Criminal Background Checks

As part of the pre-major requirements through the Field Experience 1, and as a Teacher Education major, candidates will be part of the work of community agencies, activities, and before and after-school programs that serve children. Candidates will also be required to participate in activities in public schools that are part of the Fairmont State University Professional Development School (PDS) Partnership. 

Community agencies and programs that offer learning opportunities for children have institutional policies related to who may enter and work in their contexts. The College of Education, Health and Human Performance at Fairmont State informs all of our partners in community agencies, programs and public schools that we respect their institutional policies, and expect students in our academic programs to adhere to those policies.

Candidates should be aware that while the Fairmont State College of Education, Health and Human Performance does not require a criminal background check for entrance into the Teacher Education major, but the State of West Virginia does have policies related to who may enter public schools and work directly with children. Candidates will be required to provide documentation of completion of this procedure prior to entering any public-school facility for the purpose of field experiences and student teaching. It is recommended that pre-majors plan on completing these state requirements during their first semester in college.

It is also the candidate’s responsibility to discuss with any agency, program or school what they require for entrance onto their site.

Failure to provide this documentation upon request by an agency, program or school may result in the candidate’s inability to complete the Field Experience 1 and the requirements for Teacher Education. 

If you have any questions or need any assistance in making sure you can be responsible for these expectations, please contact the following:

• Field Experience 1: Contact Carol Tannous at 304-367-4025 or carol.tannous@fairmontstate.edu.
• Teacher Education majors (students admitted to the major): contact Barbara Owens at 304-367-4886 or barbara.owens@fairmontstate.edu.

Undergraduate Pre-Teacher Education Major Information

All pre-education candidates must complete a West Virginia State background check for participation in Field Experience 1. This background check is also valid for the 30 and 75-hour field experiences which will be completed after acceptance into the major. Please review the steps below to become familiar with the on-campus and off-campus procedures for completing this process. Candidates will be required to repeat this background check along with an FBI background check when applying for the W.V. Student Teaching Permit.  

Student Teacher Information

ALL candidates participating in the student teaching clinical experience MUST apply for a W.V. Student Teaching Permit. This permit is required by the WV State Department of Education and includes both a WV and FBI Background Check. Candidates will learn more about this process in their student teaching seminar class. 

General Information

The West Virginia State Police has contracted with Itentigo (formerly L-1 Identity Solutions/Enrollment Services) to conduct electronic scanning and submission of fingerprints. There are numerous Enrollment Services locations distributed throughout the state of West Virginia. 

Steps for Completing a WV State Background Check

The steps listed below are for Pre-Education majors participating in the EFE PDS and/or majors completing their 30 or 75-hour field experience.

1. Go to the Sentry Link site
2. Click the red  box labeled "Order now-$19.95"
3. Scroll to the bottom of the screen to "Background Check Resources" and fill out your personal information. Click "Order now" when you are ready.
4. Fill in your email address and select” No, I am a new customer.”
5. Create an account and click ”Sign me up!”.
6. Make sure the information at the top of the screen is correct.
7. Fill out your credit card information, billing address, and phone number.
8. In the “Select Reason” drop-down box, choose “Checking my own record".
9. Scroll to the bottom of the screen and select that you have read the agreement and terms of use, then click “order my report".
10. When your report comes back, print your results.

*You may want to print multiple copes. Print at least one for your placement school and one for your records.

This background check is good for Field Experience 1 as well as your 30 and 75-hour clinicals!