How to Obtain Fingerprint Verification

If your records have not been verified by the certification officer (e-mail: hspencer@brooklyn.cuny.edu) at Brooklyn College already, follow one of the situations below:

A: Currently Without DOE Fingerprints

If you have not had your fingerprints processed already and you will be doing any fieldwork, observation, student teaching or any other college-related work in NYCDOE schools, refer to If You Need to Have Your Records Processed for the First Time (Including a Scan of your Fingerprints at the DOE Office). 

If you will not be doing fieldwork, observation, student teaching, or other college-related work in NYCDOE schools, you will need to process your security clearance with MorphoTrust/IdentoGo.

B: Fingerprints Already Processed by the DOE

Check if there are fingerprint records recorded in TEACH  yet or not, then follow the instructions in paragraphs E–G.

You should not have to pay again if you are following paragraphs E–G. 

Click on this link to go to your TEACH account and log in or self-register.

C: Clearance Already Processed by Agency Other Than NYCDOE or NYSDOE

If you had your clearance processed already by any agency other than the NYCDOE or New York State Department of Education (e.g., the New York City Department of Investigation (DOI) or Department of Health), and you will be enrolling in education courses and working in NYCDOE schools while you are a college student (fieldwork, or any other college-related work), you will need DOE security clearance. Refer to If You Need to Have Your Records Processed for the First Time (Including a Scan of your Fingerprints at the DOE Office).

D: Unsure About Your Clearance Status

Check if there are fingerprint records recorded in TEACH  yet or not, then follow the instructions in paragraphs E–G.

You should not have to pay again if you are following paragraphs E–G. 

Click on this link to go to your TEACH account and log in or self-register.

E: TEACH Account Has No Records of Your NYCDOE Fingerprints

If your fingerprint records were processed by the NYCDOE and if your TEACH account has a note that your New York City records have not been received, you should not have to pay to have your records processed again, as long as they can be verified. To get verification:

• Send an e-mail to the Personnel Eligibility Tracking System (PETS) office: PETS@schools.nyc.gov and ask for your data to be entered into the PETS database for Brooklyn College. 
• PETS will need your name, phone number, complete home address, date of birth, and e-mail address. 
• Indicate that you are going to be a student teacher or you will be doing fieldwork through Brooklyn College (or indicate any other reason you are registering). 
• If you do not have a Brooklyn college ID yet, and if PETS requires it, send an email to the certification officer to get permission to sign up with PETS.
• When you receive a reply from PETSAdmin@schools.nyc.gov, they will give you a fax number where you can send a copy of your Social Security card. You can either send a fax or mail a copy of your Social Security card to them. In either case, be sure to include your phone number, complete home address, date of birth, and e-mail address in your correspondence. Mailing address:  New York City Department of Education, Division of Human Resources, Office of Personnel Investigation, Attention: PETS (Personnel Eligibility Tracking System), 65 Court Street, Room 200, Brooklyn, New York 11201
• You will receive a "nomination" e-mail from PETSAdminSupport@schools.nyc.gov that will state "Congratulations! This e-mail confirms that an organization ... has nominated you for a position..." You are not necessarily being hired yet, but you will need to follow all of  the instructions before the deadline specified in the letter. Be sure to complete the Applicant Gateway forms.
• After your records are processed, you will get confirmation from the Certification Officer by e-mail.
• You will need to release your NYC DOE fingerprints to the New York State Education Department. You will need to file an OSPRA 104 form (pdf). If the information in section two of the OSPRA 104 form does not apply to you, you can leave it blank. Allow about one month for your records to be processed, and then check your TEACH account to be sure your fingerprint records were received. Look for a line that states “We have received your fingerprint information from NYC” which may appear above the “fingerprinting” header. If you see this note, then your records have been received and you do not need to follow up.  Your current clearance status will not be posted there.

