CANDIDATE SERVICES - CLEARANCES for Educator Preparation/Educator Specialists

Pennsylvania state law requires that all persons who interact with children in any setting must have clearances for their field courses. Clearances must be on file with the Office of Candidate Services. At the following link, you will find a list of Courses Requiring Clearances . Clearances are due at the end of June for the Fall semester and early January for the Spring semester. Students will be notified of clearance deadlines and requirements by email.

FIELD EXPERIENCE Clearance Deadline Information: Background clearances are valid for one year from date of issue for field courses and cannot turn one year old during a semester. For the Fall 2024 semester, the issue date of your clearances must be on or after December 10, 2023.  

Fall 2024 Clearance Deadline for Field Experience: June 21, 2024

STUDENT TEACHING Clearance Deadline Information:  In order for your clearances to be valid for Spring 2025 Student Teaching you must wait until May 10, 2024 to apply.

Spring 2025 Student Teaching Clearance Deadline: May 31, 2024

Candidate Services

Wayne Hall, Suite 107
125 W. Rosedale Avenue
West Chester, PA 19383
Fax: 610-436-2874

Kelsey Organ
Associate Director
KOrgan@wcupa.edu
610-436-0042

Judy Mullane
Administrative Assistant
JMullane@wcupa.edu
610-436-0065

TB Testing

It is preferred that the TB Test is no older than 3 months when starting the first field class for a program  (not the first field class for the academic year or semester). If you currently have a TB test that is less than a year from the read date, it will be accepted.

  • EGP Majors ONLY: The EGP program requires the TB test be renewed for field course EGP322 if two or more years old.
  • All Other Majors: No retest is needed until applying for student teaching except in rare cases

Test Administration

  • Your primary care physician
  • Student Health Services (Commonwealth Hall, Ground Floor 610-436-2509)
    • Cost: $34 with charge applied to student account
    • Please contact the Student Health Center to make an appointment.
  • AFC Urgent Care 510 Gay Street, West Chester, PA 19380
    • Hours: M - F 8:00 - 8:00; Sat. and Sun. 8:00 - 5:00; No appointment necessary. 
    • Cost: $55
  • Some local Pharmacy/Drug Stores

The WCU TB Testing Form is preferred to report the results of your TB test or a letter from your doctor including the date the test was read and the test results. Entire immunization records are NOT acceptable.

Note: Some school districts hosting early field students require a TB test issued within the year they begin their school district assignment. School district requirements take precedence over University policy.

TB testing for student teaching must be issued no earlier than one year prior by the last day of the student teaching experience.

Samples

PA State Police Criminal Record Check

Online 

DO NOT CHOOSE VOLUNTEER VERSION

Important: Print the certificate and not just the receipt!

Samples

PA Child Abuse History Certification

Online

DO NOT CHOOSE VOLUNTEER  VERSION

Samples

FBI Fingerprinting Background Check

The only approved fingerprint provider for the State of PA is IdentoGO.  The closest fingerprinting site to campus is 707 E. Gay Street, West Chester (across from the Wawa, located inside AAA).  If you get fingerprinted out of state, there is an additional $25.00 fee.

To enroll, https://uenroll.identogo.com and enter Service Code 1KG6RT to get started (All teacher ed students use this same code to be fingerprinted for PA Department of Education).

  • Your payment of $25.25 will be made at the IdentoGo site when fingerprinting via credit card, business check or money order.  Within 72 hours of being fingerprinted, you will receive an email from status@dev.pasafecheck.identogo.com with a link to access and print the results, one time only. Do not open the link on your phone. Open the link on a computer with printing capability. 
    • IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU PRINT AND SAVE THE 2-PAGE UNOFFICIAL COPY! YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE A PAPER COPY IN THE MAIL.

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OTHER INFORMATION

New: Encrypted Clearance Support Process to Schools

Employed School Professionals

Employed school professionals can be approved for one (1) semester by completing the Employed School Professional Form . 

Transformative Principalship Program Employed School Professional Form .

The clearances and TB Test on file with the school or school district of employment must be submitted along with the form above.

 

University Clearance Policies & Points to Remember

  • University policy allows for candidates to be removed from educator preparation/educator specialist field courses if they have not provided clearances for examination and submission before the publicized deadline for a semester. 
  • In the event you have arrests or convictions on any clearance document, you are required to make an appointment with the Associate Dean for Curriculum and Accreditation in the College of Education and Social Work to discuss university policy concerning continuation in teacher education and take steps to be cleared for field experiences. You should not report to any field experience site without first meeting with the Associate Dean, College of Education.
  • The Office of Candidate Services handles clearances for Educator Preparation and Education Specialist Programs.