Education Background Check Failed? How To Fix and Resubmit

Many individuals who are trying to get jobs in education may be surprised that their education background check failed.

Although this can be a major setback, in many cases it will simply be because a mistake was made.

In this situation, knowing how to fix a background check report for teachers and resubmit the information can help individuals get to the next stage in the hiring process as soon as possible. It can also help to know the disqualifiers for a federal job, and then run a background check on yourself first to find out if you have any offenses that need addressed.

This complete guide outlines how to restore a teaching certification in the event that the education background check failed.

What Happens If You Fail a Background Check for Education?

The education background check is more thorough than the average background check that many individuals will be used to for other jobs.

Unlike a typical pre-employment background check that is performed by a private company, the background check for jobs in education is performed by government agencies. So, the process for determining whether you failed a background screening from a potential employer should be very similar to other public employment or a government job background check.

(Image: ChildCare¹)

In order to be a teacher, all individuals must meet the requirements set by the federal government to work in child care.¹ One of these requirements is to pass a federal background check that is performed by the FBI and oftentimes checked again by the state police or a similar agency.²

The teacher background check is extremely thorough due to its use of a fingerprint-based check, as opposed to the name-based searches that most people will be used to.

Individuals can fail a teacher background check for many different reasons. Most commonly it will be an issue with the individual’s criminal history. Unlike jobs in the private sector, schools can not create their own list of disqualifying offenses for background checks and instead rely on those dictated by state and federal law.

The list encompasses numerous crimes and does not factor in the amount of time that has elapsed since the crime took place.³

Any disqualifying offense committed at any time will cause the background check to be failed.

How To Check if Your Education Background Check Failed (All 50 States)

It is also important to keep in mind that since the background check is performed by the FBI, state laws will not affect what is uncovered during the criminal history check. For example, individuals living in a 7-year state may have had past convictions sealed, however, the FBI will be able to view these records regardless and what is found will come into play. This is because federal checks are only subject to laws dictated by the FCRA and are able to essentially ignore state laws regarding background checks and criminal records.⁴

Individuals who fail a teacher background check for any reason will be notified by the board in charge of hiring teachers. If the problem is with the background check, the individual must be notified in writing of what specific elements of the check resulted in the check being failed.

The best thing to do if your education background check failed is to file an appeal. This can be done through the state teachers’ association in most cases.

(Image: Federal Trade Commission⁴)

Keep in mind that appealing has a low chance of success unless the failure was the result of incorrect information or a mistake of some kind. Information on the teaching background check and the appeals process in each state can be found using the list below.

What’s Included in a Background Check for Employment as a Teacher?

A teacher background check consists of checks with both the state agency in charge of background checks, usually the state police or a similar agency and a federal criminal history check through the FBI.

(Image: nappy⁶)

These checks ensure that previously convicted criminals, particularly those who’ve committed crimes against children, are not allowed to hold teaching certifications in the state.

The exact checks that must be performed at a minimum are as follows:

• FBI Fingerprint Check
• National Sex Offender Registry Check
• State Criminal Registry
• State Sex Offender Registry
• State-Based Child Neglect Registry Check

Keep in mind that the above checks only cover the federal requirements for teachers and do not include the various checks that certain states may require in addition to the above.

How To Fail a Background Check For Teaching

The most common way for an individual to have an education background check failed is to be dishonest about some aspect of the check.

Besides specific crimes being considered automatic disqualifiers, individuals who lied about past crimes will also be disqualified.

This can be frustrating for many individuals, especially because even if the crime is not a disqualifier in itself, failure to mention a past conviction is cause for an automatic failure.

There are other ways to fail an education background check, most notably including incorrect information even if by accident. Something as simple as entering the wrong social security number can cause an automatic failure as the FBI will not be able to properly verify the individual’s identity.

Although this is not an ideal situation, not all hope is lost if this happens. Occurrences like these are the precise reason why appeals exist for education background checks. Still, it is important to verify all information possible before submitting the background check as the appeals process can take a significant amount of time to complete, even for simple mistakes.