F: TEACH Account States That Your DCJS and FBI Records Have Been Received

If you have a note on your TEACH account that states that your DCJS and FBI (not NYC) records have been received, you should not have to pay to have your records processed again, as long as they can be verified. Fingerprint clearance with TEACH alone does not satisfy the NYCDOE's security clearance requirements. You may need to wait four to six weeks for verification. To get verification of your current records:

• Self-register with the NYCDOE PETS office. Send an e-mail to the Personnel Eligibility Tracking System (PETS) office: PETS@schools.nyc.gov and ask for your data to be added to the Brooklyn College PETS database. 
• PETS will need your name, phone number, complete home address, date of birth, and e-mail address. 
• Indicate that you are going to be a student teacher or you will be doing fieldwork through Brooklyn College (or indicate any other reason you are registering). 
• If you do not have a Brooklyn college ID yet, and if PETS requires it, send an e-mail to the certification officer to get permission to sign up with PETS.
• When you receive a reply from the NYCDOE PETS fingerprint office, they will give you a fax number where you can send a copy of your Social Security card.  
• You will receive a "nomination" e-mail from PETSAdminSupport@schools.nyc.gov that will state, "Congratulations! This e-mail confirms that an organization ... has nominated you for a position..." You are not necessarily being hired yet, but you will need to follow all of  the instructions before the deadline specified in the letter. Be sure to complete the Applicant Gateway forms.
• You will be instructed to go in person to the NYCDOE to be fingerprinted, but you should not need to pay for and process your records again. 
• You will need to go in person to the HR Connect Walk-in Center, 65 Court Street, Room 102, Brooklyn, New York. Inform the staff there that you are a Brooklyn College student teacher and need to submit an OSPRA 103 form so that your criminal history record can be transferred from NYSED to NYCDOE. 
• After your records are processed, you will get confirmation from the Certification Officer by e-mail.

G: TEACH Account States "We Have Received Your Fingerprint Information From NYC"

Look for a line on your TEACH account that states “We have received your fingerprint information from NYC” which may appear above the “fingerprinting” header. To get verification of your current fingerprint status with PETS, follow these instructions: 

• Send an e-mail to the Personnel Eligibility Tracking System (PETS) office: PETS@schools.nyc.gov and ask for your data to be entered into the PETS database for Brooklyn College. 
• PETS will need your name, phone number, complete home address, date of birth, and e-mail address. 
• Indicate that you are going to be a student teacher or you will be doing fieldwork through Brooklyn College (or indicate any other reason you are registering). 
• If you do not have a Brooklyn college ID yet, and if PETS requires it, send an e-mail to the certification officer to get permission to sign up with PETS.
• PETS will give you a fax number where you can send a copy of your Social Security card. You can either send a fax or mail a copy of your Social Security card to them. In either case, be sure to include your phone number, complete home address, date of birth, and e-mail address with your correspondence. Mailing address: New York City Department of Education, Division of Human Resources, Office of Personnel Investigation, Attention: PETS (Personnel Eligibility Tracking System), 65 Court Street, Room 200, Brooklyn, New York 11201
• You will receive a "nomination" e-mail from PETSAdminSupport@schools.nyc.gov that will state, "Congratulations! This e-mail confirms that an organization ... has nominated you for a position..." You are not necessarily being hired yet, but you will need to follow all of  the instructions before the deadline specified in the letter. Be sure to complete the Applicant Gateway forms.
• After your records are processed, you will get confirmation from the Certification Officer by e-mail.

H. International Students (Students Without an Official Social Security Number)

If you do not have an official Social Security number, you must e-mail the Office of Personnel Investigations (OPI)  OPIInfo@schools.nyc.gov to make an appointment. Indicate to the OPI representative that you are an international student teacher without a Social Security number. You will be directed to the correct person. You must have an appointment, and you must bring in the following four items:

• Passport
• Student visa
• Proof of enrollment in an education program (a letter from your college program office will suffice: Early Childhood/Art Education, Childhood, Bilingual and Special Education, Secondary Education, or School Psychology/Counseling/Educational Leadership)
• College ID card (required)

After your records are processed, contact the Certification Officer.  

After you receive your Social Security number, you will need to bring your Social Security card to the OPI, 65 Court Street, Room 200, Brooklyn, New York. Indicate that you are an international student teacher who was previously fingerprinted without a Social Security number. Ask to be added to the Brooklyn College PETS roster so that your fingerprint records can be on file with Brooklyn College.

If you use a number obtained from any source other than the Social Security Administration (including numbers generated by CUNY and/or Brooklyn College) to be added to the NYCDOE PETS fingerprint roster, you will lose your security clearance and will be required to be fingerprinted a second time at your expense.

If you do not receive a Social Security number (either for employment purposes only or otherwise) before you complete your requirements for New York State certification, you may need to process your fingerprint clearance again with IndentoGo. 

If Follow-up Is Required With the NYCDOE

If there are any changes in your fingerprint clearance status, and you are not cleared to work in NYCDOE schools, you will be notified and then it will be your responsibility to stop working in NYCDOE schools and complete the steps needed before returning to work.