NYCDOE Fingerprint Verification and Security Clearance Requirement

As of September 2017, the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) requires all colleges to confirm current fingerprint security status for all college students completing classroom observations, fieldwork, student teaching, or any work in NYCDOE school while you are a college student, even if your records are on file or you are currently working for the NYCDOE. Therefore, all education majors (Secondary Education, Childhood Education, Early Childhood Education, The Bilingual Child) at LaGuardia Community College must have their clearance confirmed and verified by the Fieldwork Coordinator or Education Program Director before the semester begins. You will not be permitted to enroll in an education course, including SSY105 Learning and Education: Childhood to Adolescence, until the education program verifies your clearance.

Fingerprint Verification and Security Clearance is confirmed by the Fieldwork Coordinator or Education Program Director via e-mail using the NYCDOE Personnel Eligibility Tracking System (PETS) database specifically for LaGuardia Community College students. The Fieldwork Coordinator and Education Program Director will be the only individuals at LaGuardia Community College who will have access to your PETS records.

You must self-register with the NYCDOE PETS office so that your clearance can be confirmed by LaGuardia Community College before the semester begins.

Please note:

• Phone registration is not accepted.
• If you do not have a Social Security number refer to the instructions for international students.
• You may not go to the HR Connect Walk-in Center for fingerprinting unless you have completed all of your required forms online first.
• No walk-ins will be accepted for fingerprinting.
• The current cost of obtaining fingerprints from the NYCDOE is $135.00.

If your records were already processed by the DOE, the college does not have access to all of the records in the NYCDOE, we have access to records only for LaGuardia Community College students. To have your records confirmed, you will need to refer to the relevant instructions below. NYCDOE security clearance can take as long as three to six weeks or more in some cases, so allow enough time for your security clearance to be completed and verified by LaGuardia Community College before enrolling in an education course.

Your records must be verified by the college before you begin your classroom observations or fieldwork assignment. Please follow the instructions below.

By New York State law, contract, and related regulations, the DOE is required to conduct background investigations on students completing classroom observations, fieldwork, student teaching, or any other work in DOE schools. Fingerprint security clearance may be obtained through the NYCDOE and will be verified by LaGuardia Community College after you follow the steps below.

If you have not had your fingerprints processed by the NYCDOE and you will be doing any fieldwork, observation, student teaching or any other college-related work in NYCDOE schools, follow the steps below:

Step 1: Self-register with the NYCDOE PETS Office

• Send an e-mail to Personnel Eligibility Tracking System PETS@schools.nyc.gov and ask for your data to be added to the LaGuardia Community College PETS database.
  
  
• PETS will need your name, phone number, complete home address, date of birth, and e-mail address. Indicate that you will be doing fieldwork through LaGuardia Community College.
  
  
• When you receive a reply from the NYCDOE PETS fingerprint office, they will give you a fax number where you can send a copy of your Social Security card and college ID. You can either send a fax or mail copies of the documents. In either case, be sure to include your phone number, complete home address, date of birth, and e-mail address in your correspondence.
  • Mailing address:
    New York City Department of Education, Division of Human Resources,
    Office of Personnel Investigation
    65 Court Street, Room 200
    Brooklyn, New York 11201
    Attention: PETS (Personnel Eligibility Tracking System)

Step 2: Register in the NYCDOE's Applicant Gateway

• Once you receive an e-mail from PETSAdminSupport@schools.nyc.gov that states, "Congratulations! This e-mail confirms that an organization has nominated you for a position..." You are not necessarily being hired yet, but you will need to follow all of the instructions before the deadline specified in the letter. Be sure to complete the Applicant Gateway forms. Print the Fingerprint Referral Form that is included in the e-mail.
  
  
• After your online forms are complete and you have the fingerprint referral form, you can go to the Fingerprint Unit, at the HR Connect Walk-in Center, 65 Court Street, first floor, Brooklyn, New York. You will need to bring the following items:
  • Fingerprint Referral form
  • A valid government-issued photo ID (U.S. passport, state driver's license, etc.)
  • A college/university ID.
  • Fingerprinting fee: $135. Refer to the instructions in the "Applicant Gateway" letter you received to confirm your fee. HR Connect accepts only personal checks or money orders made payable to NYCDOE/DHRT or a debit or credit card, except for American Express. The HR Connect Walk-in Center is located at 65 Court Street in Brooklyn and is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. You should be prepared to wait (possibly more than an hour).

