Action Alert: Give Private Schools the Same Access to Records

Did you know private schools, including private religious schools, aren't able to access the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction's (OSPI) background check system? OSPI's background check system is available for public, but not private, schools. Fortunately, two bills — HB 2996 and SB 6619 — are making their way through the legislature that will change this and give private schools the ability to access OSPI's background information.

Not having access to OSPI's records puts private schools — like those in the Jewish community — at a disadvantage. Private schools currently require teachers and some employees who have regularly scheduled, unsupervised access to children to undergo a record check. But how? There is currently no statutory provision specifically authorizing access by private schools to information from the OSPI record check database.

HB 2996 and SB 6619 would change this. Please take a moment and ask your state senator and state representative to support these two pieces of legislation.