Fingerprinting for Employees, Applicants, and Contractors

Fingerprinting is required for:

• Certified teachers and administrators
• Educational aides and emergency permit holders
• Substitute teachers
• Non‑certified employees hired on or after January 1, 2008

Individuals must complete fingerprinting before beginning work in a role that requires a fingerprint‑based background check.

Employees may be exempt if:

• They were hired before January 1, 2008,
• They have remained continuously employed with the same district, and
• Their role has not changed in a way that triggers fingerprinting requirements.

Districts may still choose to require fingerprinting for exempt employees.

Regardless of employment status, individuals may not work in schools if they:

• Are listed on the DPS sex offender registry
• Have been convicted of a Title V felony against a minor

Districts may use discretion for other criminal offenses.

• Districts submit employee information through TEA or DPS systems.
• Fingerprinting is completed through IdentoGO.
• Results are available to districts through the DPS FACT Clearinghouse.
• Employees are enrolled in the FBI Rap Back service, which notifies districts of new reportable criminal activity.

All individuals applying for Texas educator certification must complete a national fingerprint‑based criminal background check unless TEA already has valid fingerprints on file.

Applicants are not exempt unless they already have fingerprints on file with TEA from a previous certification‑related process.

Fingerprint results from other states or for other purposes cannot be transferred.

TEA may deny certification for:

• Certain serious criminal offenses, including Title V felonies
• Offenses that directly relate to educator responsibilities

TEA evaluates all criminal history case by case, considering the nature of the offense, time elapsed, rehabilitation, and relevance to the profession.

• Fingerprinting is initiated through the Educator Certification Online System (ECOS).
• Applicants schedule appointments through IdentoGO.
• TEA reviews results as part of the certification process.
• Applicants may complete an optional Preliminary Criminal History Evaluation (PCHE) for early, non‑binding guidance before entering a preparation program.

Contractors or subcontractors must be fingerprinted if they:

• Provide continuing services, and
• Have direct, unsupervised contact with students

Continuing services: Work performed regularly or repeatedly. 

Direct contact: Opportunity for in‑person or verbal interaction with students without constant supervision. Examples: coaches, tutors, and other recurring service providers.

Contractors are not required to be fingerprinted if they meet any of the following:

1. No continuing services and no direct, unsupervised student contact

• Examples: guest speakers, event officials, competition judges.

2. Designated by DPS as a Qualified School Contractor (QC)

• DPS determines QC eligibility under the National Child Protection Act.
• QCs must obtain national criminal history information for their employees.
• Districts may accept QC certification or may require LEE FAST Pass fingerprinting.

3. Public works contractors meeting construction‑related conditions

• Existing facilities:
  • Work occurs outside instructional areas, or
  • Construction areas are fully separated and secured, and
  • Contractors enforce a no‑interaction policy with students.
• New facilities:
  • Construction is completed at least seven days before instructional use.

Contractors may not work in schools if they:

• Are listed on the DPS sex offender registry
• Have been convicted of a Title V felony against a minor

Districts may use discretion for other offenses. TEA does not adjudicate contractor criminal history.

Most contractors use the LEE FAST (Local Education Entity Fingerprint Applicant Services of Texas) Pass, which allows districts to access DPS/FBI fingerprint‑based criminal history results through the DPS FACT Clearinghouse.

The LEE FAST Pass may be used for:

• Non‑QC contractors with continuing, direct student contact
• Public works contractors who do not meet exemption criteria
• QC contractors when districts want access to employee criminal history

Key points:

• Districts request LEE FAST Pass or FACT Clearinghouse access through DPS.
• Districts must periodically verify their Clearinghouse subscriptions.
• LEE FAST cannot be used for substitute teachers employed through staffing agencies; these individuals must be fingerprinted through TEA.
• Contractors fingerprint only once under LEE FAST; results remain available in the Clearinghouse.
• Districts may use LEE FAST to reprint individuals previously fingerprinted through TEA or before June 1, 2015, to ensure enrollment in FBI Rap Back.