Step 3: Check or Create a TEACH account

• If you do not have a TEACH account, you will need to create one in order to check if your fingerprint status is posted there. Click on this link to go to your TEACH account and log in or self-register.


• If you see a note on your TEACH account that states "Teach does not have your fingerprint information..." or if your records are not posted, and if you already processed your fingerprint records with the NYCDOE, then you need to release your NYC records so they can be posted on your TEACH account. Be sure to allow time for this process before you need New York State certification. Print and send in an OSPRA 104 form (pdf). If the information in section two of the OSPRA 104 form does not apply to you, you can leave it blank. Allow about one month for your records to be processed, and then check your TEACH account to be sure your fingerprint records were received. When your records are received by TEACH, your account will only indicate if your records were received, not if your records are currently "cleared."

If you have already had your fingerprints processed by the NYCDOE, check if there are fingerprint records recorded in your TEACH account. Click on this link to go to your TEACH account and log in or self-register.

Based on the message in your TEACH account, review the instructions relevant instructions in A-C below.

(A) If your TEACH Account States "We Have Received Your Fingerprint Information from NYC"

Look for a line on your TEACH account that states “We have received your fingerprint information from NYC” which may appear above the “fingerprinting” header. To get verification of your current fingerprint status with PETS, follow these instructions:

• Send an e-mail to the Personnel Eligibility Tracking System (PETS) office: PETS@schools.nyc.gov and ask for your data to be entered into the PETS database for LaGuardia Community College. PETS will need your name, phone number, complete home address, date of birth, and e-mail address. Indicate that you are going to be a student teacher or you will be doing fieldwork through LaGuardia Community College (or indicate any other reason you are registering).
  
  
• PETS will give you a fax number where you can send a copy of your Social Security card. You can either send a fax or mail a copy of your Social Security card to them. In either case, be sure to include your phone number, complete home address, date of birth, and e-mail address with your correspondence.
  • Mailing address:
    New York City Department of Education, Division of Human Resources,
    Office of Personnel Investigation
    65 Court Street, Room 200
    Brooklyn, New York 11201
    Attention: PETS (Personnel Eligibility Tracking System)
    

Step 2: Register in the NYCDOE's Applicant Gateway

• You will receive a "nomination" e-mail from PETSAdminSupport@schools.nyc.gov that will state, "Congratulations! This e-mail confirms that an organization ... has nominated you for a position..." You are not necessarily being hired yet, but you will need to follow all of the instructions before the deadline specified in the letter. Be sure to complete the Applicant Gateway forms.
  
  
• After your records are processed, you will get confirmation from the Fieldwork Coordinator or Education Program Director by e-mail.

(B) If your TEACH Account Has No Records of Your NYCDOE Fingerprints

If your fingerprint records were processed by the NYCDOE and your TEACH account has a note that your New York City records have not been received, you should not have to pay to have your records processed again, as long as they can be verified. To get verification:

Step 1: Self-register with the NYCDOE PETS Office

• Send an e-mail to Personnel Eligibility Tracking System PETS@schools.nyc.gov and ask for your data to be added to the LaGuardia Community College PETS database.
  
  
• PETS will need your name, phone number, complete home address, date of birth, and e-mail address. Indicate that you will be doing fieldwork through LaGuardia Community College.
  
