May 27, 2016

Dr. Kevin Maxwell

Chief Executive Officer
Prince Georges County Public Schools
14201 School Lane
Upper Marlboro, Maryland 20772
Dear Dr. Maxwell:
On behalf of the members of the Student Safety Task Force, thank you and the Prince Georges
County Public Schools System families and employees for permitting each of us to serve in a
capacity to review current policies, procedures, and practices with the goal of enhancing student
safety and preventing child sexual abuse. The culmination of the work of the Task Force has
resulted in proposing five major recommendations, advising that 61 considerations relative to
four key areas receive serious deliberation by system officials, and suggesting 28 opportunities
to update, clarify, and/or enhance administrative procedures.
The Student Safety Task Force believes this report is focused, inclusive, and intentional in its
attempt to categorize the myriad of ways and opportunities that exist to support student safety
and the prevention of child sexual abuse in our schools. Implementing the recommendations,
considerations, and suggestions has the potential to assist the Prince Georges County School
System and its leadership at the system and local levels in creating and sustaining exemplary
practices while making significant progress in areas that require change.
We believe this work is not finished. It must be ongoing and intentional with regularly
scheduled reviews of policies, procedures, and practices. There should be consideration to
inviting consultants and subject-matter experts to engage periodically with System and school
leadership to understand emerging best practices and implementation of these practices in the
school environment. Whether in schools, within families, or in communities, all adults share
responsibility for student safety. Prince Georges County Public Schools has the opportunity to
become a national leader by taking bold and concrete action, the goal of which is to enhance
student safety and prevent child sexual abuse.
The Task Force took immediate action by creating work groups that focused on four key areas.
Each of the groups reviewed documents, identified best practices, listened to subject-matter
experts, surveyed the community, and engaged with school personnel, all of which was
significant to the work.

Dr. Kevin Maxwell

Page 2
May 27, 2016

The key areas were:

Culture and Climate

Reporting and Training
Screening of Employees, Volunteers, Visitors, Vendors, and Contractors
Curriculum and Counseling

Additionally, the Task Force examined and made 28 suggestions to update, clarify, or enhance
six administrative procedures that directly or indirectly connect to the prevention of child sexual
abuse. Those procedures are as follows:

AP 4216.6 Volunteers
AP 5145 Reporting Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect
AP 4215 Criminal History Checks
AP 0500 School Visitors
AP 5180 Use of Social Media in Schools
AP 4126 Employee Use of Social Media

The Task Force had access to school based and non-school based personnel and subject-matter
experts who are deeply committed to sustaining safe environments in schools and developing
strong policies supported by enhanced administrative procedures to prevent child sexual abuse.
We wish to thank the greater Prince Georges County community for understanding the gravity
of this assignment and allowing the Task Force to take the time necessary to complete the work,
which took us beyond the original published deadline of May 2, 2016. However, the additional
three weeks permitted the opportunity to pay close attention to community comments, interview
key internal and external constituents who work with children in various capacities on a daily
basis, and continuously review the literature and listen to subject-matter experts.
We are grateful to the Union leadership for their commitment to student safety and for
supporting the Task Forces desire to meet with school employees whose allegiance to students
and the maintenance of safe environments are visibly apparent and steadfast. This access
allowed the Task Force to listen to the voices of those charged to educate, transport, and support
our children in a multiplicity of ways in Prince Georges County.
We want to thank the Resource Team comprised of PGCPS administrators and personnel, led by
Mr. George Margolies, Chief of Staff. The Team answered every question; provided
information, documents, and materials; and was candid in articulating their ongoing intent to
ensure that students arrived at schools exhibiting cultures and climates that supported children
and their families.

Dr. Kevin Maxwell

Page 3
May 27, 2016

We especially appreciate the service provided by the support teams in offices of the Chief of
Staff, Technology Training, Testing and Assessment, and Communications. The assistance
provided by these offices was outstanding and is much appreciated.

Yours in Service,

Charlene M. Dukes
Chair
Student Safety Task Force

cc: Blanca Abrico, Parent

Renee Battle Brooks, Esquire
Judy Bresler, Esquire
Gloria Brown, M.S.
Michele Booth Cole, Esquire
Brenda Jones Harden, M.D.
Kristina Kyles-Smith, C.A.G.S.
Joshua Sharfstein, M.D.

PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

STUDENT SAFETY TASK FORCE
Report and Recommendations
Submitted to
Dr. Kevin Maxwell, Chief Executive Officer
Prince Georges County Public Schools
May 27, 2016
Dr. Kevin M. Maxwell, Chief Executive Officer of the Prince Georges County Public Schools,
announced the formation of the Student Safety Task Force on February 22, 2016 in response to
safety concerns pertaining to the criminal investigation of alleged child sexual abuse at Judge
Sylvania Woods Elementary School. The Student Safety Task Force (Task Force) was charged
with conducting a thorough review of the school systems current policies, procedures,
processes, and practices and making recommendations to enhance school safety. The
independent Task Force is comprised of representatives from non-profit, private sector, public
safety organizations, colleges and universities, and local government:

Charlene M. Dukes, Ed.D., President, Prince Georges Community College & Chair of
the Prince Georges County Public Schools Student Safety Task Force

Joshua Sharfstein, M.D., Associate Dean for Public Health Practice and Training and
faculty in Health Policy and Management at the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of
Public Health

Gloria Brown, M.S., Director, Prince Georges County Department of Social Services

Renee Battle Brooks, Esq., Office of the States Attorney, Prince Georges County

Judy Bresler, Esq., Attorney at Law, Carney, Kelehan, Bresler, Bennett & Scherr, LLP

Kristina Kyles-Smith, C.A.G.S., Assistant State Superintendent, Division of Student,

Family and School Support, Maryland State Department of Education

Brenda Jones Harden, M.D., Associate Professor, Department of Human Development

and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland of College Park

Michele Booth Cole, J.D., Executive Director, Safe Shores The DC Children's
Advocacy Center

Blanca Abrico, Parent of a student at Robert R. Gray Elementary School

The Task Force was originally asked to complete its work by adhering to the following four
phases and timelines:
Phase 1 (March 1 March 11): Background and Policy Review
1. Hear from experts on key strategies for protecting children.
2. Review policy on background checks, individual screenings, and required clearances for
all employees and vendors/contractors.
3. Review policy on curriculum and age-appropriate student programming.
4. Review policy on reporting of child abuse and neglect.
5. Review the current policy that supports volunteers in schools or school-related activities
to include screenings, clearances, training, and supervision by authorized school system
personnel.
Phase 2 (March 14 March 25): Process and Practice Reviews 1 of 2
1. Review the process and practice for background checks, screenings, and required
clearances.
2. Review the current state of curriculum and age-appropriate student programming, at each
school level, regarding sexual harassment behaviors, awareness, and identification to
include sexual abuse and assault and the safe use of social media and other technologies.
Phase 3 (March 28 April 8): Process and Practice Reviews 2 of 2
1. Review the initial on-boarding process for new employees and ongoing training
requirements for all employees to ensure accurate and direct understanding of the
responsibility and timelines to report suspected child abuse, neglect, and suspicious
behavior to the appropriate authorities.
2. Review existing process and practice related to the reporting of child abuse and neglect,
background checks (criminal and otherwise).
Phase 4 (April 11 29)
1. Make recommendations to strengthen, enhance, and amend current policies, procedures,
processes, and practices.
2. Review and submit final recommendations to Dr. Maxwell for consideration on or before
May 2, 2016.

Resource Personnel
The following Prince Georges County Public Schools (PGCPS) and community representatives
served as resource personnel and assisted, where appropriate, the Task Force in gathering
information about current policies, procedures, and practices related to the charge:

George Margolies, J.D., Chief of Staff and PGCPS Lead for the Student Safety Task
Force

Monique W. Davis, Ed.D., Deputy Superintendent of Schools, PGCPS

5

Shawn Joseph, Ed.D., Deputy Superintendent of Teaching and Learning, PGCPS

Adrian Talley, Ed.D., Executive Director, Office of Student Services, PGCPS

Erica Berry, Esq., Executive Director, Office of the Board of Education

Tehani Collazo, Ed.D., Education Policy Advisor, Prince Georges County

Introduction and Methodology

At all times, the Task Force was clear that it had a single emphasis, and that was to respond to
the charge as provided by the Chief Executive Officer of the Prince Georges County Public
Schools (PGCPS) and develop recommendations for the system and local schools to promote
safety of children in schools. The Task Force was not charged with investigating or responding
to specific instances of abuse or neglect, and the Task Force did not do so.
The Task Force began its work in early March 2016 by requesting essential materials,
documents, and information that focused on safeguarding students. The documents included
policies and procedures, curriculum materials, and information pertaining to employee and
volunteer screening, training, and reporting of suspected child abuse. While undertaking a
thorough examination, the Task Force began to craft a set of questions related to PGCPS
policies, procedures, and materials designed to create safe learning environments (see Resources
Section). These questions provided the framework for the Task Force to complete its
assignment.
During the process, it became apparent that the work required much more intensive analysis in
four critical areas: Climate and Culture, Reporting and Training; Screening of Employees,
Volunteers, Vendors, and Contractors; and Curriculum and Counseling. It also was obvious that
the original timeline for assessing the current state, reviewing findings, and developing
recommendations was unrealistic; therefore, the Task Force, through the Chair, communicated to
the CEO the need to extend the deadline and committed to the provision of a report, to include
recommendations for proposed action, no later than the end of May 2016.
Understanding that its ultimate responsibility was to make recommendations that substantiate
and enhance the use of best practices to proactively address safety of school children, the Task
Force had access to the resources necessary to make critical and viable recommendations. It also
had the authority to meet with non-school based and school-based professionals and survey the
larger community to further understand the nexus between implementation and practice.
The Task Force engaged in the following activities to meet its assigned charge:

Met with System leadership to review the charge at its first meeting on March 3, 2016.
Requested, received, and reviewed internal school policies and administrative procedures.
Engaged external subject-matter experts to inform its work.
6

Determined the critical focus areas based on reports, policies, procedures, and external
resource information.
Conducted a review of the literature on child sexual abuse.
Organized into four groups around the identified critical areas of Culture and Climate;
Reporting and Training; Screening of Employees, Volunteers, Visitors, Vendors, and
Contractors; and Curriculum and Counseling.
Recognized the importance of the voices of school personnel, service providers, and the
larger community
Met with union representatives and administrators to identify a list of employees,
vendors, contractors, and volunteers in order to interview a broad, cross-sectional list of
individuals.
Developed a script which served as the basis for conducting the individual interviews.
Designed and administered a survey to engage the broader community in April.
Observed two sessions of volunteer training in April.
Met a minimum of 30 times as an independent Task Force: collectively, in teams for the
critical areas, via conference calls, in the individual interviews, and writing the report
with more than 500 hours dedicated to completing the charge.

