The Child Protective Services Law requires all School Employees, Contractors, and Volunteers having routine, direct contact with children to obtain new clearances every 60 months (5 years). This includes child abuse, state and federal criminal history checks. Below are instructions for obtaining clearances, all which can be completed online.
How to Obtain Clearances
PLEASE MAKE SURE TO KEEP A COPY OF EACH CLEARANCE FOR YOUR RECORDS.
You must physically bring in your original clearances to the Human Resources office (in the District Office adjacent to the high school) to verify and copy. They cannot accept any clearances via e-mail or sent in with a student and they can not be accepted at the school.
1. Print out the NASD Volunteer Checklist which is used as a cover letter when submitting your documents to the District Office.
2. PA STATE POLICE CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORD / ACT 34 – FREE
- Go to Pennsylvania Access to Criminal History
- Select New Volunteer Record Check.
- Complete form as prompted.
- Results are typically instantaneous unless they are “under review” in which case, note your reference number and date of application and use that information to check back on the “epatch” website periodically until your results are available.
- Print clearance (be sure to click all the way through to the “certification form” button – the document you print must show your SSN, DOB, etc. – DO NOT USE “RECEIPT”). You will not receive a paper copy in the mail.
3. PA CHILD ABUSE HISTORY CLEARANCE / ACT 151 – FREE
- Go to Child Welfare Portal
- Create an account with a valid email address, following directions. You will be asked for a Keystone ID# – this is a number you must create using parameters. You will receive an email with a temporary password to log in and then you will be prompted to create your own password. Once this is done and you log into account, accept the terms and conditions and complete the process.
- For Application purpose, select first options; other-Nazareth Area School District.
- Complete all additional information.
- Following process, you will receive an an email with ID number. Results within 14 days; you will receive an email when your report is ready to review. Log-in using the same password you created when applying. You will be able to access and print out the results.
- Response time may be immediate if done online (make sure to print) or up to two weeks if mailed. If printed, you will not receive a copy in the mail.
4. FBI FEDERAL CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORD
**Note: The FBI check may be waived “if he/she has been a resident of this Commonwealth during the entirety of the previous ten-year period” and he/she “swears or affirms in writing” that he/she has not been convicted of any crime, in another state, similar to the conviction disqualifying a person in PA. NASD will be utilizing a standard form to do this following the July 1, 2015 effective date. If this is true for you, you can complete the Affidavit (see below) instead of the FBI Clearance.
- Go to: https://www.identogo.com/locations/pennsylvania
- Scroll down to Enrollment Services and select digital fingerprinting.
- Enter 1KG6ZJ as the Service Code.
- Click on Schedule/Manage Appointment.
- Go through the screens and enter information required.
- Based on your zip code, you will be given a list of IdentoGO service centers. Click on where you wish to go to be printed. You can make an appointment online or click walk-in.
- Print the Service Summary Page. You will need to bring this and identification with you.
- Currently the cost is $23.25 for volunteers.
Volunteer Affidavit (can only be used if you have lived in Pennsylvania for the last 10 years)
5. ARREST/CONVICTION REPORT AND CERTIFICATION FORM / ACT 82
- Print form from the Human Resources section of website at https://www.education.pa.gov/documents/teachers-administrators/background%20Checks/arrest%20or%20conviction%20form.pdf
- Print and sign