Illinois school districts are required by state law to conduct criminal background investigations for applicants for certified and non-certified positions with a school district. Several school districts are requiring that applicants for field placements be subjected to a criminal background review prior to placement in the school districts.
All candidates for public school certification in programs under the purview of the Council on Teacher Education are required to submit to a criminal background check by the Illinois State Police prior to their initial field experience in the schools.
Candidates whose check results in a status of "no record" may be placed in the schools.
Candidates whose check results in a status of "pending" may be placed in the schools, unless their fingerprints* are required for further check by the Illinois State Police.
A candidate whose name check or fingerprint check results in confirmation of a criminal record will not be permitted in the schools unless his/her case is acted on favorably by the campus Case Review Committee appointed by the Director of Admissions and Records. For purposes of any such review, a member of the Council on Teacher Education or a designee will join the review. The recommendation of the Case Review Committee will be communicated to the Director of Admissions who will inform the Executive Director of the Council on Teacher Education of the recommendation.
Final decisions regarding the placement of students in schools reside with the relevant department/college, with the exception of those students whose criminal histories prohibit them from attaining certification. The relevant department/college is responsible for securing placements for all students. The relevant program coordinator will consult with the school district before placing the candidate in that district. Candidates will be informed that if their background check includes evidence of a criminal history, the nature of that history might prohibit them from being placed in a given school district and that the district has the right to refuse any placement. Students with criminal histories that prohibit them from attaining public school certification may not be placed in any schools. In the event that no district will accept a student because of his/her criminal history, the relevant department/college is responsible for assisting the student in choosing an alternative course of study.
The criminal background check will normally be conducted at the time that the candidate enters the program and will be valid as long as the candidate remains a continuous student. If, however, a candidate interrupts his/her program for one semester or longer, another criminal background check will normally be required upon his/her reentry.
This policy applies to all candidates who require field placements in Fall 1998 or later. Candidates are responsible for all fees connected with this procedure.
Click here to download the Criminal Background Check form.
* It generally requires three months to obtain the results of a fingerprint check. During that period the student is not permitted to participate in field experiences in the schools.
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