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Frequently Asked Questions about the Jessica Lunsford Act

Orange County Public Schools adjudges your eligibility for a vendor badge based upon the level of contact you have with students. You are either a contact vendor, or a no-contact vendor. See our website for further details.

 

Q:  What are the criteria for Level 2 Screening under the Jessica Lunsford Act (JLA)?

 

The law states that Level 2 screening is required: If a vendor has a contractual business relationship with the District and one of the following apply: Employees or agents will be on school grounds during the time students are present; have direct contact with students; or have access to or control of school funds. Further, the district and charter schools under its governance, reserve the right to require a criminal history background check in order to issue a badge, keys or access to any of its facilities.

 

Q:  What is a Professional Visitor?

A Professional Visitor is someone that does not fall into the category that requires fingerprint screening, but they should be screened using Raptor, the school district’s visitor tracking application. The Professional Visitor must be escorted while on school property by a badged OCPS employee.

 

Q:  Where do vendors and contractors go to be fingerprinted and screened?

Simply go to (OCPS fingerprint site) – select the option that applies to you, then follow the directions provided when completing the online enrollment and service center scheduling process. Then you will take your confirmation to any number of the convenient service center locations.

 

Q: What is the cost of fingerprinting for vendors?

The cost for this service for vendors can be found on district’s website or by clicking here, the fee includes the OCPS Security Badge.

 

Q: Who is responsible for payment of fingerprinting?

The vendor is fully responsible for paying all fingerprinting and badge related services online during the enrollment and scheduling process.

 

Q: What do I need to bring with me to be fingerprinted?

In order to be fingerprinted vendors and contractors will need to bring Registration Receipt and the government issued photo identification used during the online enrollment and scheduling registration. Note: Payment for Services is paid online and can NOT be paid at the Service Center. Tow forms of identification are required.

 

Q: How long does this process take?

Fingerprints are sent directly to Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). The results of the data are returned to OCPS usually within 24-hours and reviewed by Human Resources. Due to the volume of fingerprints, at peak periods it can take 2 to 4 weeks to process and for the Contractor/Vendor to obtain a badge from OCPS.

 

Q: If a fingerprint needs to be recaptured, does the vendor have to pay to be re-fingerprinted?

No.

 

Q: If a vendor has “cleared/passed” fingerprinting in another County, does the vendor have to redo it in Orange County?

OCPS participates in the Florida Shared Schools Results database commonly known as FSSR.
 

Q: When a vendor/contractor has been notified that any employee is “not cleared”, who does the employee contact to obtain information or to request reconsideration?

For questions relating to the appeals process, please call 407.317.3200 and request to speak with the Fingerprinting Department. 
 

Q: What happens after the results are received by OCPS?

The results are received directly by the Human Resources Department. They are reviewed according to applicable Florida Statutes and the individual is provided a “Clear” or “Not Cleared” status. All background information received from FDLE is confidential.

 

Q: How is a vendor notified of their results?

Individuals and companies may review their status via the OCPS Fingerprinting Management website.

 

Q: How does a vendor know when to pick up their badge?

This information is available via the OCPS Fingerprinting Management website.

 

Q: How can I pick up the badges for all of our employees at one time?

The  OCPS Fingerprinting Management website provides an option to pick up multiple badges. Reminder: All contractors doing business with OCPS must demonstrate they are authorized to work in the US before a badge will be issued.

 

Q: Under the Jessica Lunsford Act, do delivery personnel have to be fingerprinted?

Non-instructional contractors who provide pick-up or delivery services and those services that involve brief visits on school grounds when students are present are exempt. See FS §1012.468.

 

Q: Are volunteers exempt from fingerprinting?

Yes, however the schools and/or facilities should check them against the Federal and State sexual using the district’s Raptor visitor tracking system.

 

Q: Do military personnel have to be cleared through OCPS fingerprinting process?

No, they are considered “Professional Visitors” and may be escorted through each school.

 

Q: Do the daycare drivers, karate school drivers or other similar after school program drivers need to be fingerprinted?

No, not unless there is a contract between these vendors and the school district. All Volunteers must be checked against the Federal and State Sexual Offender databases:

State Site: offender.fdle.state.fl.us/offender/homepage.do

Federal Site: http://www.nsopw.gov/

 

Q: Is bus service provided by Valencia Community College used to transport students, subject to Level 2 screening?

The law states that only contracted vendors meeting the criteria of the Jessica Lunsford Act must obtain Level 2 Screening. If the contract for bus service is between Valencia Community College and the Bus Line, Level 2 Screening is not required; however, it is recommended that drivers be checked against the federal and state sexual predator databases as an added safety measure.

State Site: offender.fdle.state.fl.us/offender/homepage.do

Federal Site: http://www.nsopw.gov/

 

Q: Students participate in a variety of fieldtrips. Is the facility or attraction subject to the Jessica Lunsford Act?

The inference of the JLA is that fieldtrips are exempt. However, schools should require individuals to be checked against the Federal and State Sexual Predator Databases as an added safety measure.

State Site: offender.fdle.state.fl.us/offender/homepage.do

Federal Site: http://www.nsopr.gov/

 

Q: Schools have agreements with out-of-state consultants to provide teacher training at the school during school hours. Are out-of-state consultants required to have Level 2 Screening?

If there is an agreement/contract between OCPS and the consultant/contractor to provide services, the requirements of the Jessica Lunsford Act would apply.

  

Q: We have Florida State fire inspectors that come in to check our buildings and grounds for violations. Do they have to be fingerprinted?

No. However, they should be checked against the predator databases and escorted. Florida State fire inspectors are not vendors or employees of OCPS and do not need to complete Level 2 screening.

State Site: offender.fdle.state.fl.us/offender/homepage.do

Federal Site: http://www.nsopr.gov/

 

Q: We have nurses that escort special needs children but are under contract to either of the parents, Medicare, or the insurance company and not to OCPS. How do we screen them?

Nurses escorting students or riding OCPS buses are required to obtain Level 2 Screening and a vendor badge.

 

Q: What about daycare providers for teen parent students?

The providers do not need to go through OCPS fingerprinting because DCF already screens them.

 

Q: Will vendors have to redo this process every year?

Yes. Badges are only valid for one year


Q:
How does a vendor obtain a new I.D. badge?

All badging is completed via the OCPS Fingerprinting Management website.

Q: If a vendor loses their badge how do they obtain a new one?

Lost badges can be ordered via the OCPS Fingerprinting Management website.

 

Q: Does this law affect piggyback bids?

Yes, the vendor/contractor must follow the same process.

 

Q: Who will be responsible for employees when they leave their company or who now have a record or something that would negate the Level 2 screening?

The company/vendor is responsible for notifying OCPS and surrenders the employee’s badge to the OCPS Procurement Services Department within 24 hours.

 

Q: If I work for more than one company how can I get an additional badge for second company?

 Currently, district vendor badges identify the individual, not the company. You are required to do a FSSR request associating you with the second company, but a new badge will not be produced. You will receive a clearance notification as if you are receiving an new badge, but your current badge will suffice for multiple companies.