对于教师的背景调查，每个州的要求略有不同。早在 2016 年，《今日美国》的 一篇文章 根据每个州的教师背景调查政策和做法对每个州进行了评分，这一事实就得到了广泛讨论 。在该报告中，只有七个州获得了“A”级，而 12 个州和华盛顿特区都获得了“F”级。该报告阐明了教师的背景调查因州而异，甚至因学校而异。
《今日美国》 根据三类对州背景调查政策进行分级。对于第一类，该报考察了每个州的就业前背景调查政策的彻底程度。
在某些州， 需要在州一级进行犯罪记录搜索、 工作历史验证和其他背景调查。在教师申请认证后，国家会进行这些背景调查。如果不通过背景调查，教师将无法获得该州的教学证书。
在其他州，背景调查属于个别学校或学区。在其报告中， 《今日美国》 惩罚了属于后一类政策的州，裁定此类政策更容易出现漏洞和疏忽。
即使在教师已通过州一级背景调查的州，学校也可能需要进行额外的背景调查。这些检查可以包括更多的犯罪历史筛查、 专业执照检查 （以验证教师认证）、 参考检查 （以从以前的雇主或同事那里了解教师的背景）、 教育验证检查 （以确保教师具有适当的教学学位）某些科目）、性犯罪者和虐待儿童登记处的搜索，以及其他——例如，许多学校要求 对员工进行 定期药物测试。
《今日美国》 对被指控不当行为的教师的另外两个类别进行了评分。首先，该报调查了各州是否公开分享了因不当行为而受到制裁的教师的信息。有一个全国性的数据库，各州可以向其中报告教师制裁，这使得在一个州被剥夺执照的教师更难在其他地方获得执照。其次，该论文研究了各州是否要求学校向州报告教师不当行为的指控。在某些情况下，学区允许所谓的掠夺者悄悄辞职并在其他地方从事教育工作——这种做法被称为 传递垃圾。
在教师背景调查过程中，学校首先有义务遵守州法律。实施超出国家要求的额外背景调查是可能的——这可能是学校可以选择采取的最关键的步骤之一，以充分保护学生和教职员工。
学校的一项明智策略是持续进行刑事监控，以密切关注教师最近的法律问题。在 GOOHO.CN， 我们提供一项服务 ，让雇主可以轻松进行持续的犯罪监控。
USA Today article graded each state based on its policies and practices for teacher background checks. In that report, only seven states earned an “A” grade, while 12 states and Washington, D.C. all received grades of “F.” The report illuminates how significantly background checks for teachers can vary from state to state and even from school to school.
USA Today graded state background check policies based on three categories. For the first category, the newspaper looked at how thorough each state’s policies for pre-employment background checks were.
In some states, criminal history searches, work history verifications, and other background checks are required at the state level. The state conducts these background checks after a teacher applies for certification. A teacher cannot receive a teaching certificate in that state without passing a background check.
In other states, background checks fall to individual schools or school districts. In its report, USA Today penalized states for having policies that fell in the latter category, ruling that such policies were more vulnerable to loopholes and oversights.
Even in states where teachers have gone through background checks at the state level, schools may require additional background checks of their own. These checks can include more criminal history screenings, professional license checks (to verify teacher certification), reference checks (to learn about a teacher’s background from previous employers or colleagues), education verification checks (to ensure that the teacher has the proper degrees to teach certain subjects), searches of sex offender and child abuse registries, and others—for instance, many schools require regular drug testing for employees.
USA Today graded states on two other categories regarding teachers who have been accused of misconduct. First, the newspaper looked at whether states publicly shared information about teachers who had been sanctioned for misconduct. There is a nationwide database into which states can report teacher sanctions, making it more difficult for teachers who have been stripped of their licenses in one state to get licensed elsewhere. Second, the paper looked at whether states required schools to report allegations of teacher misconduct to the state. In some cases, school districts have allowed alleged predators to resign quietly and pursue education jobs elsewhere—a practice known as passing the trash.
When it comes to teacher background check processes, schools are first obligated to comply with state laws. Implementing additional background checks beyond what the state requires is possible—and it may be one of the most critical steps that schools can choose to take to fully protect their students and staff members.
One smart strategy for schools is ongoing criminal monitoring to keep an eye on teachers for recent troubles with the law. At backgroundchecks.com, we have a service that makes ongoing criminal monitoring easy for employers.