Additional hours were spent on examining internal and external documents, inclusive of the 405
responses to the Task Force survey. Members also reviewed the work of subject-matter experts.
The Task Force concluded its work on May 27, 2016 and provided the report to the CEO of the
Prince Georges County Public Schools.
Task Force members also watched training videos currently provided to school personnel and
volunteers, specifically, Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect. Health curriculum guides were
provided so that Task Force members could understand the content of lessons taught at various
grade levels. In addition to questions posed to system administrators, Task Force members
conducted interviews with school employees, vendors, contractors, and volunteers, each of
whom was assured that his/her identities would remain confidential to encourage candid dialogue
regarding issues of safety for children.
Employees who were scheduled to be interviewed included teachers, principals (elementary,
middle, and high school), counselors, school psychologists, pupil personnel workers, bus drivers,
bus attendants, security, human resource administrators, food service assistants and managers,
and custodians. The intent of the interviews was to understand how current policies and
practices were being implemented, determine what was working well, identify gaps, and assess
opportunities for improvement.
The Task Force continues to interview school-based personnel. If there are substantive
comments that will add to this body of work, an addendum will be provided to the CEO by July
1, 2016. If the interviews do not add substance to what has been reported and recommended, the
report will stand as written and submitted on May 27, 2016.

External Resources
The Task Force held discussions with subject-matter experts representing the Family Tree and
the Moore Center for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse at Johns Hopkins University, both
located in Baltimore, Maryland. The Family Tree, a nonprofit organization, provides
information and training related to the prevention of child sexual abuse by connecting caring
communities and building strong families. In their meeting with the Task Force, the Family Tree
articulated the need for community awareness; the ways in which schools and youth-serving
organizations support safe, healthy, and respectful environments; and how parents can become
comfortable talking to their children about all aspects of sexuality.
Family Tree representatives provided information on common strategies to prevent child sexual
abuse inclusive of identification, treatment, monitoring, and risk reduction. They also discussed
the conditions that support abuse, including social messages, secrecy, and silence; and child
safety programs that provide appropriate messages to children about their rights, different types
of touching, and setting limits.
The Moore Center for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse promotes a public health approach
to child sexual abuse prevention that includes research, policy analysis, and education. Its goal is
to develop a more comprehensive and collaborative approach that focuses on the prevention of
child sexual abuse. The latest news releases for the Center indicated that the overarching goal
is to move our nations response to child sexual abuse from a criminal justice orientation,
focused on after-the-fact responses, to a more comprehensive approach that focuses significant
resources on prevention of child sexual abuse. The Center wants to bring public health
expertise and perspectives to the complex policy issues related to the prevention of child sexual
abuse.
Dr. Elizabeth Letourneau, founding director of the Moore Center and associate professor in the
Bloomberg Schools Department of Mental Health, reviewed the curriculum and recommended
best practices that support the prevention of child sexual abuse.
Community Survey
With a commitment to engage the broader community, the Task Force developed and
administered a survey to gain insights from parents, current and former students, current and
former employees, and a broad array of community stakeholders to gauge the communitys
perceptions of strengths and weaknesses of current policies, procedures, and practices.
Respondents also had the opportunity to suggest recommendations. The online survey was
available from April 5 15, 2016, and respondents were asked to give their
opinions/perspectives in the four critical areas and respond to three general questions:

Culture and Climate

Reporting and Training
Screening of System Employees, Volunteers, Vendors, and Contractors
Curriculum and Counseling
8

What are the strengths of current policies, procedures, and practices?

What are the weaknesses of current policies, procedures, and practices?
What recommendations would be helpful to enhance school safety?

In order to publicize the survey, press releases were sent to 81 regional print and visual media;
robo-calls were made to 127,000 homes of children enrolled in the public schools with English
and Spanish translations; information was sent via social media and the communication vehicles
of key community stakeholder organizations. The survey link was prominently displayed on the
PGCPS website on the rotator site in addition to visible location on the homepage and the
Student Safety Task Force page. It was immediately accessible in English and Spanish
languages for those who wished to participate.
Four hundred and five individuals responded to the survey, and the distribution is as follows:

An analysis of the responses revealed both strengths and opportunities to improve policies,
procedures, and practices. The Task Force considered all of the comments of the survey
respondents and interviewees in the development of key recommendations.

Major Findings and Recommendations

Student safety is the responsibility of all adults, and the primary obligation to protect children
from sexual abuse lies with adults. With this guiding principle in mind, the Task Force identified
recommendations that support system and school leaders and employees in responsibly
implementing policies and best practices to improve safety.
The Task Force offers the following five major recommendations as a starting point.
Additionally, there are 60 specific considerations articulated as a result of focusing on four key
areas of review, and 28 suggestions to update, clarify, or enhance six administrative procedures,
all of which are described in detail in this report.
Recommendation 1: The CEO of the Prince Georges County Public Schools should
report publically each year on system-wide efforts related to student safety.
The CEOs report should include data, strategies, and outcomes on critical action steps
taken to address the major recommendations, considerations, and suggestions as outlined
in this report.
Recommendation 2: The CEO should ensure that each Principal conducts safety
assessments and uses the results to develop and implement comprehensive strategies
to include screening and training of employees, volunteers, vendors, and contactors;
evaluation of physical facilities; and curriculum/lesson content reviews. The CEO
should consider opportunities to set evaluative measures for Principals based on
their ability to develop and implement these strategies. PGCPS must engage and
share with parents, guardians, and community members the expectations regarding
child safety and the processes undertaken to support safe environments for children.
System leaders and Principals bear the primary responsibility for creating a culture and
climate of school safety. Opportunities exist to develop comprehensive safety
assessments designed to prevent child sexual abuse. The results of the assessments
should be analyzed for implementation with actions deployed across all schools at all
levels.
Recommendation 3: The CEO should establish an Office of Monitoring,
Accountability, and Compliance with direct reporting to the CEO. The office will
assume responsibility for assuring implementation of procedures associated with
policies approved by the Board of Education. It must assure fidelity in training,
awareness of individual responsibility to report to whom by when, and compliance
with System procedures and expectations to support increased employee and
volunteer accountability for the prevention of child sexual abuse.
PGCPS is responsible for directing that employees, volunteers, visitors, vendors, and
contractors are adequately trained; can recognize warning signs of inappropriate
relationships; and are aware of their responsibility to report abuse. Gaps in the system
can be eradicated by using a more contemporary holistic approach to the content of
10

training materials and oversight of the training process to ensure consistent alignment
between and among policy, procedure, and practice.
Recommendation 4: The School System should develop and implement a universal
precautions approach to screening and training of employees, volunteers, vendors,
and contractors. This approach should include a searchable database for rapid
identification of red flags that can be handled in accordance with System policies.
It also should allow for easy verification that employees, volunteers, vendors, and
contractors have been screened and trained on detecting and preventing child
sexual abuse. Subject-matter experts must be engaged to support the work of the
system.
PGCPS is responsible for enforcing standards for screening employees and others to
identify those who pose potential risks to child safety. Current practices must be
reviewed to eliminate inconsistencies, misalignments, and unrealistic distinctions among
different categories of individuals with regard to the screening process.
Recommendation 5: The School System should update the curricular content
focused on preventing child sexual abuse that is taught in K 12. It must be
developmentally-age-appropriate, engage parents and/or guardians, and meet
evidence-based criteria for effectiveness in mitigating instances of child sexual
abuse. A new Office of Monitoring, Accountability, and Compliance can assure
policies and procedures are followed in accordance with system expectations, welltrained teachers and counselors provide the instruction, and curricula are
intentionally delivered across the school system.
The primary responsibility for child sexual abuse prevention does not reside with students;
however, evidence indicates that an effective curriculum can educate students and parents,
increase disclosure, and reduce self-blame. Updates to the current curriculum will increase its
effectiveness in addressing child sexual abuse in schools.
Four Key Areas of Review
The Task Force was purposeful in focusing its attention on the following key areas that have the
greatest potential to prevent child sexual abuse in schools: Culture and Climate; Reporting and
Training; Screening of Employees, Volunteers, Vendors, and Contractors; and Curriculum and
Counseling. The Task Forces responses are based on available information and research to date.
Anything in this report noted as uncertain or unknown is not to be interpreted as a finding;
rather, such comments merely reflect the need for PGCPS to conduct additional follow-up.
Each section begins by stating the key questions; setting the background and context for the
work; discussing findings; and making more detailed considerations or suggestions to enhance
student safety and support the teaching and learning environments the Task Force believes must
be characteristic of all schools across the system.

11

The many individual considerations outlined under each key area and those suggestions that are
specific to current administrative procedures have the potential to assist the Prince Georges
County School System in sustaining exemplary practices and making significant progress in
areas that require change. Whether in schools, within families, or in communities, all adults
share responsibility for student safety. Prince Georges County Public Schools has the
opportunity to become a national leader, by taking bold and concrete action, the ultimate goal of
those actions is to enhance student safety and prevent child sexual abuse.

