EDU-19-13-00006-EP Moral Character Hearings Under 8NYCRR Part 83 for Certified Teachers and Other Certified School Personnel

5/8/13 N.Y. St. Reg. EDU-19-13-00006-EP

NEW YORK STATE REGISTER

VOLUME XXXV, ISSUE 19

May 08, 2013

RULE MAKING ACTIVITIES

EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

EMERGENCY/PROPOSED RULE MAKING

NO HEARING(S) SCHEDULED

 

I.D No. EDU-19-13-00006-EP

Filing No. 422

Filing Date. Apr. 23, 2013

Effective Date. Apr. 23, 2013

Moral Character Hearings Under 8NYCRR Part 83 for Certified Teachers and Other Certified School Personnel

PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE State Administrative Procedure Act, NOTICE is hereby given of the following action:

Proposed Action:

Amendment of section 83.4 of Title 8 NYCRR.

Statutory authority:

Education Law, sections 207(not subdivided), 305(7), (30), 3001(2), 3001-d(2), 3004(1), 3004-c(not subdivided), 3006(1), 3009(1), 3010(not subdivided) and 3035(1) and (3)

Finding of necessity for emergency rule:

Preservation of general welfare.

Specific reasons underlying the finding of necessity:

The Department’s Office of School Personnel Review & Accountability (OSPRA) is responsible for facilitating fingerprint generated criminal background checks in accordance with the Education Law (Chapter 180 of the Laws of 2000). All prospective covered school employees and/or applicants for a teaching certificate must be fingerprinted.

Generally, fingerprints are collected across the state at school districts, Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), colleges and universities, and law enforcement agencies. Fingerprints are received by the Department in two formats: hard cards containing fingerprints that are collected through the “ink and roll” method and mailed, and scanned fingerprint images captured on a scanner and transmitted electronically via a server. All fingerprint images are delivered by the Department to the state Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) to conduct a state criminal history records check and to forward them to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for processing against their criminal record repository.

The Department has taken steps to better ensure the security of fingerprints in recent years by growing the number of fingerprints collected electronically. Approximately 75 percent of fingerprints are collected electronically, which reduces the opportunity for the integrity of fingerprints to be compromised.

However, the Department has begun to review the fingerprinting process to close potential gaps that may exist, such as the ability of a person to submit false fingerprints. As part of this review, the Department has determined that the proposed amendment is needed to expedite the removal of school district personnel that commit certain crimes. Currently, there are no provisions to expeditiously address actions related to fingerprint fraud, which can result in convicted felons whose presence in the classroom or school poses a danger to the safety of students and/or staff evading the criminal history record check process and gaining access to schools. The proposed amendment establishes a rebuttable presumption that a teacher or school administrator who is convicted of any crime relating to the submission of false information, or who has committed fraud, relating to his/her criminal history record check lacks good moral character.

Emergency action is needed for the preservation of the general welfare in order to ensure that action can be taken expeditiously to revoke or suspend the certificates of teachers and school administrators who commit a crime involving fraud or the submission of false information related to their criminal history record checks in order to ensure the safety of the children and faculty of the schools in this State.

Subject:

Moral character hearings under 8 NYCRR Part 83 for certified teachers and other certified school personnel.

Purpose:

To establish a rebuttable presumption that a certified individual who is convicted of any crime relating to the submission of false information, or who has committed fraud, relating to his/her criminal history record check lacks good moral character.

Text of emergency/proposed rule:

1. Paragraph (4) of subdivision (d) of section 83.4 of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education shall be amended, effective April 23, 2013, to read as follows:

(4) any crime committed involving the submission of false information, or the commission of fraud, related to a criminal history record check.

This notice is intended:

to serve as both a notice of emergency adoption and a notice of proposed rule making. The emergency rule will expire July 21, 2013.

Text of rule and any required statements and analyses may be obtained from:

Mary Gammon, State Education Department, Office of Counsel, State Education Building Room 148, 89 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12234, [phone], email: [e-mail]

Data, views or arguments may be submitted to:

Peg Rivers, NYS Education Department, Office of Higher Education, Room 979, Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12234, [phone], email: [e-mail]

Public comment will be received until:

45 days after publication of this notice.

This rule was not under consideration at the time this agency submitted its Regulatory Agenda for publication in the Register.

