Fingerprinting

We're here to support you in meeting two security clearance requirements with two separate agencies:

Agency	Requirement	For Whom	Deadline
New York City Department of Education	Fingerprinting	All student teachers in NYC DOE schools	Prior to the student teaching experience
New York State Education Department	Fingerprinting	All candidates for initial certification in New York State	Prior to certification

Getting fingerprinted with one agency does not result in an automatic transfer of those prints to the other agency. You are responsible for ensuring that your fingerprints are on file with the NYC DOE prior to your student teaching placement, and you are responsible for ensuring that your fingerprints are on file with the New York State Education Department prior to your application for certification.

Fingerprinting Pathway 1: Starting with the New York City Department of Education

Summary: Get your prints on file with the city, for student teaching, and then transfer them to the state, for graduation and certification.

Pros: For students in the tri-state area, this is typically the fastest way to get your prints on file with the city so that you can begin student teaching.

Cons: It will be a few weeks before your prints are on file with the state, for your teaching certification. For most students this timeline is not an issue.

Cost: $101.75 (Fingerprinting at NYC DOE + free OSPRA 104 transfer to the state)

Click here to download Fingerprinting Pathway 1: Printable Instructions

Fingerprinting Pathway 2: Starting with the New York State Education Department

Summary: Get your fingerprints on file with the state, for graduation and certification, and then transfer them to the city, for student teaching.

Pros: Can get fingerprinted at a variety of locations across the United States.

Cons: It may take several weeks before your fingerprints are on file with New York City for student teaching.

Cost: $101.75 (state fingerprinting through Identogo + OSPRA 103 transfer to NYC)

Click here to download Fingerprinting Pathway 2: Printable Instructions

Fingerprinting Procedures for Students without Social Security Numbers

The New York City Department of Education’s Personnel Eligibility Tracking System does not allow entries for individuals without Social Security numbers, nor does it allow the use of 9-digit proxy numbers. As a result, students who do not have Social Security numbers must be fingerprinted TWICE:

at the New York City Department of Education, in order to begin student teaching
at an Identogo location, for New York State certification.

Click here to download Fingerprinting for Students without SSNs: Printable Instructions

Checking your Fingerprints

Sometimes, students recall that they have been fingerprinted with NYS or NYC in the past, for another job or university. OTE does not automatically have access to this information. It is important to determine which agency has your prints and then send proof to ote@tc.edu. If your prints are on file with one agency but not the other, OTE can help you with a transfer.

Check to see if your fingerprints are on file at the state level:

Create or log into your New York State Education Department TEACH account at: http://www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/teach/
Click “Teach Online Services”
Click the “Home” button
Under “Inquiry Links, click on “Account Information”
Under “Select Information You Want to View, select “Fingerprinting”
Press “Go”
Above “Fingerprint Information,” it should say “Your DCJS and FBI results have been received.”

This is great news, because it means that you are all set for graduation and certification! However, to begin student teaching in a NYC DOE school, you need to have your prints transferred to the NYC DOE. Please follow steps 4-8 in “Fingerprinting Pathway 2” in order to do this.

Check to see if your fingerprints are on file at the city level:

Activate or log into your New York City Department of Education Applicant Gateway account at: https://www.nycenet.edu/Offices/DHR/agway/Start/Login.aspx
Check your “Nomination Status”; if all components are marked “Complete,” then you have already met the NYC DOE background check requirement. You can send a screenshot of this page to ote@tc.edu as part of your student teaching clearance process.

This is great news, because it means that you have met the background check requirement for student teaching! However, to be cleared for graduation and to obtain a New York State teaching certification, you will need to have your prints transferred to the state. Please send a completed OSPRA 104 form to HR Connect in order to request a city-to-state transfer. You may include only the last four digits of your SSN if the email you share is an exact match for the email that is on file with your NYC DOE Applicant Gateway account.

Fingerprinting for NYS Certification ONLY (Rare)

Summary: Occasionally, we encounter students who will never complete a volunteer placement in a NYC DOE school but do need to get their fingerprints on file with the New York State Education Department, for certification. If they have a Social Security Number, this is the pathway for them.

Cost: $102 (State fingerprinting through Identogo)

Click here to download Fingerprinting for NYS Certification ONLY: Printable Instructions