not sign the statement as required by law.

 

A copy of the required statement signed by the applicant shall be included with any written request made to the applicant’s current or previous employer to provide the above-referenced information.  The School Board may employ any applicant on a conditional basis pending the Superintendent's review of any information obtained pursuant to this request.

 

Any information obtained by the School Board  as a result of an applicant’s disclosure and/or a request made to an applicant’s current or previous employer as outlined above shall be used by the School Board only for the purpose of evaluating an applicant's qualifications for employment in the position for which he/she has applied and shall not be disclosed to any person, other than the applicant, who is not directly involved in the process of evaluating the applicant’s qualifications for employment.

 

In addition to the above, as part of the application process, the School Board shall request the applicant’s performance evaluation results, if applicable.  Once the evaluation results have been received, the applicant shall be given an opportunity to review the information received and provide any response or information the applicant deems appropriate.

 

Finally, the applicant shall grant permission, by signing a statement on the application form that permits the School Board to have access to any and all reference, background, and previous employment information and to receive copies of any such documentation from a current or previous employer.

 

Applicants’ Records

 

The name of each applicant for a public position of authority or a public position with policymaking duties, the qualifications of such an applicant, and any relevant employment history or experience of such an applicant shall be available for public inspection, examination, copying, or reproduction as provided for in Louisiana Public Records Act.

 

When filling vacancies in positions of authority or those with policymaking duties, the Superintendent or any agent acting on his/her behalf shall not utilize only oral contacts and interviews of applicants considered, or use any other means to circumvent the provisions of Louisiana public records laws.  However, oral contact prior to a person becoming an applicant shall not be prohibited and neither shall oral contact which may result in a written application or other documents.

 

Bus Operators

 

All persons, prior to employment as a bus operator with the School Board, shall fill out an application form.  Each applicant shall complete all prerequisites required by law and Bulletin 119, Louisiana Student Transportation Specifications and Procedures, before he/she shall be considered for employment as a bus operator or substitute bus operator.

 

Upon completion of the prerequisites, the applicant’s valid application shall be filed in the personnel department for consideration of employment to fill vacancies as they occur.  All applications shall be validated each year.

 

CRIMINAL HISTORY OF APPLICANTS

 

The Lafayette Parish School Board shall require, in accordance with state law, applicants for employment to submit necessary information regarding their backgrounds. Every prospective employee shall be required to provide authorization for the disclosure of information regarding past criminal offenses, including arrests, convictions, pleas of nolo contendere, and other dispositions, including dismissals of convictions.  Every prospective employee shall be subject to fingerprinting and each person's fingerprints shall be submitted to the Louisiana Bureau of Criminal Identification and Information for a criminal history records check in accordance with La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §15:587.1.

 

Prior to reporting for duty on any campus, an applicant must report to the Employee Services Department to electronically submit his/her fingerprints to the proper authorities for processing.

 

  1. A person who has been convicted of or has plead nolo contendere to a crime listed in La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §15:587.1(C) shall not be hired as a bus operator, substitute bus operator, or janitor, or as a temporary, part-time, or permanent school employee of any kind.

 

  1. A person shall not be hired as an administrator, teacher, or substitute teacher if the person:

 

  1. Has been convicted of or has plead nolo contendere to a crime listed in La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §15:587.1(C) even if adjudication was withheld or a pardon or expungement was granted.

  2. Has been found to have submitted fraudulent documentation to the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) or the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) as part of an application for a Louisiana teaching certificate or other teaching authorization.

  3. Has been found to have facilitated cheating on any state assessment as determined by BESE.

 

  1. The School Board may hire a person as an administrator, teacher, or substitute teacher who has been convicted of or has pled nolo contendere to an offense listed in  La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §15:587.1(C), who has been found to have submitted fraudulent documentation to BESE or LDOE as part of an application for a teaching certificate or other teaching authorization, or who has been found to have facilitated cheating on any state assessment if BESE approves a formal appeal request submitted by the person and issues a teaching certificate or authorization.

  2. Any person employed to provide cafeteria, transportation, janitorial, maintenance, or student services by any person or entity that contracts with a school or school system to provide such services shall be considered to be hired by the school system.

  3. The School Board may reemploy an administrator, teacher, or other school employee who has been dismissed for conviction of a crime, except a crime listed in La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §15:587.1(C), only upon written approval of a district judge of the parish and the district attorney, or upon written documentation from the court in which the conviction occurred stating that the conviction has been reversed, set aside, or vacated.  Any such statement of approval of the judge and the district attorney and any such written documentation from the court shall be kept on file at all times by the school and shall be produced upon request to any law enforcement officer.

 

Adopted:  July 18, 2012

Revised:  July 7, 2021

 

 

Ref:    La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§14:74. 15:587, 15:587.1, 17:15, 17:24.2, 17:81, 17:81.9, 17:83, 17:430, 17:3884, 23:291, 42:1119, 44:12.1, 44:31, 44:31.1, 44:32, 44:33, 44:34

Board minutes, 4-6-77, 9-3-80, 4-1-92, 1-20-99, 3-17-99, 7-18-12, 7-7-21

 

Lafayette Parish School Board