Background Check Policy

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START HERE (New teachers/volunteers)
Step 1: Complete the Wisconsin DHS Background Information Disclosure (BID) Form (F-82064) using the link below.
Step 2: Submit the completed form to MRS administration in person (preferred) or by another method provided by MRS. Do not email this form (it contains sensitive personal information).
Step 3: MRS submits the Wisconsin DOJ Caregiver Background Check request through WORCS and confirms when you are cleared to start.

BID Form (F-82064): Wisconsin DHS Forms Library
https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/library/collection/f-82064

 

 

What MRS is (and is not)
Madison Russian School (MRS) is a nonprofit educational program offering instructional classes and school community activities for youth. MRS is not a daycare/childcare provider. We use Wisconsin’s “Caregiver Background Check” as a standardized screening process for youth-serving roles (this screening process does not change our program type).

 

Who is screened
Background checks are required for individuals in roles that may involve contact with students, including:

• Teachers/instructors (paid or unpaid, including contractors)

• Regular/recurring classroom assistants and volunteers

• Volunteers supporting programs/events where the role involves interaction with students

 

Screening program used
MRS uses the Wisconsin DOJ Caregiver Background Check process through the Wisconsin Online Record Check System (WORCS). As part of this process, each covered teacher/volunteer completes the required Wisconsin caregiver disclosure form.

 

Authorization (written consent)
By completing and signing the required Wisconsin caregiver disclosure form, the applicant authorizes MRS to:

• submit the applicant’s identifying information through WORCS for the caregiver background check, and

• receive and review the results for the purpose of making eligibility decisions for roles involving contact with minors.
  Background check results are used only for safety/insurance screening and role eligibility decisions.

 

Information collected (and why)
To complete the caregiver background check, MRS collects identifiers required for accurate matching, including legal name, date of birth, and other names used. The state caregiver disclosure process also requests Social Security Number (SSN) to improve accuracy and reduce mistaken identity matches. If an applicant declines to provide an SSN, the background check may be delayed or may require additional verification.

 

Timing and re-checks (cadence)
Background checks are completed:

• before an individual begins serving in a covered role,

• when there is a change in circumstances that could affect eligibility (for example, an arrest/charge/conviction or other relevant change), and

• at least every four (4) years for individuals who continue in covered roles.
  Covered teachers/volunteers are expected to promptly notify MRS if a relevant change occurs while serving.

 

How results are used
Background check information is used only to determine eligibility for roles involving contact with minors and to meet safety/insurance expectations. When a record appears, MRS reviews it in relation to the role and may request clarification as appropriate.

 

Confidentiality and data protection
All background check records are strictly confidential, accessible only to designated administrators and board officers on a need-to-know basis — never shared with teachers, parents, or other volunteers. Records are stored in a locked or access-restricted location, separate from general school files.
SSNs are collected solely to complete the background check, never included in rosters, spreadsheets, or email, and are securely destroyed or stored in the restricted file once the process is complete.

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What MRS retains
MRS maintains a restricted background check file for each covered individual, typically including:

• the completed state disclosure form,

• DOJ/WORCS result documentation, and

• internal documentation of the eligibility decision and completion date(s).
   

Questions about this policy may be directed to info@madisonrussianschool.org

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