Educator Resources

Memos to the Field

THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234 Manager and Associate Attorney
Office of School Personnel Review and Accountability (OSPRA)
Date:

May 4, 2009
To:

NYS Public and Non Public School TEACH Administrative Users
Other Interested Parties

From: Deborah A. Marriott
Subject: Fingerprinting Enhancements to TEACH

We are constantly striving to provide the best service to school employers regarding fingerprint background checks.  The purpose of this memo is to provide you with some highlights of a number of recent enhancements to TEACH that will allow us to serve you better.  For a copy of the new screen shots with a complete set of instructions go to School Employer
Fingerprinting Training Guide .

Enhanced Fingerprint Messages

As you know, we have provided significantly enhanced messaging in an effort to provide instant feedback on the progress of a fingerprint application and a clearance application through the system.  Attached to this memo is the latest series of fingerprinting messages along with a brief description of what each message means.  It is incumbent on you as the employer to assist your employees to ensure that a full set of fingerprints has been successfully processed and that all of your employees obtain a Full Clearance as required by SAVE.  


Conditional Clearances

In a recent enhancement to TEACH, school employers may now easily identify the names of all employees who have only a Conditional Clearance by selecting "Search for Conditional Clearances Only" in the "View Fingerprint Clearance Status" page of TEACH.  You should regularly review all of your employees who are working pursuant to a Conditional Clearance to ensure that the employee is taking the steps necessary to complete the FBI background check.  While the enhanced messages will give you some idea of the reason why a background check is not complete, you should contact OSPRA for more specific information for any employee whose Conditional Clearance is over 60 days old. 

Additionally, you may wish to consider whether employees with dated Conditional Clearances should have further contact with students until they complete the FBI portion of the background check.  It is anticipated that the need for the use of Conditional Clearances will continue to fade as technology provides for expeditious handling of fingerprint background checks.

Hire and Termination Dates

Schools are required to identify hire and termination dates for all covered employees.  The previous version of TEACH did not allow schools to enter an actual date.  As a result the information in the system only reflects the dates that the transaction was actually carried out on TEACH.  This led to some inaccurate data being maintained by the TEACH system.  This enhancement will allow the system to maintain accurate employment information.
There are a number of assumptions built into the system to minimize the impact of the data entry.  They are as follows:

  • Unless otherwise noted, the hire date will be presumed to be the date of the Conditional Clearance or Full Clearance, whichever is earlier.  

  • The TEACH system will not record future termination dates.

  • If termination date is entered on a record that had no hire date, the TEACH system will retain the earliest clearance date as the hire date.  If a termination date is entered, and there was no clearance date listed, it will be assumed that the prospective employee was never hired.

LIVESCAN

LIVESCAN is up and running at approximately 40 sites across the state.  Since August 2008, over 8,000 fingerprints have been successfully processed with an approximate 1% rejection rate.  These individuals are able to use TEACH to instantly complete and pay for the fingerprint application, get scanned at a LIVESCAN location, and then start working within 24-48 hours at a school location.

Every effort should be made to use this new digital technology to speed up the clearance process.  For information about how to get LIVESCAN at your school go to the MEMO: LIVESCAN - Fingerprinting Initiative .

Fingerprint Applications

This is just a friendly reminder that all fingerprint applications must be completed online using the TEACH system.  As of July 1, 2009, OSPRA will no longer accept paper applications.  Paper applications received after July 1, 2009 will be returned to the applicant.  Please discard any existing supply of paper applications. 

Further, OSPRA has discontinued the business reply account for prepaid fingerprint envelopes.  These envelopes will be returned to the sender by the post office where a return address has been supplied.  If there is no return address, these envelopes and their contents will be destroyed by the post office.  Please destroy any prepaid envelopes you may have.


Fingerprint Application (OSPRA 101) Status Messages

Message

What it Means

You do not have a fingerprinting application on file. 

  • There is no fingerprint application (101) on file.
  • There is no fingerprinting fee on file.  
  • There is no fingerprint information on file from NYCDOE through the 104 process.