12

CULTURE AND CLIMATE

KEY QUESTIONS
How do system and school leaderships assess the overall safety of schools?
Are the buildings assessed for safety and, if so, how are those results communicated and issues
addressed?
How do the principal and the supervisor know if there are patterns of supportive and caring adult
relationships for students?
Are there school quality standards that outline expectations for a positive school climate?
Is there a mechanism to report anonymously bullying and harassment? If so, how many such
reports are received, and how does the school system follow-up?
BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT
The mission of the Prince Georges Public School System is to provide a great education that
empowers all students and contributes to thriving communities (Prince Georges County Public
School System, 2016). School systems striving to create an empowering educational community
must develop a school climate that values student safety which, in turn, helps to create an
environment where students are less vulnerable to predators.
According to the National School Climate Center (2016), School climate refers to the quality
and character of school life as it relates to norms and values, interpersonal relations and social
interactions, and organizational processes and structures. Often, indicators of school climate
include measures such as safety, rules and norms, physical security, social-emotional safety,
social support from adults, social support from other students, school connectedness, clean and
orderly physical surroundings, and effective leadership. When a school has an effective school
climate, there is a decreased likelihood that a student will fall victim to sexual abuse.
An effective school climate:
1. Values students and schools.
2. Creates a shared responsibility among faculty and staff for student safety.
3. Creates an atmosphere where adults feel safe to report when someone does not follow
local school and system procedures regarding interaction with students or when there is
suspicion of child sexual abuse and neglect.
4. Establishes, communicates, and holds the entire school community responsible for
guidelines to maintain professional interactions between adults and students.
5. Regularly monitors the climate of the school and the behaviors of those in the school
environment.
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Authors Saul and Audage (2007) cite several barriers to implementing effective school climate
and culture practices that prevent child sexual abuse. First, adult beliefs can impede the ability
for an adult to recognize the signs that child sexual abuse is occurring. Adults may believe that
their organizations are not susceptible to child sexual abuse or that no one in their building is
capable of committing child sexual abuse. Students most at risk of child sexual abuse are those
who are the most vulnerable. Often, these students are difficult to engage in the classroom or
act out during school. Therefore, it is a welcome distraction when someone is committed to
spending time with this student despite the warning signs that this adult is a child sexual
predator.
Secondly, Saul and Audage (2007) acknowledge that poor relationships and structural and
administrative oversight of sexual abuse policies and procedures can be a potential barrier to
implementing effective child sexual abuse prevention strategies. There is often a fear of
retaliation that comes with reporting incidents. This fear may be caused by a lack of
commitment to the child sexual abuse prevention policies and procedures or a perceived lack of
support from leadership. Lack of clear communication, follow-up, and monitoring are examples
of administrative barriers to child sexual abuse prevention. A lack of resources that result in
inconsistent policy implementation and reliance on a one-dimensional system that uses only one
strategy to prevent child sexual abuse leave organizations more vulnerable.
FINDINGS
CREATING SHARED RESPONSIBILITY
PGCPS uses a student perception survey administered to students whose teacher is On-Cycle for
evaluation. At the end of the year, teachers receive a report of the responses from their students,
and each school principal gets a report for all the teachers who are On-Cycle in that school.
Questions that target the following areas are used as part of the survey:

Classroom Climate: Perceptions of the overall social and learning climate of the classroom.
Classroom Engagement: Student attentiveness and investment in classes.
Classroom Teacher-Student Relationships: Strength of the social connection between
teachers and students within and beyond the classroom.
Classroom Belonging: Students beliefs that they are valued members of the classroom
community.

In addition, PGCPS administrators participate in The Vanderbilt Assessment of Leadership in

Education, Val-Ed survey. The survey is a 360-degree survey that includes results from the
administrator's supervisor, the administrator, and teachers who are supervised by the
administrator. The following are some components of that survey:

Quality Instruction (pedagogy)

14

Culture of Learning & Professional Behavior

Connections to External Communities

REGULARLY MONITORS CLIMATE AND BEHAVIORS

PGCPS has implemented the use of a culture and climate survey, the results of which are used to
examine aspects of culture and climate and determine the specific goals needed to improve
school climate. Results are also shared with the schools Parent-Teacher Associations and
Organizations (PTA and PTO). According to the most recent PGCPS climate survey, students
generally felt that their school was a positive place. Of the students who responded to the
survey, approximately 80% said they liked going to their school. More than 84% felt that their
teacher cared about them, and more than 88% said they felt that if they had a problem they knew
one adult who would help. Parents also had positive comments about the environment at the
schools. More than 90% of the parents who responded felt that their child knew an adult who
would help. More than 86% felt that the principal cared about all the students in the schools.
Students and adults should feel safe from physical harm in the school. According to the PGCPS
climate survey, more than 78% of the students said they felt safe in their school. More than
79% of the students said their school is a safe place. More than 80% of the students said they
have not been afraid of anyone in the school. Eighty-three percent of the parents who responded
to the survey felt that their child was safe while in school. More than 90% of the parents said
their child has not indicated that he/she is afraid to go to school. As indicated by the climate
survey results, many parents and students have positive experiences in schools.
PROMOTE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT
Employees and administrators should work hand in hand in supporting safety within the school
building. Administrators should have trust with their employees. Precautions must always be
exercised, and responsible reporting must also be considered.
While students can report bullying and harassment anonymously to the school counselor and are
able to leave notes for counselors about these and other issues, it is not as easy for allegations of
child sexual abuse. PGCPS is currently studying ways to create an electronic method for
parents and students to submit bullying and harassment reports as a result of the pilot program at
two high schools where students may text in bullying issues. These text reports are then sent to
the Executive Director of Student Services and also a representative from the school for follow
up and action. PGCPS should explore the potential of the applicability of this best practice to
other situations, including the ability for students to report suspicions of child sexual abuse.
This year, PGCPS put into place a 2016 Facility Security Checklist to review the safety of each
school building. In addition, the school system is currently working on a database to
communicate safety strategies and results.

15

There were a significant number of public comments related to school climate and culture.
Comments were made predominately by parents/guardians and current school system staff.
Comments included the need for more adult accountability, making safety and climate a systemwide priority, and implementing policies and strategies more consistently across all schools.
A few examples are listed below:
Area of Concern
Increased
Accountability for
administration and
faculty

A need to make
culture and climate
a higher priority

Climate and climate

practices are
inconsistent and
vary among schools

Example Comments
There is the opinion in my community that there is a lack of
real leadership with regards to discipline, mutual respect, and
expectations of students, teachers, and parents. Additionally,
there should be evidence of principal coaching and training.
There is a severe lack of accountability at all levels. If
employees aren't informed of their duties and responsibilities as
well as the consequences should they choose not to uphold those
duties and responsibilities, some employees will take advantage
of the system because they know there are no consequences for
their actions. The onus should be on administration and county
leaders for creating and maintaining a safe school culture and
climate.
School culture is one of the most important aspects of preventing
and detecting unusual or deceptive staff behavior. Strong
leadership at the school level that is open to conversations and
updated training for all staff is critical.
We like our open culture. The culture is helped by trust
building that comes with teachers spending many years with the
school and engaging with parents. I dont want normal caring
adult interactions, such as hugs and touches on the shoulder to be
sacrificed. Young kids need their expressions of caring at
school. Some do not get it at home.
School culture and climate varies from school to school and
depends largely on the administration. Principals who are
willing to listen to their teachers and allow them to have a say in
how things get done have a more positive environment. Not all
schools have a positive climate. Not all schools have activities
that promote a culture of positive learning and full acceptance of
others.

Improved teacher School culture should be one of enthusiasm and optimism. And
student relationships when students don't meet the standards set for them to reach,
they should be met with hope and encouragement, not sarcasm
and put-downs. If people working in the school system don't
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A need to make
student safety a
higher priority

A need to
standardize school
safety procedures
among all schools

like their jobs, they should find another job. These kids need all
the help and support they can get. And I know that a lot of them
are hard to deal with, and so are their parents.
Students' safety should always be the utmost priority of all
administrators and staff in the school system. Employees and
administrators should work hand in hand in ensuring safety
within the school building. Administrators should have trust with
their employees.
I've been to schools where the Raptor system was not
functioning properly. I've also been to schools where their sign
in binders sat on tables, but contained no actual sign in sheets,
and on some occasions the front desk staff didn't even know
where to locate the sign-in sheets. Safety isn't a priority for some
of our schools and staff. I was allowed into a high school
building during a lockdown. The security guard even told me
that no one is supposed to enter the building.
Culture and climate should remain friendly but cautious.
Procedures for checking identification should be standard
operating procedure for all staff.

RECOMMENDATIONS
With respect to Culture and Climate, the Task Force recommends that PGCPS consider:
Increasing the accountability of leaders at the system level and in schools because leaders
are ultimately responsible for culture and climate.
Imbedding explicit language in administrative policies so that employees at the system
and school levels are aware of and understand their collective and individual
responsibility and accountability for student safety and the appropriate consequence(s)
for failing to report.
Reviewing system and policies and procedures relevant to child sexual abuse annually to
reinforce consistent communication and uniform implementation of administrative
procedures.
Instituting a system of accountability to determine if practices are being implemented
reliably in all schools.
Developing a method to infuse questions and criteria regarding school safety and child
sexual abuse into employee interview protocols as an indicator to applicants that the
prevention of child sexual abuse is a core value.
Creating a system level document that outlines guidelines for professional interactions
between employees and students.

17

The Task Force recommends that individual schools consider:

Hosting regularly scheduled opportunities at the school level for all employees to discuss
child sexual abuse policies, procedures, and any changes that impact employees
responses, responsibility, and accountability, including the mandate to report suspicious
behaviors.
Hosting similar opportunities for parents/guardians, volunteers, vendors, contractors, and
community stakeholders to discuss child sexual abuse and individual/collective
responsibility for prevention across the school community.
Using school building safety assessments to address the need to create and sustain
physical environments that support student safety.
Creating and implementing a system to acknowledge, praise, and encourage appropriate
behaviors in order to reduce and eliminate fear of retaliation for reporting.

18

REPORTING AND STAFF TRAINING

KEY QUESTIONS
Are all persons who come in contact with PGCPS students trained on child abuse reporting
requirements?
How is training compliance tracked?
Do training materials focus on recognizing the signs of abuse in addition to reporting abuse?
How is training delivered? Is it on line, in person or both?
Who delivers the training?
BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT
The policies and procedures of PGCPS promote training of specific groups of employees who
interact with students. In the past, groups identified by PGCPS as mandatory reporters were
trained online while others may have received in-person training. PGCPS recently modified its
training to (1) touch upon warning signs of abuse or neglect, (2) articulate the investigatory role
of Child Protective Services, (3) share the provision granting immunity for reporting in good
faith, (4) provide hypothetical scenarios based upon previous cases, (5) discuss consequences for
failure to report, and (6) provide an opportunity for questions and answers. Currently, this
training is delivered by school system professionals who may or may not possess specialized
expertise in child abuse or neglect.
PGCPS recently added volunteers to the list of groups required to undergo who need training.
Within the last four months, principals delivered additional training to all staff within their
specific school buildings; however, this did not include bus drivers, volunteers, vendors, or
contractors. Currently, bus drivers, vendors, and contractors are not required to participate in
formal training.
BEST PRACTICES
A number of best practices were reviewed to inform the review of current policies, procedures,
and practices. While two models are specifically highlighted by the Task Force, this does not, in
any way, limit the opportunities to examine and replicate other models that may be appropriate to
a system of the size and complexity of PGCPS.
Model One
Two publications were used quite extensively in the review of what is currently available to
school personnel and others who are committed to mitigating the circumstances that may result
19

