Watertown Public Schools

30 Common Street, Watertown MA 02472

Criminal Offenders Records Investigation (CORI)

Watertown Public Schools > Human Resources


Effective 7/1/2005, the Criminal Offenders Records Board revised the CORI process to require an authorized employee of the Watertown Public Schools to sign indicating presentation of a government identification to verify the person requesting the CORI is the person named on it.

To authorize a CORI Request, you must complete the CORI application at a school and have government issued identification with you.  The CORI application form IS NOT AVAILABLE with our Application for Employment available online.

A Criminal Offenders Records Investigation (CORI) conducted by the Criminal History Systems Board (CHSB) through the Watertown Public Schools is required for all employees, and contracted personnel and school volunteers having unsupervised access to children in the Watertown Public Schools. Anyone without a CORI result on file at Central Office is not to have unsupervised access to children other than their own.

Completing a CORI request is a term and condition of employment or performing service in the Watertown Public Schools.

Although a result on the CORI is not necessarily a bar to employment or service, further action may result, up to and including termination of an individual's employment or services. Results of all CORI requests are strictly confidential. By Massachusetts state law, Watertown Public Schools is required to perform a CORI check at least every three years.

Completed CORI requests must be submitted, along with any other appropriate paperwork, to Personnel at Central Office for processing.

A CORI request is attached to Employment Applications and is available through Personnel upon request. Estimated time to complete this request is less than five (5) minutes and it costs nothing to the individual. PLEASE NOTE, that while the online Employment Application contains CORI information, it does not contain the CORI request.

Results are generally available within one (1) to two (2) weeks.

Applicants challenging the accuracy of the policy shall be provided a copy of the Criminal History Systems Board’s (CHSB) Information Concerning the Process in Correcting a Criminal Record. If the C.O.R.I. record provided does not exactly match the identification information provided by the applicant, the Superintendent will make a determination based on a comparison of the C.O.R.I. record and documents provided by the applicant. The Superintendent may contact the CHSB and request a detailed search consistent with CHSB policy.

If the Superintendent reasonably believes the record belongs to the applicant and is accurate, based on the information as provided in district policy, then the determination of suitability for the position or license will be made. Unless otherwise provided by law, factors considered in determining suitability may include, but not be limited to the following:

(a) Relevance of the crime to the position sought;
(b) The nature of the work to be performed;
(c) Time since the conviction;
(d) Age of the candidate at the time of the offense;
(e) Seriousness and specific circumstances of the offense;
(f) The number of offenses;
(g) Whether the applicant has pending charges;
(h) Any relevant evidence of rehabilitation or lack thereof;
(i) Any other relevant information, including information submitted by the candidate or requested by the hiring authority


The Superintendent will notify the applicant of the decision and the basis of the decision in a timely manner.

 

 

 

 

 

updated February 2008