As of July 2, 2001, under the Schools Against Violence in Education Legislation, all applications for any new Teaching Certificate are subject to a fingerprint supported criminal history background check. Background checks are required for all school personnel, including applicants for certification and all educational services (BOCES). Those of you participating in student teaching also need to be fingerprinted.
All students should be fingerprinted PRIOR to student teaching!
AS OF JULY 1, 2009, NYS WILL NO LONGER ACCEPT PAPER APPLICATIONS FOR FINGERPRINT CLEARANCE. YOU MUST APPLY ON-LINE, ON THE TEACH SYSTEM.
The process is as follows:
1. Go to: www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/teach
2. You will need to create a TEACH account and a user name and password.
DO NOT LOSE YOUR USERNAME AND PASSWORD! It is the same one you will use to apply for your teaching certificate after you graduate and it will take NYSED approximately 6 weeks to send the missing information to you.
Fingerprint cards and mailing envelopes are available at Caudell Hall 101.
Generally it will take between three to eight weeks to receive a full clearance.
If you have problems or wish to check the status of your fingerprints, please contact OSPRA at 518-473-2998.