in child sexual abuse. Prevention Is Better Than Cure: The Value of Situational Prevention In
Organizations (Keith L. Kaufman, Ph.D., Haley Tews, B.S., Jessica Schuett, B.S. and Benjamin
Kaufman, B.S., Spring 2012), and The Situational Prevention Model: Creating Safer
Environments For Children & Adolescents (Keith Kaufman, Amber Hayes & Lee Anne Knox.
Portland State University, Portland Oregon, 2010) were the predominant resources referenced to
inform the work of the Task Force.
The Situational Prevention Model (SPM) of child/adolescent sexual abuse is based on Clarkes
(1995) work in general crime prevention. The models purpose is two-fold. First, it describes a
systematic means of assessing a particular setting, organization, or program to determine
situational risks or vulnerabilities that increase the chances that child/adolescent sexual abuse
could occur. Second, each of these risks is linked to either prevention or risk reduction strategies
to create safer environments for children and adolescents. This model is a dynamic approach
intended for practical use by informed professionals (p.3).
Kaufman, Hayes, and Knox also acknowledge that at the core of the model is the Crime
Opportunity Structure, which is composed of victim characteristics, target locations, and
facilitators. Victim characteristics refer not only to individual attributes of the potential victim,
but also to various characteristics of his or her family (e.g., parents both work two jobs). The
Target Locations describes the particular characteristics of locations where abuse occurs within
the setting (e.g., isolated or poorly supervised locations). Facilitators also represent an important
factor that increases the risk of abuse. Examples may include poor quality staff, inadequate
staffing patterns, or a lack of clear job descriptions. The presence of any of these factors
increases the probability that abuse will occur (p. 3).
Model Two
The second model, Preventing Child Sexual Abuse Within Youth-serving Organizations: Getting
Started on Policies and Procedures (United States Department of Health and Human Services
2007) operationalizes several key best practices that every childserving organization should
implement to create and sustain safe environments for youth, employees, and volunteers.
The Health and Human Services (HHS) publication outlines six components that must be
addressed in order to create and sustain the optimal environment include:
Component One
Component Two
Component Three
Component Four
Component Five
Component Six

Screening and Selecting Employees and Volunteers

Guidelines on Interactions between Individuals
Monitoring Behavior
Ensuring Safe Physical Environments
Responding to Inappropriate Behavior, Breaches in Policy and
Allegations and Suspicious of Child Sexual Abuse
Training about Child Sexual Abuse Prevention

The HHS model suggests that monitoring and compliance are critical to sustainability of any
practice that is intended to protect youth, employees, and volunteers. Additionally, the need to
20

keep youth safe is an essential component of the desire to create supportive and nurturing
environments.
FINDINGS
There were 263 public comments related to training and reporting of abuse. Comments largely
came from parents/guardians and current and former school system staff. There were several
common themes noted in the comments, including the need for all staff to be trained; the need to
check for understanding of the training; and the need to adhere to mandatory reporting
responsibilities. A few notable examples are listed below:
Area of Concern
Proper reporting of
abuse and neglect

Inaccurate Reporting

Recognizing and
Reporting Abuse
Retaliation for
Reporting
Overall Training

Consistency of
Training Model

Example Comments
All staff need to be trained on what constitutes abuse and neglect. All
reports need to be taken seriously and taken through the principal
straight to administration. All staff need to be trained on the new
protocols and held accountable for them- failure to follow protocols
should result in immediate dismissal and co-conspirator charges.
We need to be trained and the reporting policy and procedures need
to be extremely clear. Understanding the seriousness of abuse, we
need to be careful when people say things like if you feel or
possibly think without anything tangible to relate those feelings or
thoughts to. This is concerning.
I expect that when teachers and staff are well trained in what to report
they will feel more comfortable about placing reports. That is a big
responsibility and it would be too bad to accuse someone wrongly, as
well as overlook something that needs reporting.
I think teachers need to be adequately trained on reporting Child
Abuse and Neglect. Also, it might be helpful to provide a checklist of
signs of abuse and neglect.
Would like something in place for staff to report other staff without
fear of repercussions.
ALL staff should receive hands on training from someone associated
with the Department of Social Services. Being told you are a
mandated reporter is not enough. Training should include videos and
scenarios. Also, Special Education para-professionals in CRI
classrooms do personal care for students that require extra help. We
should not feel insecure in doing our jobs because of this terrible
incident.
More training will not solve this issue. The issue lies within the
quality individual employee. You can train a person that has
absolutely no motivation or desire to make the county better all you
want; it will not change their performance or outlook. The additional
training we received due to the recent incident was not consistent
21

Periodic Training

throughout the county. Every building did something different.

Reporting of abuse and staff training has been lacking in the past
years. Every year there are so many new staff members across all
educational settings. This should be part of training at the beginning
of every year and for anyone coming in after the start of the school
year.

The Task Force conducted interviews and engaged in conversations with employees and had
similar discussions with school system representatives. The following were identified as possible
barriers to reporting:
-

Employees, volunteers, and contractors may be afraid to report suspected due to beliefs
that it will harm the reputation of a person if it is not true.
Employees and volunteers may believe that the mere removal from the school during the
investigative process is an irrevocable stain on the professional and personal reputation of
that person, even if the allegations are later discovered to be unfounded.
Employees, volunteers, and contractors may hold the belief that children may be
dishonest when disclosing allegations of abuse and/or neglect.
Employees, faculty, and staff, in the current climate, are afraid to occupy the same space
alone with a child (e.g., hall, stairway, and classroom).
A culture of fear, as currently seems to exist, negatively impacts any displays of affection
toward children and thus negatively impacts relationships of trust between children and
adults in the school setting inhibiting disclosure of abuse by students.
Employees, volunteers, and contractors are not fully comfortable and do not completely
understand what types of disclosures and observations of abuse should be reported and so
are hesitant to report.

GAPS IN TRAINING
Task Force members attended and observed, firsthand, the training of volunteers at two sessions
in April 2016. Subsequent dialogue with some volunteers and some school employees, a review
of policies and procedures, and responses to questions presented to representatives of the school
system led to identifying the following gaps:
-

Currently, the training module does not identify characteristics of abuse, including
grooming patterns, victim characteristics, change in behavior, environmental and
situational prevention modalities, identification of vulnerable target locations, and
characteristics of potential facilitators of abuse.
Currently there are no agency partners participating in the training from the Department
of Social Services-Child Protective Services (DSS-CPS), Prince Georges County Police
Department (PGPD), States Attorneys Office (SAO), or Prince Georges Hospital
Center-Sexual Assault Center (PGHC-SAC).
School system employees who deliver the training, while well-intentioned, are not
subject matter experts and may not be able to sufficiently respond to questions or
concerns raised during training.
22

Currently there is no policy or administrative procedure detailing what the training should
include, how the training is to be conducted, what accountability measures are in place to
monitor who has been trained, or what protocols are in place to test the understanding of
and compliance with the training;

RECOMMENDATIONS
With respect to Reporting and Training, the Task Force recommends PGCPS consider:
Creating a partnership with a multi-disciplinary team representing DSS/CPS, PGPD,
SAO, and PGH-SAC to understand, train, and implement Board of Education policies
regarding the specifics of who is required to report, when and how to report, and related
discipline and civil penalties for failure to report, where applicable.
Mandating all employees, (administrators, teachers, and staff), volunteers, visitors,
vendors, contractors, and anyone who regularly enters any educational facility to
personally and directly report any suspected child sexual abuse and/or neglect to the
Department of Social Services, the Police Department or the States Attorneys Office,
and the school principal in accordance with the policy.
Providing regular and consistent opportunities for parents and guardians to receive
training, so that they recognize the signs of grooming and sexual abuse, know to whom to
report, and how to seek assistance for their child if abuse is suspected.
Partnering or contracting with subject-matter experts to provide training to parents and
guardians.
Incorporating a centralized mechanism for tracking all allegations or breaches of policy
involving interactions between students and employees.
Develop and implement a mechanism for analyzing and monitoring the tracking
mechanism and using the data and reports to identify patterns of behavior that may be
putting children at risk.
Using Darkness to Lights evidence-supported and nationally-evaluated training
prevention program, Stewards of Children, for all school personnel, parents, volunteers
and youth, aged 16+, which has been identified as a Top 5 program in the area of child
rights or some comparable training program.
Collecting, analyzing and reporting compliance with mandatory in-person and online
training requirements, including tracking and monitoring and pre and post assessments.
Presenting an annual report on the implementation of strategies, subsequent outcomes,
and improvements across the system for training, reporting, and compliance.
Evaluating evolving best practices regularly to update training and make changes to
policies and/or procedures as necessary.
Creating an actionable plan to train all PGCPS board members, employees, volunteers,
vendors, and contractors in both face-to-face and online modalities.
Requiring school administrators to conduct annual evaluations to identify and resolve all
vulnerabilities, both physically in school facilities and in victim-centered vulnerabilities,
using as a reference the factors discussed in the Situational Prevention Model: Creating
Safer Environments for Child & Adolescents by Keith Kaufman, Amber Hayes, & Lee
Anne Knox or another comparable model.
23

Putting protocols in place to evaluate the effectiveness of the training curriculum and
delivery model and use the analysis to make changes, as appropriate and necessary.
Tailoring training methodologies for each group in recognition of the various levels of
education of administrators, teachers, staff, volunteers, vendors, and contractors to
include the many ways that learning and absorption of information and concepts occur.

24

SCREENING OF EMPLOYEES, VOLUNTEERS, VISITORS,

VENDORS, AND CONTRACTORS
KEY QUESTIONS
What are existing procedures for screening employees and volunteers?
Is the current method of screening employees and volunteers effective?
Is there room for improvement?
BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT
Several administrative procedures describe processes that impact the topic of screening
employees and others and are noted as follows:
Administrative Procedure 4215 - Criminal History Checks (December 1, 2013) states that the
procedures clarify the process of criminal background checks and fingerprinting for potential
employees and volunteers. A partial update was issued by memorandum to all Instructional
Directors and Principals on February 23, 2016.
Administrative Procedure 4216.6 Volunteers (December 15, 1998) outlines, among
other processes, procedures for screening and utilizing volunteers.
Administrative Procedure 0500 School Visitors (August 15, 2013) outlines
procedures governing visitors to schools.
PGCPS Visitor Management Users Guide (August 20, 2014) is used to process
visitors through the school-based Raptor V-Soft system that went into operation at the
beginning of the 2014-2015 school year.
CURRENT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR EMPLOYEES
According to Administrative Procedure (AP) 4215, all employees, including substitute teachers,
student teachers, interns, and all paid/unpaid coaches, coaching assistants, and others assisting
in an athletic program are required to undergo fingerprint background checks. Additional
information provided by PGCPS, in response to questions, revealed that fingerprint background
checks are conducted by an external vendor with the ability to scan fingerprints and check them
against criminal history data found in the State Criminal Justice Information System and the
Federal Bureau of Investigation. The cost is about $58 per individual and is paid by the
prospective employee. The results are received with 48 to 72 hours and are processed by the
Background Unit in the Office of Human Resources, using a manual to interpret the results.
25

