The School District of Manatee County and the State of Florida require all contractors, subcontractors, and vendors to comply with the Jessica Lunsford Act (JLA)*. This includes undergoing a Level II background screening, which involves fingerprinting and photographing the applicant.

The Level II clearance is valid for five years, and the information is stored and monitored by the School District of Manatee County.

To begin the process for obtaining Level II clearance:
All contractors, subcontracts, and vendors must schedule an appointment at the School District of Manatee County Human Resource Department, located at 215 Manatee Avenue West, Bradenton, FL 34205, to be registered in the Clearinghouse state database system.

After registration in the Clearinghouse database, you will receive a Livescan® request form. This form allows you to schedule an appointment at a Livescan® location to have your fingerprints and photograph taken and submitted for Level II clearance approval.

Once you complete the Livescan® fingerprint and photograph process, your information will be transmitted to the Clearinghouse for approval. After approval, the district will contact you with instructions on where to pick up your Jessica Lunsford Act (JLA) contractor badge.

For questions, please contact:

Demetra R. McDaniel
Safety & Security Background and Fingerprint Specialist
215 Manatee Ave. W, Bradenton, FL 34205
941-708-8770 Ext. 41066
McDanied@manateeschools.net

*Statutory Reference: Jessica Lunsford Act

1012.465 Background Screening Requirements for Certain Non-Instructional School District Employees and Contractors.

(1) Non-instructional school district employees or contractual personnel who are permitted access on school grounds when students are present, who have direct contact with students or who have access to or control of school funds must meet level 2 screening requirements as described in s. 1012.32. Contractual personnel shall include any vendor, individual, or entity under contract with the school board.

(2) Every 5 years following employment or entry into a contract in a capacity described in subsection (1), each person who is so employed or under contract with the school district must meet level 2 screening requirements as described in s. 1012.32, at which time the school district shall request the Department of Law Enforcement to forward the fingerprints to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the level 2 screening. If, for any reason following employment or entry into a contract in a capacity described in subsection (1), the fingerprints of a person who is so employed or under contract with the school district are not retained by the Department of Law Enforcement under s. 1012.32(3)(a) and (b), the person must file a complete set of fingerprints with the district school superintendent of the employing or contracting school district. Upon submission of fingerprints for this purpose, the school district shall request the Department of Law Enforcement to forward the fingerprints to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the level 2 screening, and the fingerprints shall be retained by the Department of Law Enforcement under s. 1012.32(3)(a) and (b). The cost of the state and federal criminal history check required by level 2 screening may be borne by the district school board, the contractor, or the person fingerprinted. Under penalty of perjury, each person who is employed or under contract in a capacity described in subsection (1) must agree to inform his or her employer or the party with whom he or she is under contract within 48 hours if convicted of any disqualifying offense while he or she is employed or under contract in that capacity.

(3) If it is found that a person who is employed or under contract in a capacity described in subsection (1) does not meet the level 2 requirements, the person shall be immediately suspended from working in that capacity and shall remain suspended until final resolution of any appeals.