Regulatory Impact Statement

1. STATUTORY AUTHORITY:

Section 207 of the Education Law grants general rule making authority to the Board of Regents to carry into effect the laws and policies of the State relating to education.

Subdivision (7) of section 305 of the Education Law authorizes the Commissioner of Education to annul teaching certificates and establishes other penalties in proceedings brought against individuals holding such certificates.

Paragraph (a) of subdivision (30) of section 305 of the Education Law authorizes the Commissioner of Education to promulgate regulations to authorize the fingerprinting of prospective employees of nonpublic and private elementary and secondary schools, and for the use of information derived from searches of the records of the Division of Criminal Justice Services (“DCJS”) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) based on the use of such fingerprints. This paragraph also requires the Commissioner, in cooperation with DCJS to promulgate a form to be provided to nonpublic or private elementary or secondary schools in connection with the submission of fingerprints and a form for the recordation of allegations of child abuse in an educational setting.

Paragraph (b) of subdivision (30) of Section 305 of the Education Law requires the Commissioner of Education, in cooperation with DCJS, to promulgate a form to be provided to all prospective employees of nonpublic and private elementary and secondary schools that elect to fingerprint and seek clearance for prospective employees to inform the prospective employee that the Commissioner is authorized to request his or her criminal history information and that the employee has the right to obtain, review and seek correction of such information.

Paragraph (c) of subdivision (30) of Section 305 of the Education Law requires the prospective employer to obtain the signed, informed consent of the prospective employee on a form supplied by the Commissioner of Education.

Paragraph (d) of subdivision (30) of Section 305 of the Education Law requires the Commissioner to develop forms to be provided to all nonpublic or private elementary and secondary schools that elect to fingerprint their prospective employees, to be completed and signed by prospective employees when conditional appointment or emergency conditional appointment is offered.

Subdivision (2) of section 3001 of the Education Law establishes certification by the State Education Department as a qualification to teach in the public schools of New York State.

Subdivision (2) of section 3001-d of the Education Law authorizes nonpublic or private elementary or secondary schools to apply to the Commissioner for criminal history record checks on prospective employees.

Subdivision (1) of section 3004 of the Education Law authorizes the Commissioner of Education to prescribe, subject to the approval of the Regents, regulations governing the examination and certification of teachers employed in all public schools in the State.

Section 3004-c provides that when the Commissioner determines that a certification be denied, the applicant shall be afforded notice and the right to be heard and offer proof in opposition to such determination in accordance with regulations of the Commissioner.

Paragraph (b) of subdivision (1) of section 3006 of the Education Law provides that the Commissioner of Education may issue such teacher certificates as the Regents Rules prescribe.

Subdivision (1) of section 3009 of the Education Law provides that no part of the school moneys apportioned to a district shall be applied to the payment of the salary of an unqualified teacher, nor shall his salary or part thereof, be collected by a district tax except as provided in the Education Law.

Section 3010 of the Education Law provides that any trustee or member of a board of education who applies, or directs, or consents to the application of, any district money to the payment of an unqualified teacher's salary, commits a misdemeanor.

Subdivision (1) of section 3035 of the Education Law authorizes the Commissioner of Education to submit to DCJS two sets of fingerprints for prospective school employees along with processing fees, for the purpose of obtaining criminal history records from DCJS and the FBI.

Paragraph (a) of subdivision (3) of section 3035 of the Education Law requires the Commissioner of Education to promptly notify the nonpublic or private elementary or secondary school when the prospective school employee is cleared for employment based on his or criminal history and provides a prospective school employee who is denied clearance the right to be heard and offer proof in opposition to such determination in accordance with the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education.

Paragraph (b) of subdivision (3) of section 3035 of the Education Law requires the Commissioner of Education to promptly notify the prospective employee and the appropriate nonpublic or private elementary or secondary school when a prospective employee is conditionally cleared for employment based upon his or her criminal history or that more time is needed to make the determination.

2. LEGISLATIVE OBJECTIVES:

The proposed amendment carries out the objectives of the above-referenced statutes to ensure the security of fingerprints and other information provided as part of a criminal history check of prospective school employees pursuant to Education Law section 305(30), by providing for the expedited removal of school district personnel that commit crimes involving the submission of false information, or the commission of fraud, related to a criminal history record check.

3. NEEDS AND BENEFITS:

The State Education Department’s Office of School Personnel Review & Accountability (OSPRA) is responsible for facilitating fingerprint generated criminal background checks in accordance with the Education Law (Chapter 180 of the Laws of 2000). All prospective covered school employees and/or applicants for a teaching certificate must be fingerprinted.