ACTUAL PRACTICES
All employees undergo a criminal background check, using fingerprints, which is received and
reviewed before the employee is considered eligible for hire. This type of check provides
information on arrests, charges, and trial disposition information, including probation before
judgment and cases that were not prosecuted (nolle prosequi). The information is updated
automatically. In addition, as of 2015, prospective employees also are checked against the Child
Protective Services database for indicated findings of abuse or neglect. AP 4215 specifically
mentions substitute teachers, student teachers, and interns, but does not mention the need for
substitute non-professional employees to undergo a fingerprint criminal background check.
However, it is important to note that PGCPS requires that all prospective employees,
professional and non-professional, undergo a fingerprint criminal background prior to hiring.
There are no formally adopted policies, administrative procedures, or commonly-held guidelines
that impact the hiring decision when an applicants criminal background check is absent
indicated findings of abuse or neglect yet may be questionable. Presently, staffs rely on
guidelines developed and used by the Baltimore County Public School System, along with the
judgments/experiences of the Director and/or a small group of human resource administrators.
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR VOLUNTEERS
According to AP 4215 and AP 4216.6 that govern criminal background checks and volunteers, a
volunteer is defined as an individual providing a service without financial remuneration from the
school system. Any volunteer or mentor for whom uncontrolled access to students is
anticipated, including chaperones on overnight field trips, is required to have a fingerprint
background check. Uncontrolled access is defined as any time an individual is not supervised
by PGCPS staff. The procedural update mandates that volunteers having unsupervised access
to students occur in very limited circumstances.
Prior to the recent procedural update, a lack of clarity existed for those volunteers and mentors
who accessed schools on a one-time basis or sporadically, such as a book fair or school dance.
Because they were not considered to have uncontrolled/unsupervised access, a fingerprint check
was not required. The administrative procedure, at the time, did not state whether a commercial
background check was required or if no background check was necessary.
The recent procedural update clarified this, stating that [v]olunteers working for a one-time
event who are NEVER alone with children do not need any background check. In addition,
those who volunteer for a one-time event, such as career days, book fairs, school dances,
bake/food sales, Read Across America, or judging a science fair do not need any background
check, as it stood prior to the recent update. The update changed the administrative procedure to
require that ALL volunteers undergo either an annual commercial background check (most
frequent) or a fingerprint background check for those very limited circumstances where there
is uncontrolled/unsupervised access to students.

26

Those who volunteer in a classroom on a regular basis or chaperone a day field trip are
required to undergo a commercial background check annually. The procedural update now
requires all volunteers to undergo a commercial background check, unless the volunteer has
uncontrolled/unsupervised access, which requires a fingerprint check. A commercial
background check searches Maryland court records based on information provided by the
individual. The cost is approximately $7.00, paid by the volunteer. The results are received
with 24 to 48 hours in the Background Unit in the Office of Human Resources.
The school principal determines whether a volunteer or mentor is anticipated to have
uncontrolled/unsupervised access. Prior to the procedural update, the principal also was
responsible for determining whether, based on the school volunteer sign-in log, the person
volunteered on a regular basis or was chaperoning a day field trip. A copy of the school
volunteer sign-in log is to be kept for three (3) years and is maintained by the Site-Based
Volunteer Coordinator, according to the Administrative Procedure 4216.6. Principals are to
require a volunteer to produce a receipt documenting completion of the requisite background
check. The receipts are kept on file and a list is made of those individuals eligible to participate
on field trips and other activities.
ACTUAL PRACTICES
The staff positions of School System Volunteer Coordinator and Site-Based Volunteer
Coordinator do not appear to exist. It seems likely, however, that the function of maintaining
the volunteer sign-in log falls to one of the administrative staff in the main office. It is unknown
whether schools separate the volunteer log and visitor log.
In the update to Administrative Procedure 4215, all volunteers are now undergoing a
commercial background check. Despite the definition of volunteer as someone who
provides service without remuneration, there are paid and unpaid coaches. Unpaid coaches do
not appear to be considered volunteers, since coaches of any sort are required to have fingerprint
background checks. It appears to be unlikely that the apparent inconsistency in policy has
caused any practical difficulties.
The extent to which school principals are distinguishing between volunteers/mentors who have
uncontrolled/unsupervised access to students and those who do not have such access is uncertain.
However, it does appear to be clear in the procedural update that instances of
uncontrolled/unsupervised access are viewed as infrequent occurrences. It also is uncertain
whether all volunteers who undergo a commercial background check do so every year, as
required. The receipt given to the principal by a volunteer only confirms that the individual
paid for the commercial check, not that the individual successfully completed it.
VISITORS, VENDORS, AND CONTRACTORS
According to AP 4215, independent contractors and outsourced agency employees with
uncontrolled access to children (or outsourced workers whose assigned duties are likely to
27

involve unsupervised contact) undergo a fingerprint background check. If no uncontrolled

access is anticipated, then such personnel may be required to undergo a commercial
background check. Each contracted employee or outsourced worker is to complete a
Background Check Application form and Authorization and Release for the Procurement of
an Investigative Consumer Report.
Under AP 0500, all visitors must sign-in on a visitor log that is to be maintained for three (3)
years. It does not appear to be consistent practice that visitors are escorted from the main office
to their destination. In the Visitor Guide, the Security Services Department is responsible for
ensuring that visitors and employees/representatives of vendors and contractors are checked
through the Raptor System which scans the individuals drivers license information against sex
offender data bases in the United States. Visitors and employees/representatives of vendors and
contractors are not escorted, but are required to wear a visitor badge that includes a photo of the
person, the persons name, the reason for the visit, and the time and date of the visit.
If a visitor matches a name in a sex offender data base, the administrator or security official is
notified. The principal may allow a supervised visit if the person has a dependent who is a
student at the school. An employee/representative of a vendor whose name matches one in a sex
offender data base will be accompanied by a school administrator or officer while delivery is
made and then the employees/representatives supervisor is contacted and informed that the
individual will no longer be permitted to make deliveries to any PGCPS school or facility.
An employee/representative of a contractor whose name matches one in a sex offender data base
is asked to leave campus, and then the employees/representatives supervisor is contacted and
informed that the particular person will no longer be permitted to work in any PGCPS school or
facility.
ACTUAL PRACTICES
Due in whole or in part to the new law that went into effect July 1, 2015, employees of all
contractors/vendors, and subcontractors are required to have their employees undergo a
fingerprint background check. It is made a requirement of their contracts with PGCPS by the
Purchasing Department. The results of these checks are sent to the Background Unit in the
Office of Human Resources for appropriate follow-up.
FINDINGS
The current Administrative Procedures and other guidance regarding the screening of employees,
volunteers, vendors and contractors are sometimes unclear, occasionally contradictory, and not
always aligned with current practices. In addition, the Task Force was unable to confirm
whether there is any mechanism in place to regularly examine (spot check) whether processes or
procedures are being implemented or implemented correctly. Overall, the Task Force
recommends that staff in a different department or, perhaps, within the PGCPS Security Services
or from the newly constituted Compliance Department suggested within this report be charged
28

with periodic, e.g., quarterly, unannounced spot checks at schools and within Human Resources
to learn of and, if necessary, implement corrective action to address perceived shortcomings.
EMPLOYEES
Since October 1, 1986, all employees (professional and non-professional) undergo a criminal
background check which will report arrests, charges, and disposition of cases in all states through
the FBI database and in Maryland through the States Criminal Justice Information System
(CJIS). More recently, prospective employees also are checked against the Maryland Child
Protective Services (CPS) database for those individuals who have been identified as
indicated for child abuse or neglect by that department. Unlike the fingerprint background
check, the CPS system does not alert for future changes in the status of employees who have
undergone checks. These background checks are completed before a prospective employee can
be considered for hire.
It is clear from the online comments made in response to the Student Safety Task Force Survey
that many employees and community members may be unaware that PGCPS does extensive preemployment screening of prospective employees; they are unaware of what is covered by the
background checks; and they are unaware that the FBI and CJIS reports are automatically
updated when new information becomes available. Although there are agreed upon rubrics for
evaluating the information in a criminal background check and a process for considering those
that may fall into a grey area, there is no formally adopted manual or guideline for decisionmaking once a criminal background check comes back with some reported criminal history.
VOLUNTEERS
The distinction between one-time or sporadic volunteers and those who volunteer in a
classroom on a regular basis or chaperone a day field trip was wisely eliminated in the update
to Administrative Procedure 4215. However, the distinction between those volunteers who are
anticipated to have uncontrolled access (defined as unsupervised by a PGCPS employee) to
children and require a fingerprint check and those who are not anticipated to have uncontrolled
access and only need a commercial check only remains. The peculiarity is based on the
principals judgment which is subjective and places an additional and probably undue burden on
the principal.
Any volunteer in a school building is not going to be under a PGCPS employees supervision
100% of the time and those who volunteer frequently, and therefore are familiar to staff, are
more likely to have less supervision. Moreover, further review may show that those volunteers
who are not anticipated to have unsupervised access do not get a commercial background check
each year as currently required. Online comments made in response to the survey reveal
considerable anxiety about school volunteers and screening processes.

29

VISITORS, VENDORS, AND CONTRACTORS

Visitors are all assumed to be checked through the Raptor system; however, there is not enough
information to ensure they are escorted to their destinations. Employees of contractors and
vendors are all presumed to undergo a fingerprint check, therefore, it is unknown why an
Authorization and Release for the Procurement of an Investigative Consumer Report is
required as part of the administrative procedure governing criminal history checks. This appears
to be a requirement that would more appropriately be a part of the bid/procurement documents.
Responses to the online Task Force survey produced relatively few comments about visitors
and/or vendors and contractors
Samplings of comments made in the online Task Force survey follow:
Area of Concern
Criminal History Checks

Example Comments
There should be mandatory FBI, Local, and Criminal
History checks for every jurisdiction resided in the past 10
years or more.
A deep screening and firm check of references and
background should be done before hiring is done.
FULL background check (FBI) [should be required]
All employees should be screened every school year at least twice a year to
make sure there are no pending allegations of child abuse.
Screening needs to be done on every employee every so many years.
ALL employees must have a REAL background check before hiring and
perhaps a review every few years

Screening of Employees
and Volunteers

Independent Screening (in depth background and

fingerprinting) should be a top priority as it relates to
employees or volunteers.
I have been able to volunteer in my childs school in the
classroom without a background check and I find this
concerning as it means that anyone can do the same.
I have walked into schools and not been asked for ID.