 

We have received your fingerprint payment.  Your application is awaiting data entry.  Please check back for updated information.
  • A fingerprint application fee has been received and processed by fiscal management.
  • OSPRA has not yet entered the data on the fingerprint application (this typically refers to a fingerprint application when there is a backlog).  

We have received your application for fingerprinting, but we cannot process it until we receive payment. 

  • There is a fingerprint application (101) on file, but it is not yet paid for. 
  • This typically applies to applicants who file the 101 online, but opt to pay with a payment coupon and a money order. 
  • The message will remain like this until fiscal processes the coupon payment or the applicant pays by credit card.

Your fingerprint application and payment are on file with OSPRA.  Fingerprint processing can begin once your fingerprint images (LIVESCAN or cards) are received by OSPRA.  If you have already sent fingerprints, no further information is necessary.
  • The fingerprint application has been data-entered and the fee has been processed. 
  • The applicant’s inked fingerprint images are waiting to be scanned

~or~

  • OSPRA is waiting for LIVESCAN digital images to be received and processed.

Your fingerprint results have been received.
  • The fingerprint application is complete (both DCJS and the FBI results have been received).

Your fingerprint application is being processed.
  • Images have been sent from SED to DCJS.
  • There is no response or rejection information yet.

Your fingerprint images have been rejected by DCJS due to poor image quality.  No additional fingerprint images are required at this time.
  • DCJS has rejected the inked fingerprint cards
  • OSPRA has recorded a rejection from DCJS but will not send a rejection letter because no further information is needed at this time. 
  • OSPRA is trying to resolve the rejection issue with information currently available to OSPRA, i.e., another card on file.

 

Your fingerprint images have been rejected by DCJS due to poor image quality.  A rejection letter with new cards and instructions has been sent to you.
  • DCJS has rejected the inked fingerprint cards
  • OSPRA has recorded a rejection from DCJS.
  • OSPRA needs new fingerprint images (LIVESCAN or inked).
  • OSPRA sends a rejection letter to applicant.

 

Your LIVESCAN fingerprint images have been rejected by DCJS due to poor image quality.  A rejection letter has been sent.  Please have your fingerprints scanned again at your LIVESCAN station.
  • DCJS rejects the LIVESCAN image. 
  • OSPRA has recorded a DCJS LIVESCAN rejection on TEACH.
  • OSPRA needs new LIVESCAN images.
  • OSPRA sends rejection letter to applicant.
  • It is not necessary to wait for the rejection letter to have new LIVESCAN images taken.

 

Your fingerprint images have been rejected by the FBI due to poor image quality.  No additional fingerprint images are required at this time.
  • FBI has rejected the inked fingerprint cards
  • OSPRA has recorded a rejection from FBI but will not send a rejection letter because no further information is needed at this time. 
  • OSPRA is trying to resolve the rejection issue with information currently available to OSPRA, i.e., another card on file, FBI name check, etc.

 

Your fingerprint images have been rejected by the FBI due to poor image quality.  A rejection letter with new cards and instructions has been sent to you.
  • FBI has rejected the inked fingerprint cards
  • OSPRA has recorded a rejection from FBI.
  • OSPRA needs new fingerprint images (LIVESCAN or inked).
  • OSPRA sends a rejection letter to applicant.

 

Your LIVESCAN fingerprint images have been rejected by FBI due to poor image quality.  A rejection letter has been sent.  Please have your fingerprints scanned again at your LIVESCAN station.
  • FBI rejects the LIVESCAN image. 
  • OSPRA has recorded a FBI LIVESCAN rejection on TEACH.
  • OSPRA needs new LIVESCAN images.
  • OSPRA sends rejection letter to applicant.
  • It is not necessary to wait for the rejection letter to have new LIVESCAN images taken.

LIVESCAN has been unsuccessful in creating good fingerprint images.  You must submit inked fingerprint cards.  A rejection letter with new cards and instructions has been sent to you.
  • DCJS rejects multiple LIVESCAN images. 
  • OSPRA data enters DCJS LIVESCAN rejection info on TEACH
  • OSPRA sends rejection letter to applicant.
  • The applicant must submit inked fingerprint cards for review.

