Ensuring the safety of students is the top priority in the education industry. As a result, background checks for teachers are incredibly comprehensive. It makes sense, as teachers are responsible for the well-being and education of our future leaders. Unlike custodians or cafeteria workers, teachers frequently find themselves in situations where they are alone with students, making it crucial to have a screening process in place. The importance of teacher background checks is even more apparent with disturbing news from different schools districts highlighting staff issues.
Which background checks make sense for teachers?
Typically, teachers’ background checks will include some or all the following:
Criminal background checks: The majority of teacher and employee background checks include criminal history searches, whether at the county, state, or federal level. While other crimes, such as drug offenses, may also be considered red flags, schools look for a history of violence, sexual abuse, child abuse, or neglect. We at Hireshield.com offer the Gold Level Search, which searches not only sex offender registries but also criminal records from the United States and its territories.
Checks for professional licenses: To work as teachers in a school setting, they must have a state license and be certified. Before finalizing a new hire, schools frequently take steps to verify an applicant’s teacher certification.
Verification of education: A professional must have a teaching degree from an accredited college or university to become a licensed teacher. Verification of a teacher’s education is often part of school background checks to make sure the teacher’s claims about their education are true.
Checks on employment histories: Teacher background checks typically include an employment history check, just like most other employee background checks. Schools can use this background check to confirm a teacher’s resume-listed previous employment and gain a sense of the teacher’s professional experience. This background check would frequently reveal that information if a teacher had been terminated from a previous position for misconduct. Schools may also conduct reference checks to learn about a teacher’s teaching style, work ethic, and interactions with students from former employers or colleagues.
Federal law states that anyone working in a child care program as an employee or volunteer, anyone who cares for or supervises children, or anyone with unsupervised access to children is required to undergo a criminal background check.
