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Early Childhood Education: Clearances

This guides supports the Early Childhood Education program, which encompasses the early childhood (Pre-K to 4th grade) and middle level education (4th through 8th grade) classes.

Pennsylvania Child Abuse Clearance

Pennsylvania requires that all teachers working with children obtain a child abuse clearance. Child abuse clearances must be updated when you begin a new job. The cost for this type of clearance is $13.00 dollars and it takes generally two to four weeks to process clearance requests. 

Pennsylvania Criminal Check Clearance

Pennsylvania requires that all teachers working with children obtain a criminal check clearance. Criminal check clearances must be updated when you begin a new job. As of December 1, 2017 the cost for this type of clearance is $22.00 dollars. In addition, criminal checks are completed online and are available immediately after being processed. Please DO NOT get the criminal check for volunteers. Due to the nature of time you are sending doing fieldwork at the college, it is necessary that you get the full criminal check, which cost $22 dollars. You are only required to get this once at Manor unless your clearance has expired or is beyond the allowable time. 

National Sex Offender Registry

All students are required to obtain this clearance and have it on file. This clearance is free and can be obtained via the following website: 

https://www.pa.gov/en/agencies/dhs/resources/keep-kids-safe/child-abuse-clearances/national-sex-offender-registry.html

IdentoGo Fingerprinting Online Service

As of November 28, 2017, Pennsylvania has a new provider for processing FBI Clearances, IdentoGO. Cogent is no longer processing FBI clearances for Pennsylvania. 

Please use the following service code when applying for an FBI Clearance for ECE coursework: 1KG738, which is the code for the following agency: DHS-OCYF or the Department of Human Services-Office of Children, Youth, and Families. 

The closest locations to Manor for fingerprinting through IdentoGO is as following: 

IdentoGO, 8302 Old York Road, Elkins Park, PA 19027-1522. Hours for printing at this site are Monday through Friday, 10 am -1230 pm and 1:30-4:00 pm 

or 

IdentoGO, 450 South Easton Road, Glenside, PA 19038-3215. Hours for printing at this site are Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9 am - 1230 pm and 2-430 pm 

Updates on Requirements of Clearances

Requirements for  Clearances effective July 1, 2015

  • Clearances that have been obtained in Pennsylvania within the past 60 months are acceptable and considered “current”; the concept of “obtained within the past three months” has gone away
  • Clearances obtained for employment purposes are acceptable for volunteer purposes
  • Clearances obtained for volunteer purposes are NOT acceptable for employment purposes
  • New/potential employees must still:
    • Submit current clearances before starting employment or
    • Show proof of applying for clearances and sign a disclosure statement before starting employment on a provisional basis

       •     Employees presenting clearances within the past 60 months need to affirm that nothing has changed since obtaining the clearances.

                    {The updated disclosure statement for provisional employment is used for this purpose}

  • The provisional hiring period is still 90 days
  • Requires employees to report changes in clearances status within 72 hours.
  • Updated clearances must be obtained as follows:
    • If the clearances were obtained prior to December 31, 2014 and are more than 60 months old – by December 31, 2015
    • If the clearances were obtained prior to December 31, 2014 and are less than 60 months old – by 60 months from the date of the oldest clearance; example:
      • Child abuse clearance obtained January 1, 2014, Pennsylvania State Police clearance obtained February 1, 2014 and FBI fingerprint clearance obtained March 1, 2014 – updated clearances for all three must be obtained by January 1, 2019

    •   Child Abuse Clearance may be obtained through the “Child Welfare Portal” at: www.compass.state.pa.us/CWIS

    •   Pennsylvania State Police Request for Criminal History Check may be obtained at https://epatch.state.pa.us

    •   FBI Fingerprint Criminal History Clearance is obtained by registering on the IdentoGO website at: https://www.identogo.com/locations/pennsylvania

OCYF has updated FAQ’s and other information on their website “Keep Kids Safe” at http://keepkidssafe.pa.gov/.

NOTE: All ECE/Middle Level Students are REQUIRED to have CURRENT copies of all three clearances on file. 

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