A program that constantly runs background checks on school bus drivers throughout the state may expand -- and the Ohio attorney general's office said it would be well worth the cost.
The RAP BACK system has been actively checking bus driver backgrounds since early July. To date, it has found 42 driver arrests, seven in Central Ohio -- and all of them misdemeanors, NBC 4's Mikaela Hunt reported.
The program currently checks only bus drivers, but the state legislature is considering expanding the program to include daily background checks on foster care parents, day care providers and other school employees.
The attorney general's office said the expansion wouldn't cost much in the long run.
The average RAP BACK enrollment costs $5 per person.
The office said they won't need more staff, but only better technology to track more people.
Some accountability factors still need to be discussed, including what happens when a background check shows an arrest. Currently, the Ohio Department of Education notifies schools when a bus driver has been arrested, but doesn't monitor the school's actions after the discovery.
Department officials said monitoring the school's response is the district's responsibility.
ODE noted that many of the arrests may be from license suspensions -- and nothing egregious.
But, the attorney general's office said some of the arrests have been on criminal trespassing, assault and drug abuse.
At this point, the expansion of the program is just a proposal.
The state legislature will make a decision on the proposal sometime in 2008.