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Tipton County Schools board approves changes to background-check policy, enrolls full-time staff in FBI RAP Back program
Summary
The Tipton County Schools Board approved revisions to Policy 5.118 on background checks that enroll full‑time district employees in the FBI RAP Back program while keeping contractors, volunteers and part‑time staff on a five‑year recheck schedule.
The Tipton County Schools Board on Tuesday approved revisions to Policy 5.118 that enroll full‑time district employees in the FBI RAP Back program and clarify how the district will handle background checks for contractors, volunteers and part‑time staff.
Board members said the change responds to a state law and a pilot program the district joined; under the revision full‑time Tipton County Schools employees will be entered into the FBI's RAP Back program, which notifies the district if an enrolled employee is arrested or prosecuted between regular checks. Contractors and volunteers will continue to require background checks every five years; part‑time employees will remain on the five‑year schedule because of high turnover and the program’s per‑person cost.
Why it matters: enrolling full‑time staff in RAP Back shortens the time between an arrest and the district’s notification, allowing human resources to act sooner than waiting for employees to self‑report or for the next scheduled five‑year recheck.
District staff explained that the policy change stems from a change in state law and the district’s participation in a federal pilot. A board member clarified that "RAP" refers to a record‑of‑arrest and prosecution notification service. The board discussed several points of interpretation: whether the phrase "impose an immediate threat to health, safety or welfare" is a determination the district makes or one made by another agency; members were told that many such findings come from the Department of Children’s Services and from background‑check results rather than from the school district making the initial determination.
The board heard that contractors and volunteers remain subject to five‑year rechecks and that part‑time employees are excluded from RAP Back enrollment because of the approximately $50 fee per person to enter someone into the program. A board member suggested adding an expiration date to volunteer ID badges to help administrators track rechecks.
The board approved the policy revision after a motion and second; no roll‑call vote tally was recorded in the public transcript and the board chair announced the motion carried.
The revision also clarifies procedures the district will follow if a background check or RAP Back notification raises concerns, and staff said the district’s human resources office will review contextual factors (for example, the age and circumstances of an arrest) when deciding on disciplinary or employment actions.
Next steps: staff said they will confirm details about how contractors’ and volunteers’ checks are scheduled and will follow up by email on specific field‑trip dates that were questioned during the meeting. The board did not set a separate implementation date in the meeting record; staff indicated the change is being made because the district is now participating in the RAP Back program.
