Tampa Schools Take Safety Seriously

Everyone in any school system has a desire to keepaccess to or control of school funds, they will be
kids safe. Parents, teachers, administrators, and schoolrequired, as mandated by Florida State Law to
board members and employees work together toundergo this screening.
ensure the safety of students. Parents and schoolsIf the contractor or subcontractors have no personnel
alike rely on each other to educate their students onwho meet any of the three criteria, the law does not
safety rules as appropriate to the age of the children.apply and no action is necessary. The fingerprints must
Tampa Schools are highly conscious of the need tobe kept current and are required to be updated every
keep their students safe, and have plans in placefive years. Any break in service to Tampa Schools will
which do so. Two such plans in Tampa Schools arerequire individuals to be re-screened at their cost.
the Life Threatening Allergy (LTA) ResponsibilityOutside agencies' reports will not be accepted. Prior to
Commitment, and the Jessica Lunsford Act.being fingerprinted, each individual will be required to
The Life Threatening Allergy Commitment is in place todisclose any previous criminal history on the Criminal
save children's lives. Millions of children throughout theRecord Information form. This document must be
country suffer from life threatening allergies, andreceived and cleared by the Tampa Schools' Office of
Tampa Schools are ready to deal with any situationProfessional Standards before being fingerprinted. All
that may arise. All members of the district of Tampaindividuals will be required to meet the background
Schools have responsibilities to keep kids safe,qualification guidelines for contractors before being
including, but not limited to the students themselves,considered eligible for Tampa Schools site access.
parents, and all Student Nutrition Services employees.After eligibility is assessed, notification of such will be
The details of this plan may be reviewed at thesent to the contractor, along with the clearance for his
Tampa Schools website.or her employee(s) to report to Fingerprinting. The
Effective September 1, 2005, changes in legislationpotential Tampa Schools contractor will receive a
under the Jessica Lunsford Act (a law enacted afterdocument that indicates the employee has been
the abduction and murder of Jessica Lunsford) nowfingerprinted and is now considered an approved
require all Tampa Schools contractors, subcontractors,contractor/employee once the district receives the
and their employees to undergo a Level II backgroundfingerprint return from FDLE/FBI. This usually takes 24
screening. This screening consists of an FDLE/FBIto 48 hours. Additionally, contractors will be mailed ID
search. If a Tampa Schools contractor or theirbadges for their employees that must be worn at all
employees or subcontractors and their employees willtimes while present at any Tampa Schools campus. It
be at any of Tampa Schools when students areis obvious that the district of Tampa Schools is highly
present, have direct contact with students, or haveaware of the necessity of keeping its students safe.