Protecting Chicago’s Children: CPS Plan of Action

1 Protecting Chicago s children : CPS Plan of Action NothingismoreimportanttoChicagoPublicSch oolsthanthesafetyandwellbeingofourstuden ts. Parentsandfamiliesentrustustoeducateands afeguardtheirchildren, theyears,CPShascontinuouslyimprovedeffor tsprotectstudents,butwemustbevigilantand address any issues that could endanger children . Mostimportantly,ifyoususpectabuse,please reportitimmediatelytotheIllinoisDepartme ntof ChildrenandFamilyServices(DCFS).The24-ho urhotlineis:800-25-ABUSE,or800-252-2873. AllCPS staffaremandatoryreportersofanyphysicalo rsexualabuseofchildren,andallemployeesat testto understanding this responsibility as a condition of their employment. ToensurethatCPSisdoingeverythingpossible topreventabuse,theBoardofEducationhasask edan independent,outsideexperttoreviewallprac tices,policies,andproceduresforaddressin ginstancesof allegedsexualmisconduct,harassment, ,formerAssistantUnitedStates AttorneyandIllinoisExecutiveInspectorGen eral, finalrecommendations andourplansforimplementingtherecommendat ionswithyouassoonas possible.

2 CPShasalsoremovedallemployeeswhoareaccus edofsexualabusefromschoolspendingthe outcome of an investigation. Inaddition,CPSistakingseveralimmediatest eps,particularlyconcerningbackgroundchec ks,support forstudents,investigationsintoemployeemi sconduct, with partners in Springfield to address changes in state law to better protect students. Next Steps: Immediate Improvements Background Checks AllCPSemployeesaresubjecttoabackgroundch eckofcriminalactivitiesandchildabuseorne glect; however,backgroundchecksalonedonotprovid ethecertaintyweneedaboutthequalityofourh ires. CPShasidentifiedthefollowingstepstostren gthenhowwescreenprospectiveemployeesaswe llas maintain the most up-to-date information for existing employees. theIllinoisStatePolice,ChicagoPoliceDepa rtment,andotheragenciesnotifyCPSwhenan existingemployeeisaccusedorconvictedofac rime, backgroundchecksprovideanadditionalavenu etolearnaboutemployeeswhoareaccusedof or commit crimes after they ve been hired.

3 Bythe2018-19schoolyear,CPSwillestablisha centralizedeligibilityprocessforallathle tic coachesandassistantcoaches, Sports AdministrationDepartmenttobetterensureco achesarenotonlyscreenedeffectively,butar e also trained prior to beginning coaching activities. CPSwillestablishadditionalprocessesandre sources,beyondourbackgroundchecks,that schoolscanusetoeffectivelycheckcandidate s additionalavenuetouncoverallegationsofab useordisciplinaryactionsfrompriorjobstha tare not reported in background checks conducted by law enforcement and/or DCFS. Additional Student Support Supportingstudentvictimsandtheirfamilies isacriticalpriority,andCPSismakingthefol lowing immediate improvements. Whenaninvestigationintoallegedphysicalor sexualabusebegins,theLawDepartmentwill notifytheChiefEducationOfficeandTalentOf ficetoensurethatallappropriatestudent supports are in place, including safety plans and counseling.

4 CPSwilldevelopastandardframeworkforcompr ehensivelyinvestigatingandaddressingeach reportedincident, eachincidentwillincludeareviewofwhethert heappropriateservicesandsupportswere providedtothestudentandfamilyandaprotoco lforfollowingupwiththestudentandfamily to identify and address ongoing challenges. Thedistrictwillimplementapublicawareness campaigninschools,districtoffices,andCit yof Chicagofacilitiestoraiseawarenessofchild abuseandtheresponsibilitiesofmandated students,employees,families,andmembers of the public to report suspected abuse. Investigations into Employee Misconduct CPS will review and strengthen its process for investigating alleged employee misconduct. CPSwillreviewitsinvestigationsintoreport sofsexualassaultandmisconductallegations and take necessary steps to strengthen those processes.

5 CPSadjusteditspolicyandwillbeginimmediat elyremovinganyemployeeswhoareaccusedof sexualabusefromschoolspendingtheoutcomeo faninvestigation,ratherthanwaitingto determine if credible evidence existed before removing employees. Inthestandardinvestigationframeworknoted above,CPSwillalsoevaluatewhethertherewer e warningsignsthatcouldhavetriggeredanearl ierinvestigationandtheadequacyofthe response of the school and Central Office when the incident became known. Training and Guidance for Staff CPSwillalsoupdateemployeetrainingtoensur eeveryemployeefullyunderstandstheirrolei nhelping prevent crimes against students. InJune2018,theBoardofEducationwillconsid erarevisedBoardPolicythatwillrequireall employees to report signs of predatory behavior. If approved, the policy would also require: oReporting of grooming behaviors, a sign of potential future predatory acts; and oReporting of inappropriately intimate relationships between staff and students.