  
• When you receive a reply from the NYCDOE PETS fingerprint office, they will give you a fax number where you can send a copy of your Social Security card and college ID. You can either send a fax or mail copies of the documents. In either case, be sure to include your phone number, complete home address, date of birth, and e-mail address in your correspondence.
  • Mailing address:
    New York City Department of Education, Division of Human Resources,
    Office of Personnel Investigation
    65 Court Street, Room 200
    Brooklyn, New York 11201
    Attention: PETS (Personnel Eligibility Tracking System)

Step 2: Register in the NYCDOE's Applicant Gateway

• You will receive a "nomination" e-mail from PETSAdminSupport@schools.nyc.gov that will state, "Congratulations! This e-mail confirms that an organization ... has nominated you for a position..." You are not necessarily being hired yet, but you will need to follow all of the instructions before the deadline specified in the letter. Be sure to complete the Applicant Gateway forms.
  
  
• After your records are processed, you will get confirmation from the Fieldwork Coordinator or Education Program Director by e-mail.

Step 3: Release your NYC DOE fingerprints to the New York State Education Department.

• You will need to release your NYC DOE fingerprints to the New York State Education Department. You will need to file an OSPRA 104 form (pdf). If the information in section two of the OSPRA 104 form does not apply to you, you can leave it blank.
  
  
• Allow about one month for your records to be processed, and then check your TEACH account to be sure your fingerprint records were received. Look for a line that states “We have received your fingerprint information from NYC” which may appear above the “fingerprinting” header. If you see this note, then your records have been received and you do not need to follow up. Your current clearance status will not be posted there.

(C) If Your TEACH Account States that Your DCJS and FBI Records Have Been Received

If you have a note on your TEACH account that states that your DCJS and FBI (not NYC) records have been received, you should not have to pay to have your records processed again, as long as they can be verified. Fingerprint clearance with TEACH alone does not satisfy the NYCDOE's security clearance requirements. You may need to wait four to six weeks for verification. To get verification of your current records:

Step 1: Self-register with the NYCDOE PETS Office

• Send an e-mail to Personnel Eligibility Tracking System PETS@schools.nyc.gov and ask for your data to be added to the LaGuardia Community College PETS database.
  
  
• PETS will need your name, phone number, complete home address, date of birth, and e-mail address. Indicate that you will be doing fieldwork through LaGuardia Community College.
  
  
• When you receive a reply from the NYCDOE PETS fingerprint office, they will give you a fax number where you can send a copy of your Social Security card and college ID.

Step 2: Register in the NYCDOE's Applicant Gateway

• You will receive a "nomination" e-mail from PETSAdminSupport@schools.nyc.gov that will state, "Congratulations! This e-mail confirms that an organization ... has nominated you for a position..." You are not necessarily being hired yet, but you will need to follow all of the instructions before the deadline specified in the letter. Be sure to complete the Applicant Gateway forms.
  
  
• You will be instructed to go in person to the NYCDOE to be fingerprinted, but you should not need to pay for and process your records again.
  
  
• You will need to go in person to the HR Connect Walk-in Center, 65 Court Street, Room 102, Brooklyn, New York. Inform the staff there that you are a LaGuardia Community College student and need to submit an OSPRA 103 form so that your criminal history record can be transferred from NYSED to NYCDOE.
  
  
• After your records are processed, you will get confirmation from the Fieldwork Coordinator or Education Program Director by e-mail.

If you do not have an official Social Security number, you must e-mail the Office of Personnel Investigations (OPI) at OPIInfo@schools.nyc.gov to make an appointment. Indicate to the OPI representative that you are an international student who will be doing classroom observations or fieldwork without a Social Security number. You will be directed to the correct person. You must have an appointment, and you must bring in the following four items:

• Passport
• Student visa
• Proof of enrollment in an education program (a letter from your college program office will suffice)
• College ID card (required)

After your records are processed, contact the Fieldwork Coordinator or Education Program Director. After you receive your Social Security number, you will need to bring your Social Security card to the OPI, 65 Court Street, Room 200, Brooklyn, New York. Indicate that you are an international student who was previously fingerprinted without a Social Security number. Ask to be added to the LaGuardia Community College PETS roster so that your fingerprint records can be on file with LaGuardia Community College.

If you use a number obtained from any source other than the Social Security Administration (including numbers generated by CUNY and/or LaGuardia Community College) to be added to the NYCDOE PETS fingerprint roster, you will lose your security clearance and will be required to be fingerprinted a second time at your expense.