As an employee, the screen process is thorough. I do not

know about the process for volunteers, but it should be the
same.
30

Screening of Visitors,
Vendors, and
Contractors

I think that employees and volunteers need to be screened

more thoroughly and go through a rigorous process.
Community Member: We believe that the screening process for employees
could always be improved, but Volunteers is critical
I believe that volunteer should be screened as the employees are no matter
what school they will be volunteering at.
All volunteers/parents coming into the school should be
escorted to the class they are going to.
Adequate based solely on my personal experience of having
my drivers license scanned each time I enter the school.
Visitors are expected to wear paper badges. Some do and
some dont.
The RAPTOR system and the security doors and cameras are repeatedly
(weekly) experiencing problems making it difficult to perform that piece of
security.

RECOMMENDATIONS
With respect to Screening, the Task Force recommends PGCPS consider:
Continuing thorough pre-employment screening of all employees, including
substitutes and anyone receiving a salary or wage from PGCPS, through the
Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), State Criminal Justice Information
System (CJIS), and State Child Protective Services databases.
Adopting, formally, guidelines for evaluating information from criminal
background check reports, including the bright line rules prohibiting the hiring
of those with certain profiles and procedures for grey area decisions to help
ensure consistent decision-making.
Having all volunteers (except those who are escorted and under the supervision of
a PGCPS employee at all times while on campus, e.g., judging a science fair, onetime classroom speaker) undergo a fingerprint background check which (1) is
automatically updated (rather than commercial checks that must be redone each
year); (2) covers surrounding states (through the FBI check); and
(3) would create a central data base which currently does not exist for volunteers.
Providing an income-based mechanism for assisting eligible parent volunteers
with the cost of a fingerprint background check.
Creating a database of visitors so that frequent visitors, however that may be
defined, undergo additional scrutiny.
31

Monitoring visitors with existing or additional security cameras in lieu of

escorts or current practice.

For Employees
Continuing thorough pre-employment of all employees, including substitutes and anyone
receiving a salary or wage from PGCPS, through the FBI, State CJIS, and State Child
Protective Services databases.
Rechecking employees after hire, if feasible, against the CPS database, either annually, at
set intervals, or on a rolling basis every X years after hire.
Adopting guidelines for evaluating information from criminal background check reports,
including the bright line rules prohibiting the hiring of those with certain profiles and
procedures for grey area decisions.
Training personnel in implementing those guidelines to help ensure consistent decisionmaking.
Improving communication to parents/guardians, current and former employees, students,
and the public about pre-employment background checks and procedures.
For Volunteers
Having all volunteers (except those who are escorted and under the supervision of a
PGCPS employee at all times while on campus, e.g., judging a science fair, one time
classroom speaker) undergo a fingerprint background check which is automatically
updated (rather than commercial checks that must be redone each year), covers
surrounding states (through the FBI check), and creates a central data base which
currently does not exist for volunteers.
Providing an income-based mechanism for assisting eligible parent volunteers with the
cost of a fingerprint background check, when required.
Revising the definition of volunteer to eliminate remuneration as the distinction between
employee and volunteer since there appears to be paid volunteers and unpaid coaches.
This clarification is less important if, like employees, all volunteers undergo a fingerprint
background check.
For Visitors, Vendors and Contractors
Escorting visitors, vendors, and contractors, if feasible, while they are at the school site.
Creating a database so that frequent visitors, vendors, and contractors, however that
gets defined, undergo additional scrutiny.
Monitoring visitors with existing or additional cameras in lieu of escorts or current
practice.
Continuing use of the RAPTOR system.
Ensuring prompt reporting of malfunctions and repair of cameras or RAPTOR
equipment.
32

Updating the Visitors Guide to eliminate vendors and contractors from the Raptor
process.
Creating or adding to any existing administrative procedure governing vendors and/or
contractors the obligation of contractors/vendors and their subcontractors to have their
employees undergo fingerprint background checks before and if they enter school
property.
Developing some uncomplicated but effective way to identify employees of contractors
and vendors who have undergone a fingerprint background check and have been
approved to work on school campuses.
Creating a system for notifying the schools or the appropriate system office when, due to
an emergency, a worker who has not been cleared needs to enter a school campus so
other precautions can be implemented to supervise that individual while on site.

33

Curriculum and Counseling

KEY QUESTIONS
What are the strengths and weaknesses of the curriculum with respect to strengthening childhood
sexual abuse prevention?
How can the curriculum be improved?
How, if at all, can counseling resources be better utilized for the prevention of childhood sexual
abuse?
BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT
The State of Maryland, in COMAR 13A.04.18.01, requires that each county adopt a
comprehensive health education instructional program for grades K - 12. These regulations, as
currently written, require that Students will demonstrate the ability to apply prevention and
intervention knowledge, skills, and processes to promote safe living in the home, school, and
community. However, there is no specific language directed to child abuse or childhood sexual
abuse.
In the Maryland General Assembly 2016 session, legislators passed HB 72, which requires the
State Board of Education and each nonpublic school to develop and implement a program of
age-appropriate education on the awareness and prevention of sexual abuse and assault. The
bill specifies that the program shall be taught by a teacher who is trained to provide instruction
in the awareness and prevention of sexual abuse and assault and incorporated into the health
curriculum of each county school board and each nonpublic school. The law takes effect on
July 1, 2016.
Counselors are available to all Prince Georges County students, with one available in every
school. Primary duties include addressing crises, assisting with behavior issues, conducting
mediations, referring to care, and assisting with career counseling, college applications, and
financial aid.
According to Professor Elizabeth LeTourneau, Director of the Moore Center for the Prevention
of Child Sexual Abuse at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, best practices
for curricula include up-to-date, accurate, and comprehensive materials without information that
may increase self-blame or victim blaming. Professor Letourneau reported that best practices
include:
(a) Substantive parent input;
(b) Multisession dosage with a minimum of 4 sessions; and
34

(c) A combination of skills practice formats including modeling, skills rehearsal, and
group discussion formats.
She adds, Emerging evidence further supports the importance of (d) delivering curricula to
mixed gender classrooms and (e) utilizing developmentally appropriate yet unambiguous
terminology, in particular regarding sexual behavior. Additional recommendations are found in
her memorandum (see Resource Section) attached as an addendum.
FINDINGS
CURRICULUM
It is important to put the review of the curriculum in context. Preventing abuse of children is the
primary responsibility of adults, not children. In fact, one of the leading misconceptions about
child abuse is that a central part of the prevention is to teach children to be able to recognize
potential abuse and resist. In fact, according to experts, this is extraordinarily difficult for
children, especially when abusers are trusted adults.
Nonetheless, an effective curriculum on safety and abuse for children and their families can
educate parents, increase disclosure, and reduce self-blame. The Task Force requested and
received copies of curricular materials provided for K-12 education about safety and abuse.
Information also was requested and received pertaining to school system policies related to these
teaching materials, including whether there are mechanisms to determine if the curriculum is
delivered as intended.
Professor Elizabeth Letourneau reviewed the health curricular materials. The Task Force also
reviewed public comments related to the curriculum. PGCPS identified eight lessons, written
approximately seven years ago, between ages K to 12 for student safety. These are included in
the following Table:

In elementary school, the health classroom teachers teach the lessons. In middle school and high
school, the physical education teachers, certified in health education, teach the health lessons.
35

Lessons do not require family engagement. The available content on all eight lessons, as well as
the rest of the health curriculum, are included in attachments.
There is no mechanism to determine if the courses are taught as intended, and the responsibility
for implementation of curricula generally lies with individual principals. The Task Force was
informed that, [T]he curriculum office which oversees the health lessons taught by classroom
teachers does not have the ability to determine if the teachers are teaching the specific lessons on
personal safety. In addition, the Task Force learned that gaps exist in professional development
and training of teachers responsible for the health curriculum.
Professor Letourneaus review begins by providing context on the role of curricula for children
in preventing childhood sexual abuse. She emphasizes, First and foremost, responsibility for
the prevention of child sexual abuse rests with adults and not with children, [a]dding school
curricula that rely on training children to keep themselves safe inevitably falls short of
prevention goals unless such trainings are part of a more comprehensive strategy.
Elementary School
The review found the second grade curriculum focused excessively on stranger danger rather
than awareness that adults they know can be a threat. She found one of the lessons to be more
likely to generate confusion and anxiety rather than useful skills or knowledge. She found
nothing relevant in the Grade 3 curriculum and expressed concern that the Grade 4 curriculum
provided limited information to help children understand how to report abuse and who
perpetrates abuse with no clear guidance that the abuse is never the childs fault.
Middle School
Professor Letourneau reviewed five potentially relevant lessons in middle school, but found that
only one presented information on child sexual abuse. She found there to be no discussion of
the legal consequences for abuse; abusers are said to feel guilty or ashamed of their behavior.
In addition, she noted that there is limited information on how to report abuse.
High School
Professor Letourneau reviewed four potentially relevant lessons and found a lack of coherence
and comprehensiveness in the presentation of sexual abuse prevention materials to high school
students. She added, The material is woefully outdated and frequently employs vague,
unclear, or incorrect terminology. She also found that the material has insufficient information
on abuse experienced by boys, abuse perpetrated by girls or women, abuse in the context of
same-sex relationships, and abuse outside the context of a dating relationship. She noted, There
is a pervasive message that if someone simply speaks up with sufficient assertiveness, she
should be able to prevent sexual abuse. She concludes:
It is my opinion that this curriculum is unlikely to achieve increased accurate knowledge
about child or adolescent sexual abuse, is unlikely to support self-disclosure of current or
36

past abuse, and is likely to foster rather than mitigate self-blame among victims and
victim-blaming attitudes among non-victims.
Professor Letourneau made several recommendations related to the overall structure of a child
sexual abuse prevention approach. With respect to curriculum, she advised that the School
System,
Revise existing curricula in consultation with a child sexual abuse prevention expert to
ensure that content are up-to-date, accurate, and comprehensive. Revisions should attend
to removing content that may increase self-blame or victim blaming. Content should be
presented across at least four related lessons and revised to include skills practice
components and parent input. Material should overtly address the victimization of boys
as well as girls, and the abuse of youth who identify as LGBT. Material should avoid a
stranger danger focus and instead reflect the reality that older children and adolescents
as likely to engage in sexually intrusive or abusive behavior as are adults who are known
to the victim.
There were more than 50 public comments in the Task Force survey related to school curriculum
on student safety. Generally, school system employees reported the need for a greater focus on
student safety, with enhanced training for teachers and counselors. For example, one employee
wrote more needs to be done, and another reported, We didnt get a lot of training in this
area.
While several parents said that the safety curriculum was adequate, most comments found it to
be insufficient. One wrote, It is dated as all get out to the point of hilarity. Another said, I
just asked my child about this and he tells me that they've only had one conversation about this at
school and he can't remember what was said. A third said, I think this is an area sorely
lacking, especially in elementary school. The only education I have seen has come since the
events of this school year and that was through a parent education night, not even with the
students.
A number of comments included recommendations on curricular changes. Notable examples are
provided:
Area of Concern

Example Comments

Parent Training

Parents and students should attend a prevention night once a year that
teaches and informs both parents and students. Parents that cannot
attend should be sent home prevention info packets that they have to
sign.
If we are going to have sex education classes given then we need to
include sexual abuse conference with the inclusion of parents EVERY
37

year. Kids need to know and understand what sex abuse is. I have
talked to my children about sexual abuse but some parents don't but I
consider it to be extremely necessary information.
I would encourage PGCPS to provide parent seminars on how to
empower our children and prevent them from becoming victims. I am
also okay with this sort of curriculum being taught by Guidance
Counselors.
Independent
oversight

Curriculum and Counseling should be provided by independent

organizations/individuals should be hired to develop curriculum and
counseling.

