Delaware requires background checks and monitors criminal records for student mentors

Mentors must submit fingerprints and other needed information for state and federal criminal background checks. These requirements cover people mentoring or seeking to mentor students through a Delaware Department of Education program. The State Bureau of Identification must send the criminal history reports to the person overseeing the mentoring program. Program leaders and the education secretary or the secretary’s chosen representative may use the records to decide mentor eligibility, as allowed by Delaware law. The law states an effective date of July 1, 2026.

The State Bureau of Identification must send later criminal record information to the Delaware education secretary or a person the secretary chooses. Monitoring covers current and prospective mentors in Department of Education programs who obtain a background check under these rules. Updates include later state criminal records. Updates also include records available through Rap Back, a criminal record update system, if that system is available. The one-year monitoring period follows the background check. The law states an effective date of July 1, 2026.

The Delaware Department of Education must pay all costs of criminal background checks required under the mentor screening rules. The payment duty covers criminal background checks for current and prospective mentors in Department of Education programs. The department may write rules needed to carry out the mentor screening requirements. The law states an effective date of July 1, 2026.