Clearances
Pennsylvania Law, Act 114, requires that all individuals having contact with children in public and private schools, including student observers and student teachers, complete background clearances in order to help ensure the safety and welfare of the children and young adults they serve.
These clearances must be updated annually and valid throughout the entirety of the field experience semester(s). These clearances include Act 24, 34, 151, Federal Criminal History Report (FBI), and Tuberculosis Test clearance. In addition to these clearances, East Stroudsburg University also requires PSEA student liability insurance card and Mandated Reporter certificate.
NEW (9/8/2023) -
1) You can request a copy of your FBI Rap Sheet by uploading the receipt with your UEID number directly to Anthology. There is no need to send a separate email.
2) All questions related to clearances can be sent via Message in Anthology.
For questions related to Anthology Portfolio, including activating your account or troubleshooting, please email kpost@esu.edu
New for Fall 2023
All Field Experience Students
Clearances will be collected digitally through Anthology Portfolio (AP). Be sure to save a PDF copy of each of your clearances so they can be uploaded individually into the placeholders provided.
- Please review this how-to guide and video before getting started.
- Please review this list of current courses that require fieldwork, and therefore, clearances.
Clearances for TEC Approval Applications
TEC Approval requires only the following three clearances:
- Act 34 (Criminal Background Clearance)
- Act 151 (Child Abuse Clearance)
- FBI Background Clearance
Clearances for TEC Approval will also be collected digitally through Anthology Portfolio:
- If you have already uploaded and submitted your current and infraction-free clearances to Anthology Portfolio, and your status shows that they are good for this semester, you do not need to do anything.
- If you have not uploaded your clearances to Anthology Portfolio, you will need to do so using the instructions on this page. You may leave the placeholders for the other clearances blank. You may need to reach out to Dr. Post (kpost@esu.edu) to get access to AP.
Please review the Admission to Teacher Education Programs page for additional information on TEC.
Reminder - All clearances must have been completed in the last 365 days and be current through the end of the semester.
Example
If you completed your clearances on October 18, 2020 and the semester ends December 16, 2021, you would need new clearances run because they would not be completed in the last 365 days after October 18, 2021.
- Act 24
-
Act 24 forms verify that a student will report an offense that occurs between clearance checks to the Office of Field Experiences and are available outside of the Office of Field Experiences and Partnerships.
There is no cost for this form.
- Act 34
-
Act 34, the Pennsylvania State Police Background check, reviews criminal records within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania State Police have established a web-based application called “Pennsylvania Access To Criminal History,” (PATCH). (*Note - if the link does not work, trying copying and pasting the link address into a different browser)
Application for an Act 34 clearance costs $22. Select the "Submit a New Record Check" and pay the $22.00 fee. Applicants generally receive their clearances immediately.
- Act 151
-
Act 151, the Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance application. The application is $13. Create an account and save username and password for future reference. On the application purpose please select appropriate application purpose. “School Employee Governed by Public School Code: Applying as a school employee who is required to obtain background checks pursuant to Section 111 of the Public School Code." Submitting your clearance application online will give you immediate access to your results or the status of your results. As its name implies, this Act checks for any record related to child abuse.
PSEA Membership Card
Students must maintain liability insurance via a PSEA membership.
PSEA membership insures student members up to $1,000,000. PSEA student membership costs $30/year. A discounted rate is provided for students who choose membership in multiple year ranges.
Mandated Reporter
Register for the free online course and note the username and password you create. Save and Print certificate upon completion, valid for 5 years after the completion date.
Picture Identification
A valid picture Identification is required for student teaching. Students should scan their East Stroudsburg University identification or valid driver’s license.
Certification
To qualify for certification in Pennsylvania, you must:
- be of good moral character
- be at least 18 years of age
- be a United States citizen or a legal permanent resident holding a valid green card
- hold a minimum of a bachelor's degree
- complete a Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) approved preparation program with a minimum 3.0 GPA
- meet all testing requirements
- submit an online application through the Teacher Information System (TIMS)
Contact Us
Contact Information
- Campus Address
- Stroud Hall 214
- Phone:
- (570) 422-3471
- Fax:
- (570) 422-3650 (Fax)
- Title of Department Leader
- Director Field Experience and Partnership
- Name
- Jaclyn L. Kessel
- E:
- jkessel@esu.edu
- Phone:
- (570) 422-3413