Can You Fail a Background Check With a Misdemeanor?

Individuals can have an education background check failed due to a misdemeanor on their record. Although not all misdemeanors are considered disqualifying offenses, specific kinds of misdemeanors will result in an automatic fail. Most notably, most violent misdemeanors are disqualifiers as well as any crimes of a sexual nature or crimes involving children.

How Do I Know If I Passed My Background Check?

Individuals will always know if they passed a background check or not. This is because the FCRA requires that anyone who fails a background check be notified in writing of the specific reason for the failure. If the background check failed, individuals should receive a letter in the mail explaining the circumstances as well as steps on how to appeal the decision.

If there is no response at all, individuals should contact where they applied an inquiry as it is likely the result of a miscommunication such as a phone number or address being incorrect.

What Should You Do If You Are Nervous About Background Check?

Any individual who is anxious about a background screening, especially those undergoing education background check should conduct a background check on themselves first. Not only is this easy and quick to perform, but it will allow individuals to see the exact same information as the background check service or government agency.

By knowing what to expect individuals can avoid silly mistakes like forgetting to disclose certain crimes. More notably, this will allow individuals to fix any potential mistakes. Although rare, mistakes on background checks do happen and can drastically affect an individual’s chances of getting a job.

Individuals can use the search bar at the top of this page to perform a public records search on themselves for free. Other options include hiring a private background check service for a fee or undergoing an FBI background check, which is the most thorough and expensive option.

Failed Background Check After Job Offer

Most individuals who received a negative background check report after a job offer can be confused. This is because background checks are paid for by the company, so most employers will not bother performing a background check unless they intend to hire the individual.

When this happens, the appeals process is usually the only chance of still getting hired. The appeals process varies but will usually be done directly with the employer.

(Image: Christina Morillo⁷)

In the case of an education background check failed, a successful appeal is usually only possible if the information is incorrect. This is because there are strict laws regarding hiring teachers who have been convicted of certain crimes, while private employers may be able to make an exception, the same can not be said for teachers.

Accepting Job Offer Before Background Check

Many employers will offer an individual a job before the background check has been completed. When this happens the job offer is usually dependent on the results of the background check. If the background check is failed the job offer is rescinded automatically.

Many people waiting on the results wonder how long a background screening takes for a potential government worker. The answer to that depends on your record and how easily the information can be accessed, but it is usually around 2-4 weeks.

How To Dispute a Failed Background Check

Disputing a failed background check is a fairly common practice and one that is required by law to be available to individuals who have undergone a background check.

The exact steps will vary based on who performed the check but in general the first step is to contact the agency that performed the check. In the case of an education background check failed, the letter that indicates the check is failed will also include the basic steps to appeal.

What States Prohibit Pre-Offer Background Checks?

Very few states expressly prohibit pre-offer background checks. However, very few companies will perform this practice due to the potential legal issues it may cause.

Conducting a background check before the individual is offered a job can put the employer in a position that leaves them open to discrimination lawsuits. Mainly, discrimination against an individual due to their criminal history.

Mistaken Identity Background Check (Education Background Check Failed)

In some cases, a failed background check may be the result of a mistaken identity. In this case, it is important to know how to clear up the mistake as soon as possible. This will usually entail contacting the background check agency and providing identity verification, often with a photo ID and a social security number.

What Is the Next Step After a Background Check?

The background check is usually the last step in the hiring process, so very little will happen after that. In most cases, the job offer will have been extended before the background check so the only thing left to do is accept the job and begin training.

When it comes to teaching background checks the steps immediately following a successful check will vary based on the state and school district.

Education background checks can be extremely stressful due to how hard individuals must work to become educators. Finding out an education background check failed can be extremely frustrating so individuals should always first perform a check on themselves to avoid any surprises.

Frequently Asked Questions About Education Background Check Failed