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Hiring Guidelines

We are thrilled at the prospect of you joining our family. Here’s a general overview of our application, background screening process, and hiring guidelines to help you get started.

Application Process:

  • Complete the Employment Application: All applicants must complete the district’s employment application, which includes a detailed "Background Information" questionnaire.

  • Honesty is Key: Read each question carefully and provide truthful responses. You may need to submit additional documentation such as arrest affidavits, court dispositions, or personal statements.

Background Information:

  • What to Disclose: Disclose all criminal convictions and court-imposed conditions, regardless of an attorney’s advice. This includes offenses as a juvenile or adult, regardless of adjudication.

  • Types of Offenses: Offenses to disclose include guilty convictions, pleas of guilty or no contest, jail time, probation, adjudication withheld, posted bail, pre-trial programs, juvenile records, and any court-imposed conditions.

  • Special Cases: Sealed, expunged records, and military court proceedings must also be disclosed. DUI, DWI, and reckless driving are criminal offenses and must be reported.

Pending Cases:

  • Pending Criminal Cases: Applicants with pending criminal cases, outstanding warrants, or uncompleted court programs will not be considered for employment until all charges are resolved and sanctions completed.

Screening Guidelines:

  • Florida Statutory Requirements: Our guidelines align with Florida’s Level II screening requirements for public school personnel.

  • Fingerprinting and Drug Testing: If offered a job, you will undergo fingerprinting and drug testing at your expense. Fingerprints are checked by the FDLE and FBI.

Criminal Background Issues:

  • Review Process: If your background check reveals issues you disclosed, you may need to provide additional documentation for review by the Criminal Background Check (CBC) Committee.

  • Falsification Consequences: Failing to disclose a criminal background or falsifying your application will result in denial of employment and rescindment of any job offers.

Employment Standards:

  • Good Moral Character: All applicants must meet the good moral character standard per Florida Statute §1012.32.

  • Ineligibility for Employment: Individuals ineligible for employment per Florida Statutes §1012.315 or §1001.10(4)(b) will not be hired.

Case-by-case reviews may be considered for applicants who have offenses not identified as disqualifying, pursuant to Florida Statutes §1012.315. Relevant factors to be considered when the applicant is not prohibited from employment pursuant to all applicable Board policy and/or Florida Statutes include, but are not limited to:

1.    Severity of the offense(s)
2.    Multiple convictions
3.    Disclosure of offense(s)
4.    Whether the offense was an isolated or repeated violation
5.    Amount of time that has passed since the most recent conviction
6.    Circumstances under which the offense(s) occurred
7.    Age of the applicant when the crime was committed
8.    Evidence of rehabilitation
9.    Compliance with conditions of probation/parole

Important Information Regarding Eligibility for Employment:

  • Open Investigations: Individuals currently under investigation by the Florida Department of Education Office of Professional Practice Services (PPS) are not eligible for employment.

  • Closed Cases and Probation: Applicants with closed cases or those under probation will be reviewed individually.

Role of the Office of Professional Practice Services:

  • Grievance Process: PPS manages a state-level grievance process to ensure proper disciplinary actions are taken against educators' certificates in Florida.

  • Investigations: PPS investigates alleged misconduct by certified educators in Florida. If misconduct is found, PPS pursues disciplinary actions against the educator’s certificate.

  • Legal and Conduct Violations: PPS investigates when there is evidence of legal violations or breaches of the Principles of Professional Conduct, which set the standards for certified educators in Florida.

This ensures that only those who uphold the highest standards of conduct are allowed to educate in Florida.

Please review this information thoroughly. If you have any questions, contact a Human Resources representative for assistance.

We look forward to potentially welcoming you to the Lake County Schools family!