The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) requires that students entering public schools for observations and practicum experiences (including student teaching) must obtain the following security clearances:
- Act 34: Pennsylvania Criminal History Clearance
- Act 114: FBI Fingerprints (Federal Criminal History Record)
- Act 151: Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance
- Tuberculosis Test
Clearances and Registration
EDUC-265, 320, 350, 375, and 443 have field experiences, and students must obtain clearances in order to enroll in these courses.
Students planning to enroll in student teaching (EDUC-453) must apply for and submit to the department a new (updated) set of clearances by the beginning of the preceding semester; for example, if you plan to student teach in the spring of your senior year, you must have updated clearances in hand by the beginning of the fall semester. In most cases, clearances must be valid—that is, not more than one year old—at the beginning of student teaching. Please carefully read and follow these step-by-step instructions to apply for clearances