COLDSPRING – A new Texas law requiring nearly all public school employees be fingerprinted as part of a criminal background check is “long past due,” according to Coldspring-Oakhurst Consolidated Independent School District Superintendent Dr. Lynn Cummins.

“I’m very much in favor of fingerprinting because we’re not always able to screen as deep as needed,” Cummins said, adding, “Child safety is number one.”

Beginning Jan. 1, the new law will require school districts to fingerprint all teachers, administrators, substitute teachers and most other employees as part of a national criminal background check. 

Cummins said he didn’t know how many in the district or statewide will be affected by the new law.

“I’m grateful the state is going to help with the cost of fingerprinting employees currently hired,” Cummins said.

Those hired after Jan. 1, 2008, including support staff such as bus drivers and cafeteria workers, will have to pay $52.20 and travel to Conroe and be fingerprinted.

Shepherd Independent School District Personnel Director Kathy Keeland said she fears it’s going to be a hardship for many.

Cummins said school districts could opt to pay the fee for those hired after Jan. 1. Neither Cummins nor Keeland could say whether or not either of San Jacinto County’s school districts would vote to pay the fee.

“It’s the price of keeping our kids safe,” Cummins said.

Currently, only teachers certified since 2003 have had to undergo the background reviews and fingerprinting.

Texas Education Agency officials predict about one million public school employees will be affected by the new law between now and 2011, the deadline for districts to be in compliance.

Districts will be given three weeks notice before testing starts.

Senate Bill 9, passed by the 80th Texas Legislature, directed the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) to create rules that would in part establish a deadline for a certified educator to submit fingerprints in compliance with the law and provide sanctions for failure to do so.

The SBEC rules, which are now effective, state that a certified educator’s national criminal history record must be received by the Texas Education Agency staff within 80 days after receiving a notice to submit fingerprints in compliance with SB9. Failure to do so would result in the individual’s certificate being placed on inactive status, causing the person to become ineligible for employment in a Texas public school in a position that requires educator certification.