Sauk Rapids-Rice Schools Requiring Background Checks For Classroom Visitors, Volunteers [AUDIO]

SAUK RAPIDS - Parents and grandparents in the Sauk Rapids-Rice school district who want to volunteer in their child's classroom are now required to pass a background check.

Superintendent Dan Bittman says the new policy went into effect on July 1st.

Bittman says the policy is also effective for anyone who may want to eat in the lunchroom with their child, chaperone on field trips, etc.

Bittman says, if you show-up at the school, and don't have a background check on file, they'll help you get started.

Bittman says he maintains the updated list, and the private date will only be seen by him.

He says while it's a new policy at Sauk Rapids-Rice, it's not new for a majority of districts in Central Minnesota.

He says you can fill-out a background check application online at a cost of $14, it usually takes a few hours for the check to be approved.

Bittman says background checks are allowable, but not required by state law.