Generally, fingerprints are collected across the state at school districts, Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), colleges and universities, and law enforcement agencies. Fingerprints are received by the Department in two formats: hard cards containing fingerprints that are collected through the “ink and roll” method and mailed, and scanned fingerprint images captured on a scanner and transmitted electronically via a server. All fingerprint images are delivered by the Department to the state Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) to conduct a state criminal history records check and to forward them to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for processing against their criminal record repository.

The Department has taken steps to better ensure the security of fingerprints in recent years by growing the number of fingerprints collected electronically. Approximately 75 percent of fingerprints are collected electronically, which reduces the opportunity for the integrity of fingerprints to be compromised.

However, the Department has begun to review the fingerprinting process to close potential gaps that may exist, such as the ability of a person to submit false fingerprints. As part of this review, the Department has determined that the proposed amendment is needed to expedite the removal of school district personnel that commit certain crimes. Currently, there are no provisions to expeditiously address actions related to fingerprint fraud, which can result in convicted felons whose presence in the classroom or school poses a danger to the safety of students and/or staff evading the criminal history record check process and gaining access to schools. The proposed amendment establishes a rebuttable presumption that a teacher or school administrator who is convicted of any crime relating to the submission of false information, or who has committed fraud, relating to his/her criminal history record check lacks good moral character.

4. COSTS:

(a) Costs to State government: None.

(b) Costs to local government: None.

(c) Costs to private regulated parties: None.

(d) Costs to the regulatory agency: None.

The proposed amendment will not impose any costs on the State, local governments, private regulated parties, or the State Education Department. By establishing a rebuttable presumption that a teacher or school administrator who is convicted of any crime relating to the submission of false information, or who has committed fraud, relating to his/her criminal history record check lacks good moral character, the proposed amendment will reduce costs to the State Education Department associated with conducting moral character hearings under Part 83 of the Commissioner's Regulations, by expediting the removal of teachers and administrators that commit crimes involving the submission of false information, or the commission of fraud, related to a criminal history record check.

5. LOCAL GOVERNMENT MANDATES:

The proposed amendment does not impose any program, service, duty or responsibility upon local governments. The proposed amendment relates to evidentiary standards in the conduct of moral character hearings for certified teachers and other certified school personnel under Part 83 of the Commissioner's Regulations, and merely establishes a rebuttable presumption that a certified individual who is convicted of any crime relating to the submission of false information, or who has committed fraud, relating to his/her criminal history record check lacks good moral character. The proposed amendment will thereby expedite the removal of teachers and administrators that commit crimes involving the submission of false information, or the commission of fraud, related to a criminal history record check.

6. PAPERWORK:

The proposed amendment does not impose any additional paperwork or recordkeeping requirements.

7. DUPLICATION:

The proposed amendment does not duplicate other requirements of State and Federal government.

8. ALTERNATIVES:

There are no significant alternatives to the proposed amendment, and none were considered.

9. FEDERAL STANDARDS:

There are no Federal requirements relating to the subject matter of the proposed amendment.

10. COMPLIANCE SCHEDULE:

The proposed amendment does not impose any costs or compliance requirements. The proposed amendment relates to evidentiary standards in hearings relating to the conduct of moral character hearings for certified teachers and other certified school personnel under Part 83 of the Commissioner's Regulations, and merely establishes a rebuttable presumption that a certified individual who is convicted of any crime relating to the submission of false information, or who has committed fraud, relating to his/her criminal history record check lacks good moral character. The proposed amendment will thereby expedite the removal of teachers and administrators that commit crimes involving the submission of false information, or the commission of fraud, related to a criminal history record check.

Regulatory Flexibility Analysis

The proposed amendment relates to evidentiary standards in the conduct of moral character hearings for certified teachers and other certified school personnel under Part 83 of the Commissioner's Regulations, and will not impose any adverse economic, reporting, recordkeeping, or any other compliance requirements on small businesses or local governments. Because it is evident from the nature of the rule that it does not affect small businesses or local governments, no further steps were needed to ascertain that fact and none were taken. Accordingly, a regulatory flexibility analysis for small businesses and local governments is not required and one has not been prepared.