6 Duringthe2018-19schoolyear,CPSwillretrai nallemployeesontheirobligationsasmandate d reportersofanyphysicalorsexualabuseofchi ldren whichissomethingthatallCPS employees are trained on and attest to as a condition of their employment. Thedistrictwillimplementapublicawareness campaigninschools,districtoffices,andCit yof Chicagofacilitiestoraiseawarenessofchild abuseandtheresponsibilitiesofreporting during the 2018-19 school year. Duringthe2018-19schoolyear, willbecarriedoutunderthedirectionofanewd istrict-wideTitleIXofficer,whowillbe responsibleforevaluatingalldistrictiniti ativesandmattersinvolvingsexualdiscrimin ationand sexual misconduct. Beforetheendofthecalendaryear,CPSwilltra inallemployeesonappropriateinteractions between adults and students. Legislative Efforts Inadditiontothesignificantprocessimprove mentsandpolicychangesthedistrictiscommit tedto making,CPSwillworkwithlegislatorsinSprin gfieldtomakechangestostatelawthatwillhel pkeep students safer in school in every district in the state.

7 Several potential areas for improvements include: AllowCPSandotherdistrictstomoreeasilyrem ovepredatorsfromclassroomsandprevent re-traumatizingvictims. Removingabusersfromtheschoolsystemoftenr equiresstudent safeguardsshouldbecreatedtoavoidre-traum atizingstudentsbyrequiringthemtotestify before strangers and their alleged abuser. Removebarrierstosharinginformationaboutp redators. Barriersshouldberemovedtoallow districtstomoreeasilysharedisciplineinfo rmationaboutformeremployeessothatpeoplew ho include provisions of the Personnel Records Review Act and Employment Records Review Act. UseISBE steacherlicensureprocessestobettersafegu ardstudents. ISBE seducatorlicensure processescanbeamendedtoincorporateadditi onalvigilanceintheprotectionofstudents, particularly during the license renewal period.

8 Appendix: CPS Recent Efforts to Improve Safeguards for Students Overthepastseveralyears, willnotrestuntilthedistrictisconfidentth atallpossiblemeasureshavebeenputinplacet oprotect students. Strengthening Background Checks Below is a brief history of the improvements CPS has made to its background check process. 2014:CPSbeganrequiringcoachesandothervol unteerswhoareregularlyinschoolstopassa fingerprint-based criminal background check before volunteering at a school. 2016:CPSbegantocheckallprospectiveemploy eeswithDCFS forfindingsofchildabuseor neglect. 2017:CPSreachedagreementswithnearlyallCh icagocharterschoolnetworkstoensure prospectivecharterschoolemployees backgroundcheckswouldbeasrigorousasthech ecks ,andCPScannotrequirethemto s background checks. 2017:CPSadvisedcharterschoolsofemployees whowerepreviouslydismissedfromCPSfor issues involving physical abuse.

9 2017:CPSbeganrequiringallvendoremployees whohavedirectdailycontactwithCPSstudents togothroughCPS criminalbackgroundadjudicationandtheDCFS checkprocess,asopposedto using an independent process determined by the vendors. Strengthening Investigations into Employee Misconduct BelowisabriefhistoryoftheimprovementsCPS hasmadetoitsprocesstoinvestigateemployee misconduct. 2015:CPSestablishedaDisciplineCommitteet oreviewinvestigationsanddeterminean appropriate disciplinary response. oInadditiontoLawDepartmentattorneys,thec ommitteeincludeseducation administrators,auditors,andTalentOffice( HR) ensurethatdisciplinarydecisionsarenotsol elylegaldecisions,andthattheemployees conductandthedistrict scourseofactionisviewedthroughmultiplele nsestoensure the best possible judgment is reached to protect children .

10 Strengthening Training and Guidance for Staff Below is a brief history of the improvements CPS has made to its background check process. 2016:Atthemandatorylegalconferenceforall principalsandadministrators,CPSprovided trainingsessionsonrecognizingbehaviorsin dicativeofphysicalandsexualabuseandthe annually every year moving forward. 2016:TheDepartmentsofSafety&Security,Hea lth&Wellness,andLawcollaboratedto developaresourceguideforprincipalsthatin cludesaresponsetreethatcanbeconsultedwhe n incidents of sexual violence are reported. 2017:CPSdistributedguidancetoprincipalso nmaintainingprofessionalstaff/student communication,interactionswithstudents,t ravel, can be found at.