3144P Procedure - Release of Information Concerning Student Sexual and Kidnapping Offenders
RESPONSIBILITIES
Principals are required by law to respond to notification by law enforcement or courts about students who are sex or kidnapping offenders and to disseminate information about such students. Principals may rely on the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) Principal’s Notification Checklist for additional assistance [see FPS Form 3144F].
Principals are required by law to respond to notification by law enforcement or courts about students who are sex or kidnapping offenders and to disseminate information about such students. Principals may rely on the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) Principal’s Notification Checklist for additional assistance [see FPS Form 3144F].
Principals
Principals have a responsibility to develop a:
- Relationship with law enforcement agencies dealing with students required to register as a sex or kidnapping offender.
- Procedure for acceptance of notifications from law enforcement and courts.
- Procedure to notify teachers and appropriate staff of their roles and responsibilities with respect to these students, including confidentiality, harassment, intimidation, and bullying issues.
- Protocol for responses to public inquiries about students who are required to register as sex or kidnapping offenders, stressing confidentiality and FERPA rules (in developing such protocol, the principal will need to determine how district staff will be notified and which staff will be in charge of monitoring these students).
- Procedure and protocol for safety planning, which will include student meetings, designing and monitoring Student Safety Plans, and implementing safeguards when students change schools or change sex offender levels or status with parole or probation.
- Protocol of best practices for contacting the district superintendent or designee with a list of student sex and kidnapping offenders when notification is received from law enforcement and courts.
Students
It is the responsibility of students who are required to register as sex or kidnapping offenders to follow all rules and regulations of the school and conduct themselves as outlined in the student handbook and the district policies and procedures, and follow all stipulations as outlined in their individual Student Safety Plans.
It is the responsibility of students who are required to register as sex or kidnapping offenders to follow all rules and regulations of the school and conduct themselves as outlined in the student handbook and the district policies and procedures, and follow all stipulations as outlined in their individual Student Safety Plans.
NOTIFICATIONS
Notifications from law enforcement or courts that a student required to register as a sex or kidnapping offender is enrolled or attending school can come to the principal in a variety of methods including email, U.S. mail, or hand-delivery.
Although currently there is no standard notification form statewide, the following items may be found on most notifications:
Offender name, address, sex, height, weight, hair color, eye color, age, ethnicity, crime, sex offender level, convicting jurisdiction, neighborhood, proximity to schools, and level descriptors.
Notification Lists
Upon receipt of notification, the principal or designee will review the list to determine which students are currently enrolled, currently attending school, or are new to the district and not yet enrolled.
Notifying Additional School Personnel
The principal will designate additional school personnel to be notified following consultation with probation or parole (or the student’s family if not on court supervision) in order to identify or recognize high-risk situations. The following staff should be considered: district superintendent or designee, appropriate administrative and teaching staff, school resource officers, adjacent building principals, security personnel, staff working directly in the student’s classrooms; and school counselors, school psychologists, coaches, advisors, school social workers, nurses, bus drivers, custodians, district daycare providers, and playground supervisors that may have contact with the student.
SAFETY PLANNING
The principal will complete safety planning with school staff, law enforcement, probation or parole, treatment providers, parents or guardians, care providers, and child advocates, as appropriate, in order to provide a safe school environment for all students and staff. For safety planning to be effective, the district will finalize formal enrollments for students required to register as a sex or kidnapping offender promptly after their enrollment request.
Convicted juvenile sex offenders will not attend a school attended by their victims or their victims’ siblings. Offenders and their parents or guardians will be responsible for providing transportation or covering other costs related to the offender’s attendance at another school.
Student Meetings
The principal or designee, working together with probation and parole professionals, will meet promptly with the student to create and implement a Student Safety Plan. The principal or designee will determine other appropriate school personnel to be included in the meeting to assist in defining school expectations. The student’s parent or guardian or care provider may also be invited. The purpose for the meeting is to help the student be successful in their transition back to school and to provide a safe school environment for all students and staff.
Student Safety Plan
The principal or designee (and other school staff as applicable) in consultation with probation and parole professionals (if under court supervision) will create a Student Safety Plan for each registered sex or kidnapping offender. The plan will outline the responsibilities of the student and other stakeholders to promote those activities deemed essential in safely managing the student’s behavior.
- The Student Safety Plan will outline conditions and limitations on each student required to register as a sex or kidnapping offender concerning their interactions on the school campus.
- For students not under court supervision, the Student Safety Plan should be developed in conjunction with school staff in consultation with the student’s family or guardian or care provider.
- The Student Safety Plan will be based on the student’s needs and include guidelines for expected intervention actions for high-risk behaviors and reinforce positive behaviors.
- Each Student Safety Plan will be reviewed as necessary by staff designated by the principal.
Monitoring the Safety Plan
The Student Safety Plan will be monitored, and changes made on an “as-needed” basis by school staff.
The Student Safety Plan will be monitored, and changes made on an “as-needed” basis by school staff.
- School authorities should be prepared to take appropriate actions (especially if they notice an increase or escalation of a student’s high-risk behaviors) for the short- and long-term safety of the student required to register as a sex or kidnapping offender and all other students.
- School staff will report to the principal or designee and to law enforcement or other involved agencies (treatment providers, parole/probation) if they determine the student has not followed the Student Safety Plan.
- Follow-through on the Student Safety Plan will be consistent with existing disciplinary policies and procedures, student conduct policies, and mandatory reporting policies.
Schools may develop school threat assessment teams and make referrals to those teams when students engage in inappropriate behaviors as defined in the Student Safety Plan.
When Students Move or Change Status
When a student changes schools, whether within or outside of the district, the current principal will notify the new principal and share the student records and safety plans with the new school. If the student’s sex offender status or probation or parole status changes, the principal will notify the school staff as part of the school’s safety planning.
Date: 10/14/08; 4/14/20