Early childhood education and afterschool programs across Vermont are experiencing long delays in fingerprinting and background check processing, which prevents new staff from being hired quickly. These delays, which average seven weeks, directly impact program capacity and family access. Faster hiring will ensure programs can operate at full capacity, reduce waitlists for families, and make full use of the additional state investments made through Act 76.

The Alliance supports advocates’ effort to secure improvements to state administrative systems and data infrastructure to allow for decreases in processing time. These changes, in both the short- and long-term, will result in additional hiring, more stable staffing, expanded access for families, and stronger support for children’s early learning.

Lead Organizations: YMCAs of Northern New England and the Vermont Head Start Association

Data and Talking Points

• It currently takes about seven weeks (35 business days) for the state to process background checks

Result: Federal funding secured, modernization RFP issued

Pre-session goal: Secure improvements to state administrative systems and data infrastructure to allow for decreases in processing time

 Responding to ongoing concerns from advocates and providers, state agencies have continued efforts this year to address delays in fingerprinting and background check processing for early childhood and afterschool educators. Building on a $1 million federal Preschool Development Grant secured by the Vermont Child Development Division to modernize the state’s aging technology systems, the Vermont Crime Information Center issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) this spring for a new criminal history record check data management platform, with deployment anticipated by the end of the year.

In the meantime, agencies have implemented operational improvements aimed at reducing incomplete submissions and speeding processing times.