21 states lack robust laws to prevent "passing the trash"

Many states do not require districts to tell prospective employers when a teacher faced an allegation of sexual misconduct

Source: Insider analysis of source data underlying a report prepared for the federal Department of Education, “Study of State Policies To Prohibit Aiding and Abetting of Sexual Misconduct in Schools” based on October 2020 data. All 50 states and Washington DC require criminal background checks for prospective teachers. Of the states coded yellow, Hawaii, Kentucky, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas, and Vermont each have some preventive laws in place such as ones requiring disclosures from teachers applying for jobs or banning nondisclosure agreements.