 

We have received your application for fingerprinting.   We can not complete processing because you sent a personal check.  A rejection letter with instructions has been sent to you.
  • There is a fingerprint application (101) on file, but the processing can not be completed because the applicant sent a personal check.
  • OSPRA sends rejection letter to applicant.
  • It is not necessary to wait for the rejection letter to make the payment.
  • School employers may select "Pay for Fingerprint Applications" from the school district homepage and pay on behalf of the applicant.
  • Applicants can log onto TEACH and select "Account Information."  Applicants can pay for any outstanding applications by selecting "Make Payment."

We have received your application for fingerprinting.   We can not complete processing because you did not send a full payment.  A rejection letter with instructions has been sent to you.
  • There is a fingerprint application (101) on file, but the processing can not be completed because the applicant did not send a fee or sent an insufficient fee.
  • OSPRA sends rejection letter to applicant.
  • It is not necessary to wait for the rejection letter to make the payment.
  • School employers may select "Pay for Fingerprint Applications" from the school district homepage and pay on behalf of the applicant.
  • Applicants can log onto TEACH and select "Account Information."  Applicants can pay for any outstanding applications by selecting "Make Payment."

In order to complete the processing of your fingerprints, the FBI requires an additional fee in the amount of $19.25.  A letter with instructions has been sent to you.
  • The fingerprint application has been data-entered and the fee has been processed.
  • There have been one or more previous rejections from the FBI.
  • Too much time has passed since the initial FBI processing.
  • The FBI requires and additional fee of $19.25 to complete the fingerprint processing.

We have received your fingerprint information from NYC
  • OSPRA has received the fingerprint background information from NYC.
  • No further fingerprint application is necessary.

 

 

Clearance Request (OSPRA 102) Status Messages (08/08)

Message

What it Means

We can not process your request for clearance because there is no fingerprint application on file with OSPRA.
  • There is no fingerprint application (101) data entered in TEACH.

 

We are unable to process your request for clearance because the fingerprint application has not been completely processed.  Please see the "OSPRA 101 Status" message for further information.
  • There was a problem processing the fingerprint application, therefore, OSPRA can not process the clearance request.

 

Your request for clearance is being processed.
  • OSPRA is currently reviewing the request for clearance.

It is estimated that the initial review of the clearance request may take up to 30 days.
  • OSPRA has referred the request for an initial investigative review.  This does not mean there is a criminal history or a criminal history that will ultimately result in denial of clearance.  It means that an investigator must review the information that has been returned from DCJS or the FBI.

Additional review is required before a determination can be made on the clearance request and may take up to 60 days.

  • OSPRA has referred the request for further investigative and/or legal review.  This does not mean there is a criminal history or a criminal history that will ultimately result in denial of clearance.   It means that an investigator and/or an attorney must review the information that has been returned from DCJS or the FBI.

Conditional Clearance
  • OSPRA has received and cleared the DCJS results (this does not mean that there is no criminal history, it means that the criminal history, if any, did not form the basis for a denial of clearance).
  • The FBI has rejected the fingerprint images.  
  • The "Conditional Clearance" message will remain until it is changed to a "Full Clearance" or a denial of clearance message.

 

Full Clearance
  • OSPRA has received and cleared both the DCJS and the FBI results (this does not mean that there is no criminal history, it means that the criminal history, if any, did not form the basis for a denial of clearance).

Your request for clearance has been denied.  This message will be displayed until the appeal time period has expired.  In the event no appeal is filed, this individual will be automatically terminated.
  • Message is displayed until appeal period expires.
  • If no appeal filed, the individual is automatically terminated from the school’s list.
  • If an appeal is filed, then the message changes to "The applicant has appealed the denial of clearance." 

The applicant has appealed the denial of clearance.  This message will be displayed until the appeal is decided.
  • This message is displayed while the applicant’s appeal of his denial of clearance is being considered.
  • This message will change to either "The denial of clearance has been upheld on appeal" or a "Full Clearance" depending on the outcome of the appeal. 

The denial of clearance has been upheld on appeal.  This message will be displayed for 15 days.  At that time, this individual will be automatically terminated.
  • This message means that the appeal was decided and the request for clearance remains denied. 

Deborah A. Marriott   

Last Updated: August 17, 2009
August 17, 2009