SCH CD-CRIMINAL HISTORY CHECKS

Amends the School Code. In provisions concerning the registration and recognition of non-public elementary and secondary schools, (i) changes a statutory reference, (ii) makes changes concerning the release of criminal history record information concerning an applicant for employment, (iii) requires a student teacher, prior to the commencement of any student teaching experience (or required internship) in a school, to authorize a fingerprint-based criminal history records check, and (iv) requires a school to perform a check of the Statewide Sex Offender Database and of the Statewide Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Database for each student teacher. In provisions concerning criminal history records checks and checks of the Statewide Sex Offender Database and Statewide Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Database for applicants for employment with a school district, (i) requires the Department of State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to furnish records of convictions forever and hereinafter (until expunged), (ii) makes changes concerning the release of confidential information concerning criminal convictions, (iii) provides that information obtained by a school district within the last year with respect to employees of persons or firms holding contracts with the school district must be made available to a requesting school or school district (instead of to a requesting school, school district, community college district, or private school), and (iv) makes changes concerning checks for student teachers.