The Mars Area School District has devised a plan to ensure that school volunteers are not registered child abusers.

The school board is considering purchasing a scanner that will scan the driver's license to make sure the volunteer is not registered on the National Sex Offender Registry, Superintendent William Pettigrew said at the board's work session yesterday.

A SmartReg scanner will cost the district $1,795 and would be kept at the district administration offices, said Jill Swaney, business manager. It could be moved to any building on an occasion that would draw visitors, such as an open house.

The district was considering a policy requiring volunteers -- even parents helping with parties -- to submit to national and state criminal background checks at their own expense. The checks would cost $46, plus an additional $2 if the person wanted a paper copy.

That proposal also required building principals to keep a database of volunteers. It was not a popular plan with parents or administrators.

The scanner "would be a very efficient way to handle it," said Robert Zaccari, principal of the Mars Area Elementary School.

Carol Knox of the Mars Area Parent-Teacher Organization also endorsed the revised proposal.

"It would be a good alternative to the clearances," she said. "The PTO is very happy about that, and very much in support of that option."

The board may vote on the revised policy at its June 9 meeting.