Frequency of
lessons

Refreshers of such training need to be on an annual basis to assist

children in being armed to protect themselves and assist in keeping our
schools safe.

Content for classes

Grooming behavior and signs, the components that influence risk to

becoming an offender or victim, normative behavior and appropriate
developmental stages related to sex, boundaries, readings discussing
"my body belongs to me", encouragement of telling, disdain for no
snitching", direct and assertive communication skills, how to encourage
disclosure without leading the child or making them fearful of telling
what happened and with whom.
Perhaps school curriculum could include classes on interpersonal skills,
education classes on abuse, bullying and other safety measures taught
to children in elementary school, so early on they will know what
inappropriate behavior is and that they will never get in trouble if they
talk to someone about it.
Abuse could and should be included in the health curriculum or in the
guidance curriculum for grades K-12. We want our students to be wellinformed and comfortable (not ashamed nor afraid) to express their
concerns if something is going on with them or a peer.

Through interviews with Prince Georges county staff (i.e., teacher, pupil personnel worker, and
psychologist), staff asserted that the curriculum is not sufficient to address the problem of sexual
abuse risk and/or experience. In general, they felt that an improved curriculum was necessary to
adequately address the social emotional needs of students in general. The psychologist
contended that all children should have access to some curriculum around personal safety
(including sexual abuse) every year, which should be very concrete with explicit instruction
regarding who to speak to if they are concerned about inappropriate adult behavior. The teacher
38

stated that the curriculum should extend throughout the grades, including the youngest children
(i.e., pre-Kindergarten). There was also a suggestion that the topic could be integrated into
current social skills curricula that are used in the lower grades, which would allow for symbolic
objects (e.g., dolls, puppets) to be utilized to facilitate childrens understanding of the topic.
The health curriculum is one component of a comprehensive approach to child sexual abuse
prevention. It should provide high quality instruction to children and engage parents/guardians.
According to expert review and consistent with the comments of school employees and parents,
the curriculum may be confusing, warrants review, and does not appear to engage parents.
Moreover, there is a need to assure that children receive the intended content in health classes.
FINDINGS
COUNSELING
Counselors can help establish a strong school climate around student safety, assist with teaching
sensitive topics, and address questions and concerns from parents, teachers, and staff. The Task
Force inquired whether there are special trainings for counselors with respect to child abuse
prevention. The response was that counselors are part of a group required to take a Teachscape
training entitled Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect.
The training, provided as a power point resource, mainly restates legal requirements and
provides a list of potential warning signs. It does not cover data on the prevalence or
characteristics of childhood abuse, nor does it provide instruction on how to talk to children
about abuse. PGCPS could benefit from specific monitoring to determine that teachers,
counselors, or other personnel take this course and how those who have taken this course have
done on their post-test evaluation.
Samplings of public comments include:
Requests for additional
engagement by counselors.

It would help if each child visited the school counselor 2

times a year for a conversation about reporting abuse.
Counselors should do monthly lessons with students to help
them become aware/ understand how to prevent of certain
things. When I grew up in PGCPS schools we had lessons in
bullying, harassment, and things as such.
Counselors are pretty accessible, and there's the call
number, but I think a lot of students would be too shy or
wouldn't know the number (they'd know how to find the
counselor though). Maybe there should be forms more
accessible and well-known to students, like the bullying
39

reporting forms posted over every water fountain. For me,

it'd be much easier and less stressful sending in a form
anonymously.
Suggestion for ancillary staff to
support counselors

In the school system you have Counselors that have a large

case load, so what if a student feels like they cannot be
heard, this could cause a problem, so maybe take a look at
the retired Police Officers that may be willing to Volunteer
to help to keep our students safe. I am a Pastor with a
Chaplaincy Volunteer Program and again, another link to
assist with working with the Counseling Department, to be a
listening ear when the student just needs to share?
Our guidance counseling team is top notch and they present
topics and share the do's and don'ts to our leadership team or
at a staff meeting almost every other week. Considering
guidance counselors are required to handle specific matters
there should be peer mediation, social workers, and
psychologists that can help students to cope with their issues
in a professional safe manner. When counselors are hired,
some of them are not culturally and/or student sensitive.

More support for counseling as

a service.

Counseling and psychological support are not held to the

importance that they should be. There is a lot of turnover
due to poor supervision or opportunities to further develop
counseling skills and typically, schools utilize the school
counselor to sub or cover lunch shifts and other tasks that
are not pertinent to their jobs. This takes away from time
that could be used for whole class, small group, and
individual counseling.
Students need more access to counselors and psychologists,
particularly at the high school level where adolescence
interferes with parent-child relationships and peer
relationships rule. HS students need the support of adults
that they feel is objective and will listen to their point of
view. Students at lower grades need direct socialization of
normative behavior to counteract maladaptive behaviors
they may be learning at home or in the community.
Implementation of restorative practices!!!
More counselors are needed! Our school only has ONE
counselor for an entire 600 student body. That's a disservice
40

to children. Counselors are extremely important as children

need to be able to access someone other than a teacher for
social emotional support. There also needs to be social
emotional lessons starting from kindergarten to help young
children acclimate to the elementary school environment.
Presently there is nothing offered at our school because of
lack of counselor time.
Distractions

Although there are counselors available at each school, it is

such a sensitive issue, not every child will be comfortable
talking with the counselors or their teachers. We're under
such pressure to get things done that we may not even be
aware that a child wishes to have a personal conversation
with us because of time constraints.
There needs to be a scheduled and efficient time frame for
this topic to be trained and scenarios and questions need to
have the support of the Professional School Counselor in
each building. The PSC's are frequently doing block
scheduling or other duties which takes their expertise away
from being accessed for issues such as these. They are
trained and educated to be highly effective in supporting the
schools as a whole with these issues.

Concerns about inadequate

counseling services

The counseling department does not engage with staff and

students enough. How are teachers supposed to help
students when their referral forms go unanswered? What are
the consequences if a counselor does not respond to said
referral? As far as I can tell, there are no consequences for
not doing one's job regularly and with fidelity.

Role in Climate needed

The culture and climate of schools are very important. If the

workers in a school believe that they can "get away with
something" or that "no one cares" then they will act
accordingly. I believe that it is important to survey students,
staff and parents in order to ascertain whether or not
students feel safe. School counselors should work hand in
hand with administrators to enhance the school's climate.

Praise for specific counselors

The counselor at my school seems very nice and I'd know

how to get to them if I had a problem.
Our Principal trains us twice a year using her counseling
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and experience background twice a year and with reminders

when things come up in the news. Our motto is: what if it
was your child? Our Principal knew more than the PPW
when she came to reactively train us. Our counselor trains
the children several times a year with lessons and fun
activities that are serious but bring awareness and
prevention.
I love the counseling staff they real go out the way to help
us. But fare as the curriculum it need to be change
Concerns about counselors

There is ZERO awareness & prevention of abuse. The

counselor is ineffective -- does not even speak with students
at the teacher's request. As a teacher, I can respond to my
students' inquiries & impress upon them the importance of
speaking up if at any time they feel uncomfortable, unsure,
or just in need based on anything that is going on with them.

Interviewees comments were consistent with the perception that staff, including instructional
and student support, can be better prepared to facilitate childrens discussion of difficult issues,
such as sexual abuse. Each interviewee felt that additional training is needed around how to
have these conversations with children. They felt that the on-line format of the training did not
allow for staff discussion or responses to questions about the material to be able to integrate the
material in meaningful ways.
Interviewees felt the training should help teachers understand the generalized and specific
behaviors that children might exhibit if they are at risk for or are subject to sexual abuse. The
psychologist felt the training should also help instructional and support staff know how to engage
with students around these issues and to intervene with these children in an appropriate manner.
Similar to the Task Force survey comments, they also felt that more resources needed to be
provided for student support. The teacher felt it extremely important to have a counselor in each
building who could interact with students on a regular basis (i.e., weekly) around safety and
seeking adult help when they felt vulnerable. Both the psychologist and the pupil personnel
worker reported that student support staff should have more time to discuss sexual abuse
prevention efforts with students (e.g., groups, discussion sessions). Each of the interviewees felt
that one of the major reasons that students may not disclose to staff was that there were
insufficient personnel in the counseling and student support areas to develop relationships with
children that would allow them to trust these adults.
With the passage of House Bill 72, the State of Maryland will soon promulgate standards for
instruction on child sexual abuse. However, it is not sufficient for PGCPS to expect that the
42

legislation alone will address the need for comprehensive instruction and parent engagement on
child sexual abuse.
In addition to a high-quality curriculum, students should have access to counseling and other
support services designed to prevent sexual abuse, as well as assist children who have
experienced sexual abuse. Although a counselor was not available to be interviewed, other
student support staff provided feedback regarding the need for these services. Below are
recommendations that emerged from these interviews as well as public comment and review of
school system policies.
RECOMMENDATIONS
With respect to Curriculum and Counseling, the Task Force recommends PGCPS consider:
Consulting with experts on a curricular review in order to engage productively with the
Maryland State Board of Education as it issues regulations later this year on instruction
related to this topic.
Developing and implement a training program for identified teachers and counselors on
how to teach child sexual abuse prevention.
Developing an oversight approach to assure that teachers and counselors have adequate
access to and supports for ongoing training.
Developing an oversight approach to determine if the prevention of child sexual abuse
content in classes is delivered as intended.
Emphasizing parental engagement in lessons on child safety and give special
consideration to the suggestion for special events for parents at school to learn about
dangers facing their children -- and how to prevent them.
Developing a systematic approach to including counselors in the effort to prevent child
sexual abuse.
Specifying the role for counselors in every schools abuse prevention efforts, making sure
that information on this role is provided to parents.
Assuring that counselors are well-trained for this role, with central oversight of training
requirements, in-person and experiential approaches to training (i.e., not on-line), as well
as consideration of the confidentiality issues that arise in these situations.
Increasing the number of counselors and student support personnel available to students,
with student to professional ratios more consistent with the recommendations provided
by relevant professional associations.
Addressing the social-emotional functioning of students in a more formalized way,
specifically the provision of supports to students with social-emotional concerns such as
automatic counseling for students with behavioral problems (which are often the result of
trauma risk and experiences).

