Background Screening Requirements
Jessica Lunsford Act
On June 20, 2007, Governor Charlie Crist signed into law Senate Bill 988, Relating to High Risk Offenders. The bill, effective on July 1, 2007, requires specific notations on the driver's licenses of sexual predators, and established standards and procedures related to the background screening of individuals who provide contracted non-instructional services to Florida public schools or districts.The sections of Florida law pertinent to the screening of individuals who are vendors or contractors with a Florida public school or district as amended or created by Senate Bill 988 (PDF), may be accessed at:
- Section 1012.465, Florida Statutes
- Section 1012.467, Florida Statutes
- Section 1012.468, Florida Statutes
Ethics in Education Act
The 2008 Florida Legislature passed, and Governor Crist signed, Senate Bill 1712 (PDF), the Ethics in Education Act. This legislation became effective July 1, 2008, and amends multiple sections of the Florida Statutes and creates new statutory sections. In part, this Act created section 1012.315, Florida Statutes, and established that a conviction of certain offenses makes one ineligible for a Florida Educator Certificate and instructional personnel and school administrators are ineligible for employment in any position that requires direct student contact in a district school system, charter school, private school that accepts students under the Corporate Tax or McKay Scholarships, or the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind.
UPDATED July 1, 2021
An individual is ineligible for educator certification or employment in any position that requires direct contact with students in a district school system, a charter school, or a private school that participates in a state scholarship program under chapter 1002 if the person is on the disqualification list maintained by the department pursuant to s. 1001.10(4)(b), is registered as a sex offender as described in 42 U.S.C. s. 9858f(c)(1)(C), or has been convicted or found guilty of, has had adjudication withheld for, or has pled guilty or nolo contendere to any offense prohibited under section 1012.315, Florida Statutes.