LIVE SCAN/ FINGERPRINTING PROCEDURES
To All students in the Liberal Studies/Credential Programs, Liberal Studies Programs and in Traditional Credential Programs:
Background Information
The Michelle Montoya School Safety Act requires that people having contact with children on a K-12 school site undergo a criminal background check in order to be "cleared" to be in contact with children. This background check is done through the submission of computerized (digitized) fingerprints via a process called "Live Scan." The clearance goes through the California Department of Justice (DOJ).
There are many courses in this university that require students to observe in classrooms or work with student in a K-12 school setting. According to the Montoya Act, university students in these courses must be fingerprinted via "Live Scan' and undergo a DOJ background check.
Also, according to California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC) regulations, when students apply to a credential program at the university, they must submit an Application for Character and Identification Clearance and be fingerprinted again via "Live Scan" and undergo a background check and be "cleared" in order to take courses and student teach.
Procedures
Therefore, in order to implement these regulations, the Liberal Studies Department and the Department of Teacher Education have implemented the following procedures:
1. LIBS 1000, LIBS 2000, LIBS 3000, EDUC 4200 and EDUC 4400 Courses - Students enrolled in courses requiring work or observations with children K-12 school sites must submit fingerprints via "Live Scan" and be cleared by the University to work/observe in schools. This procedure needs to be done only once to cover the student for all these courses. (See note below for the process for submitting fingerprints to be cleared by the University.) When these students apply to the Credential Program, they will need to undergo the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC) fingerprinting process. Therefore, these students will undergo the process twice.
2. Multiple Subjects, Single Subjects and Education Specialist Credential (Special Education) Program Courses - Students enrolled in credential program courses must submit fingerprints via "Live Scan" to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC). This is done as part of the application process to each credential program. The Credentials Processing Center Office located in the Dermergasso-Bava Hall, Room 303, will keep a record of students who have applied and been admitted to a Credential Program.
3. Students in any credential program course for Blended Multiple Subject, Multiple Subject, Single Subject and Special Education Programs who have not been fingerprinted and cleared through the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC) through the application process for the credential program must submit fingerprints to be cleared by the University. (See note blow for the process to submit fingerprints to be cleared by the University.) However, students who have been admitted to a credential program at this university do not need to be fingerprinted again.
University Fingerprint/Clearance Procedures
Students who need to submit fingerprints to be cleared by the University must follow these procedures:
1. Go to the University Police Department located in the Campus Services Building.
2. Pay University Police $57.00. University Police then forwards all paper work to the Department of Justice (DOJ).
3. Hours available for Live Scan at the University Police Department are Monday and Thursday, 8:00 am - 7:00 pm, Friday, 8:00 am - 4:00 pm. No appointment is necessary.
4. For further information feel free to call the Live Scan information line at (209) 667-3124.
Special note
Some students may have already submitted fingerprints and have been "cleared" through another school district. For example, some students may have submitted fingerprints because of employment as an instructional aide, maintenance/janitor, or other employment or because of volunteering, etc. Confidentiality laws do not allow those districts to inform the University whether you have been "cleared." Therefore, the district process will not exempt a student from undergoing the process again for "clearance" through the University. Students MUST have University Live Scan Clearance. Only students who have applied to and been admitted to a Credential Program at California State University, Stanislaus (CCTC Clearance) or can show proof of a "valid and current" Substitute Teaching Clearance, are exempt from further fingerprinting.
Updated: September 2007