Rural Area Flexibility Analysis

1. TYPES AND ESTIMATED NUMBER OF RURAL AREAS:

The proposed amendment would apply to holders of teaching certificates or other certificates issued pursuant to Part 80 of the Commissioner's Regulations in New York State, including those who live or work in the 44 rural counties with fewer than 200,000 inhabitants and the 71 towns in urban counties with a population density of 150 square miles.

2. REPORTING, RECORDKEEPING, AND OTHER COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICES:

The proposed amendment does not impose any additional reporting, recordkeeping, or other compliance requirements, or professional services requirements on any regulated party. The proposed amendment relates to evidentiary standards in the conduct of moral character hearings for certified teachers and other certified school personnel under Part 83 of the Commissioner's Regulations, and merely establishes a rebuttable presumption that a teacher or school administrator who is convicted of any crime relating to the submission of false information, or who has committed fraud, relating to his/her criminal history record check lacks good moral character. The proposed amendment will thereby expedite the removal of teachers and administrators that commit crimes involving the submission of false information, or the commission of fraud, related to a criminal history record check.

3. COSTS:

The proposed amendment will not impose any costs on public or private entities located in rural areas.

4. MINIMIZING ADVERSE IMPACT:

The proposed amendment does not impose any compliance requirements or costs on public or private entities located in rural areas. The proposed amendment relates to evidentiary standards in the conduct of moral character hearings for certified teachers and other certified school personnel under Part 83 of the Commissioner's Regulations, and merely establishes a rebuttable presumption that a teacher or school administrator who is convicted of any crime relating to the submission of false information, or who has committed fraud, relating to his/her criminal history record check lacks good moral character. The proposed amendment will thereby expedite the removal of teachers and administrators that commit crimes involving the submission of false information, or the commission of fraud, related to a criminal history record check. Because evidentiary standards in Part 83 moral character hearings must be uniformly applicable throughout the State in order to meet Constitutional requirements, it is not possible to establish differing requirements for or to exempt affected individuals in rural the proposed amendment's provisions.

5. RURAL AREA PARTICIPATION:

Comments on the proposed amendment were solicited from the Rural Education Advisory Committee, which includes representatives of school districts located in rural areas. In addition, the Department has distributed copies of the proposed amendment for review and comment by the Department's Professional Standards and Practices Board for Teaching, which includes representatives of teachers, school administrators, institutions offering teacher preparatory programs, the general public, and students in teacher education programs. The Board includes members who live or work in rural areas.

6. INITIAL REVIEW OF RULE (SAPA § 207):

Pursuant to State Administrative Procedure Act section 207(1)(b), the State Education Department proposes that the initial review of this rule shall occur in the fifth calendar year after the year in which the rule is adopted, instead of in the third calendar year. The justification for a five year review period is that the proposed amendment is part of long-range Regents policy enactments to ensure the integrity and security of fingerprinting and other aspects of the criminal background checks of prospective school employees. The Department has taken steps to better ensure the security of fingerprints in recent years by growing the number of fingerprints collected electronically. Approximately 75 percent of fingerprints are collected electronically, which reduces the opportunity for the integrity of fingerprints to be compromised. However, the Department has begun to review the fingerprinting process to close potential gaps that may exist, such as the ability of a person to submit false fingerprints. As part of this review, the Department has determined that the proposed amendment is needed to expedite the removal of school district personnel that commit certain crimes. Currently, there are no provisions to expeditiously address actions related to fingerprint fraud, which can result in convicted felons whose presence in the classroom or school poses a danger to the safety of students and/or staff evading the criminal history record check process and gaining access to schools. The proposed amendment establishes a rebuttable presumption that a teacher or school administrator who is convicted of any crime relating to the submission of false information, or who has committed fraud, Accordingly, there is no need for a shorter review period.

The Department invites public comment on the proposed five year review period for this rule. Comments should be sent to the agency contact listed in item 10. of the Notice of Proposed Rule Making published herewith, and must be received within 45 days of the State Register publication date of the Notice.

Job Impact Statement

The proposed amendment relates to evidentiary standards in the conduct of moral character hearings for certified teachers and other certified school personnel under Part 83 of the Commissioner's Regulations, and will not have an adverse impact on jobs or employment opportunities. Because it is evident from the nature of the proposed amendment that it will have a positive impact, or no impact, on jobs or employment opportunities, no further steps were needed to ascertain those facts and none were taken. Accordingly, a job impact statement is not required and one has not been prepared.