43

Screening, if feasible and warranted, children with behavior problems for experiences of
trauma (e.g., sexual abuse).
Exploring risk for and history of trauma in student support meetings (e.g., IEP meetings,
pupil personnel team meetings) for children presenting with behavioral problems.
Developing formalized relationships with governmental and community-based service
providers with expertise in child experience of trauma (e.g., Project Launch, mental
health agencies, social services).
Establishing or expanding existing peer support and counselor-supported services at the
high-school level for students experiencing trauma.

44

REVIEW OF ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES

The Student Safety Task Force also undertook a comprehensive review of Administrative
Procedures and makes the following suggestions that impact specific procedures as noted:
SUGGESTIONS
With respect to Administrative Procedure 4216.6 Volunteers, the Task Force suggests PGCPS
consider:
Specifying that volunteers must be provided and wear PGCPS identification, designating
them as volunteers, when in schools at all times.
Specifying that volunteers must sign in and out each time they enter and exit schools.
Stating that any former employee who is coded or otherwise flagged as being ineligible to
being rehired is also ineligible to being used as a volunteer anywhere in the school
district.
Developing a procedure that requires school leadership to communicate with and receive
approval from Human Resources when using volunteers or former employees of PGCPS.
Providing an avenue for costs to be waived or reduced for background checks and/or
fingerprinting for those volunteers who meet certain income guidelines.
Monitoring compliance of the requirement that every school must maintain a log of
volunteers and a copy of the background check receipt for school records and for system
audit purposes.
Stating specifically that volunteers who work with students in a school must, at all times,
be in the view of others, may not work behind locked doors, and may not work in a room
with a closed door without a window or outside of public view.
Specifying that volunteers many not discipline or threaten to discipline students.
Specifying that volunteers may not have access to confidential records.
Including in this procedure and in Reporting of Suspected Child Abuse (Administrative
Procedure 5145) that all volunteers who work with students must undergo training on the
reporting of suspected child abuse and neglect.
Requiring specific training for leadership of Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs) and
Parent Teacher Organizations (PTOs).
Specifying that volunteers should neither transport students in the volunteers personal
vehicle nor allow students to drive their personal vehicle.
Specifying that volunteers (and, for that matter, employees) should not use student
restrooms.

45

With respect to Administrative Procedure 5145 Reporting suspected Child Abuse and Neglect,
the Task Force suggests PGCPS consider:
Clarifying language so that it is clear that reporting to Child Protective Services or any
other appropriate legal entity is concurrent with reporting to the school principal.
Clarifying language on the timeline so that employees understand the immediacy of the
oral report as opposed to the 48 hours for the written report.
Adding disciplinary action language that speaks to Consequences for Knowingly
Failing to Report Suspected Abuse and/or Neglect or Interfering with Reporting.
Adding a mechanism in the Employment and Labor Relations Office for maintaining a
confidential database of all alleged and confirmed cases of child abuse by employees-disaggregated by name, school, and school yearwith the final disposition of all appeals
and criminal proceedings duly noted.
With respect to Administrative Procedure 4215 Criminal History Checks, the Task Force
suggests PGCPS consider:
Adding language that all newly-hired employees, volunteers, and contractors must
receive clearances from Child Protective Services as of July 1, 2016.
Ensuring that requests are scanned directly to the Department of Social Services which
reports any adverse findings/indications to PGCPS.
Providing a mechanism for costs to be waived or reduced for background checks and/or
fingerprinting for volunteers, if they meet certain income guidelines.
Revising language to mandate that commercial background checks are valid for one
school year, rather than one calendar year, from issuance. This should facilitate the
responsibility for school leadership to keep track of who is in compliance at the time of
any activity.
With respect to Administrative Procedure 0500 School Visitors, the Task Force suggests
PGCPS consider:
Incorporating specific procedures for Raptor V-Soft (visitor management software) as
reflected in the 8/20/14 Users Guide issued by Security Services.
Mandating consistency for forms of identification for visitors as is required for school
registration to avoid creating impediments for families of children enrolled in PGCPS.
With respect to Administrative Procedures 5180 Use of Social Media in Schools and
Administrative Procedure 4126 Employee Use of Social Media, the Task Force suggests
PGCPS consider:
Changing the title of Administrative Procedure 5180 to Student Use of Social Media.
Including language in the procedures that acknowledges the rapid change and
advancement of technology and specifies the role and responsibility of the Chief
46

Executive Officer or designee to (1) identify the social media sites deemed appropriate,
(2) provide the list to all school personnel at appropriately designated times during the
school year, (3) update the PGCPS website, and (4) discontinue access to any designated
social media site deemed inappropriate for instructional purposes.
Including a specific statement in Administrative Procedure 5180 that students shall not
accept personal invitations from staff members to use social media.
Including language in Administrative Procedure 4126 governing employees that requires
parental permission for to communicate via social media to students.
Adding language that precludes the use by any employee of any social media platform
utilizing a PGCPS device for the purpose of communicating with a PGCPS student that
allows the anonymous posting of messages or the inability to trace the sender or recipient
of messages.

TASK FORCE NOTE

During the review process, the Task Force was made aware of a pending policy regarding
Dating/Inappropriate Relationships between Employees and Student. The Task Force did not
evaluate the policy; however, we strongly recommend that the system follows its own procedures
for creating such a policy and subsequent administrative procedures.

Conclusion
The Student Safety Task Force believes this report is focused, inclusive, and intentional in its
attempt to identify the myriad of ways and opportunities that exist to support student safety and
the prevention of child sexual abuse in our schools. Implementing the five major
recommendations, the 61 considerations supporting the key areas of review; and the 28
suggestions to enhance current administrative procedures have the potential to assist the Prince
Georges County School System and its leadership at the system and local levels in
implementing and sustaining exemplary practices while making significant progress in areas that
require change.
We believe this work is not finished. It must be ongoing and intentional with regularly
scheduled reviews of policies, procedures, and practices. There should be consideration to
inviting consultants and subject-matter experts to engage periodically with System and school
leadership to understand emerging best practices and implementation in the school environment.
Whether in schools, within families, or in communities, all adults share responsibility for student
safety. Prince Georges County Public Schools has the opportunity to become a national leader
by taking bold and concrete action, the goal of which is to enhance student safety and prevent
child sexual abuse.
47

RESOURCES
Board of Education Policies
Board of Education Policy 0106 Volunteer Services (amended 4/29/10)
Board of Education Policy 6153 Field Trips (Amended 4/29/10)
Administrative Procedures
Administrative Procedure 0500 School Visitors
Administrative Procedure 4126 Employee Use of Social Media
Administrative Procedure 4156 Granting of Administrative Leave or Temporary Placement for
Employees
Administrative Procedure 4215 Criminal History Checks
Administrative Procedure 4216.6 Volunteer Services
Administrative Procedure 5143 Bullying, Harassment or Intimidation
Administrative Procedure 5145 Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect
Administrative Procedure 5180 Use of Social Media in Schools
Administrative Procedure 6153 Student Trips
Administrative Procedure 10203 Access to Buildings after Normal School Hours or Office
Work Hours
Forms/Guides/Memos
Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Form (Attachment to Administrative Procedure 5145)
Child Abuse and Neglect Parent Guide
Memo regarding Raptor Visitor Management System
PGCPS Visitor Management Users Guide
Day Trip Form Form X
Overnight Trip Form Form Y
Trip beyond Continental Limits Form Z
Emergency Medical Treatment Authorization Form
Information regarding Safe Dates Program
Information regarding Aggressors, Victims, and Bystanders Program
Health Education Lesson Plans
Grade 2 - Health Education/Curriculum Framework Progress Guide
Grade 3 - Health Education/Curriculum Framework Progress Guide
Grade 4 - Health Education/Curriculum Framework Progress Guide
Grade 7 - Health Education Lesson
Grade 8 - Health Education/Curriculum Framework Progress Guide
Grades 9 12 Health Issues: High School Requirement/Curriculum
Framework Progress Guide

48

Handbooks
Teacher Evaluation Handbook (10-16-15)
Principal Evaluation Handbook (8-12-15)
Student Rights Handbook (10-19-15)
PGCPS Facility Security Checklist
School Climate Quick Guide NCSSLE

Critical Area Questions and Responses

Culture and Climate
Reporting and Training
Screening of Volunteers, Visitors, Vendors, and Contractors
Curriculum and Counseling
Surveys
The Vanderbilt Assessment of Leadership in Education Framework
PGCPS Culture and Climate Survey
Student Safety Task Force Survey
External Experts
The Family Tree, Baltimore, MD
Moore Center for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse, Johns Hopkins University
Dr. Elizabeth Letourneau, Director

49

REFERENCES
National School Climate Center. (2016). National School Climate Center: School Climate:
Frequently Asked Questions. Retrieved May 10, 2016, from
http://www.schoolclimate.org/climate/faq.php
Prevention Is Better Than Cure: The Value of Situational Prevention In Organizations (Keith L.
Kaufman, Ph.D., Haley Tews, B.S., Jessica Schuett, B.S. and Benjamin Kaufman, B.S., Spring
2012).
Prince Georges County Public School System. (2016, April 1). About PGCPS. Retrieved May
13, 2016, from Prince Georges County Public Schools,
http://www1.pgcps.org/aboutpgcps/
Preventing Child Sexual Abuse within Youth-serving Organizations: Getting Started on Policies
and Procedures. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Saul, J., & Audage, N. C. (2007).
Review of Proposed Guidelines for the Prevention of Sexual Misconduct and Abuse in Virginia
Public Schools, Board of Education Agenda Item, (January 2011).
The Situational Prevention Model: Creating Safer Environments For Children & Adolescents
(Keith Kaufman, Amber Hayes, & Lee Anne Knox. Portland State University, Portland Oregon,
2010).
Review of Prince Georges County School Curricula pertaining to the prevention of child sexual
abuse, Memorandum, Elizabeth Letourneau, Moore Center for the Prevention of Child Sexual
Abuse, Department of Mental Health, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins, (May
2016).
Update on Child Abuse and Neglect Work Group, Montgomery County Public Schools,
Memorandum, Joshua P. Starr (January 2015).

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