Background Screening: NAEYC Governing Board Candidates

Once the Governance Committee determines its recommendations for the election slate, all individuals included are required to submit to a criminal background check and sexual offender registry check by signing appropriate authorizations and consents. All potential members of the slate will be individually assessed, and decisions will be made with respect to Board membership based upon the totality of the candidate’s qualifications and the results of the background checks.

One or more of the following are absolute barriers to Board membership. However, non-conviction dispositions (examples include disposition by stet and probation before judgment) are not included in the following barriers:

On any sexual offender registry— national, state, or local jurisdiction
Any felony conviction within the past 7 years
Any conviction of a crime of moral turpitude within the past 7 years

Examples: fraud, embezzlement, bribery, perjury, forgery, arson, murder.

Any conviction of a crime involving children within the past 7 years (child is defined as any individual who requires the guardianship of an adult)

Examples: child pornography, child trafficking, sexting, abuse and neglect of children or incapacitated adults, failing to secure medical attention to injured child, allowing children access to firearms.

The Governance Committee is not limited by the above list and reserves the right to disqualify a candidate where, in the sole opinion of the Governance Committee, it is in the best interests of the association.

If one or more of these barriers appear on a potential Board member candidate’s background check report, and after the time period elapses for the candidate to confirm or deny the accuracy of the information in the background report, the Governance Committee will remove that candidate from consideration for appointment to the slate or Board.

Prior to taking any adverse action, appropriate pre‐adverse and adverse action notices will be sent to the potential candidate pursuant to federal and any state FCRA laws together with a copy of the report.

A disqualified candidate will receive written notification of their disqualification, as well as the method for appealing the decision within 10 days of the disqualifying report. The disqualified candidate may request an appeal within 10 days of receipt of the disqualification notice. Members from the Governance Committee will hear the appeal at the soonest available time, but no later than 10 days from the time the appeal is requested. The disqualified candidate may present information or documentation to the Governance Committee to dispute the findings of the background checks. The Governance Committee members hearing the appeal will issue a decision within 5 days of the appeal hearing. This decision is a final and binding decision.