REGISTRATION NOW OPEN CNYSBA STATE-MANDATED CHILD ABUSE TRAINING IN AN EDUCATIONAL SETTING FOR SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS
- THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30
- 6:30 - 8:30 PM
- BALDWINSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM
- $30 fee billed to school district | RESERVATIONS MUST BE MADE WITH YOUR DISTRICT CLERK OR SECRETARY.
- THE REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21.
Registration is open to all CNYSBA school board members for a comprehensive two-hour course covering the law on child abuse in an educational setting as required by the New York State Education Law.
The course instructor will be Don Budmen, a Partner at Ferrera, Fiorenza, Larrison, Barrett and Reitz, PC. Mr. Budmen’s presentation will cover all appropriate subjects pertinent to school board member compliance with the mandatory training requirement.
- School board members are required to receive this training only once. Upon completion of the course CNYSBA will provide certificates to all participants as well as the Clerk/ Secretary of their respective school district.
- School board members who have received this training as a result of their employment or as a volunteer in their own or in another public school district, charter school or BOCES are not required to take this training. However, please make sure that this training covered child abuse & neglect in an educational setting. If it was directed at abuse in another setting the training will not fulfill the state requirements for school board members. (It is further advised, that you also check with your school district to assure that there is a record of completion for this training.)
- Counsel has advised that there are liability exposures for school board members who do not carry out their responsibilities as mandatory reporters of incidents of child abuse in an educational setting.
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To assist those who have questions about this training and the state mandate, Counsel has provided the following legal background:
School board members are named as mandated reporters pursuant to child abuse in an educational setting procedures under the Education Law.
Article 23-B, Section 1126 of the Education Law states:
In any case where an oral or written allegation is made to a teacher, school nurse, school guidance counselor, school psychologist, school social worker, school administrator, school board member or other school personnel required to hold a teaching or administrative license or certificate, that a child has been subjected to child abuse by an employee or volunteer in an educational setting, such person shall upon receipt of such allegation:
(a) promptly complete a written report of such allegation including . . . [content of report omitted].
(b) except where the school administrator is the person receiving such oral or written allegation, promptly personally deliver a copy of such written report to the school administrator of the school in which the child abuse allegedly occurred. [Emphasis added].
School board members therefore have a duty to students with regard to reporting. They may be unaware of that duty without receiving appropriate training. As a result, the Commissioner’s Regulations require that:
Each school district, each charter school and each Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) shall establish, and implement on an ongoing basis, a training program regarding the procedures set forth in article23-B of the Education Law for all new teachers, school nurses, school counselors, school psychologists, school social workers, school administrators, other personnel required to hold a teaching or administrative certificate or license, and school board members. 8 NYCRR 100.2 (hh)(2) (i).
Following such training, each school is required to provide annual notice to each teacher and other school officials of the reporting requirements for child abuse in an educational setting. See 8 NYCRR 100.2 (hh)(3).
