Policy 5:90
Abused and Neglected Child Reporting
Any District employee who has reasonable cause to believe that a student may be an abused or neglected child shall: immediately report such a case to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) on its Child Abuse Hotline 800/25-ABUSE and follow directions given by DCFS concerning the filing of a written report within 48 hours with the nearest DCFS field office. Any District employee who believes a student is in immediate danger of harm shall first call 911. The employee shall notify the Superintendent or building principal that a report has been made.
Any District employee who discovers child pornography on electronic and information technology equipment shall immediately report it to local law enforcement, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s Cyber Tipline 800/843-5678, or online at www.cybertipline.com. The Superintendent or building principal shall also be promptly notified of the discovery and that a report has been made.
Hazing is defined as any intentional, knowing, or reckless act directed to or required of a student for the purpose of being initiated into, affiliating with, holding office in, or maintaining membership in any group, organization, club, or athletic team whose members are or include other students. If the hazing results in death or great bodily harm, the employee must also make the report to law enforcement. Any District employee who observes any act of hazing toward a student must report that act to the building principal, Superintendent, or designee who will investigate and take appropriate action.
Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act (ANCRA), School Code, and Erin’s Law Training
The Superintendent or designee shall provide staff development opportunities for District employees in the detection, reporting, and prevention of child abuse and neglect.
All District employees shall:
- Before beginning employment, sign the Acknowledgement of Mandated Reporter Status form provided by DCFS. The Superintendent or designee shall ensure that the signed forms are retained.
- Complete mandated reporter training as required by law within one year of initial employment and at least every 5 years after that date.
- Complete an annual evidence-informed training related to child sexual abuse, grooming behaviors, and boundary violations as required by law and pursuant to policy 4:165, Awareness and Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse and Grooming Behaviors and policy 5:100, Staff Development Program.
Superintendent Responsibilities
The Superintendent shall execute the requirements in Board Policy 5:150, Personnel Records, whenever another school district requests a reference concerning an applicant who is or was a District employee and was the subject of a report made by a District employee to DCFS.
When the Superintendent has reasonable cause to believe that a license holder committed an intentional act of abuse or neglect with the result of making a child an abused child or a neglected child under ANCRA, and that act resulted in the license holder’s dismissal or resignation from the District, the superintendent shall notify the State Superintendent and the Regional Superintendent in writing, providing the Ill. Educator Identification Number as well as a brief description of the misconduct alleged. The Superintendent must make the report within 30 days of the dismissal or resignation and mail a copy of the notification to the license holder.
Adopted: May 4, 1998
Revised: January 20, 2009, January 27, 2014, February 23, 2015; September 23, 2019; April 25, 2022