Effective January 1, 2008, Texas law requires that all prospective school employees submit to a fingerprint supported criminal history background check and be cleared before the first day of employment.
IdentoGo is the exclusive electronic fingerprinting provider for the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) providing digital fingerprinting service for the district.
The process for certified employees
All certified employees (teachers, substitute teachers and classroom aides) are required to submit fingerprints to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) so that a national criminal background check can be conducted by the FBI.
- The fingerprinting process is initiated once an applicant applies and makes the payment for certification through the Educator Certification Online System (ECOS). At the time the applicant pays for certification, he or she will also be prompted to pay for the fingerprint background check.
- Once payment for fingerprinting has been submitted in ECOS, the applicant will be "pre-enrolled" and IdentoGo will send the applicant an email that includes information to schedule an appointment. The email will be sent from the address - nobody@uemail.identoGo.com.
- Once pre-enrolled, certificate applicants can also find the information to schedule an appointment in the applicant's ECOS account. After logging in, choose 'Fingerprint Status', and you will be taken to a screen that displays the UEID number, the service code and a link for appointment scheduling through IdentoGo.
- The total fingerprinting background check fee for a certificate applicant in Texas is $50.25, $40.25 of which is paid in ECOS via credit card during the application process. An additional $10.00 is paid to IdentoGo at the time of appointment scheduling. A valid photo ID is required at the time of the appointment.
- Texas Education Agency (TEA) receives the fingerprinting results 5-7 business days after the fingerprint appointment.
The process for non-certified employees
- All non-certified employees (child nutrition, maintenance, custodial, transportation, and lunchroom monitors), must be fingerprinted before starting to work for the district.
- There are no fees required for "non-certified" applicants, they are covered by the district.
- Once the applicant's background check has cleared, an email will be sent from Human Talent to the applicant with a coupon code and instructions for getting fingerprinted.
- The applicant must take their photo identification (driver’s license, state issued identification card, etc.) to their scheduled appointment.
- The district will automatically be subscribed to each applicant in the DPS clearinghouse after the applicant has been fingerprinted. When the criminal history report is made available in the DPS Clearinghouse, DPS will notify the district by email of the individual’s criminal history activity.
Frequently Asked Questions
I've already been fingerprinted with a Texas school, do I have to fingerprint again?
If you were last fingerprinted before July 1, 2015, YES you will be required to fingerprint again. The district will provide you with a "Fast Pass".
What happens if the results of the fingerprinting process reflect any criminal offense record?
If the results of your fingerprint processing reflect any criminal records or if you report a record on your application for a Texas educator certificate or permit, your file may be referred to the Office of Investigations for review. That office may contact you regarding information needed to review your records for determination of eligibility for a Texas educator credential. Issuance of the credential will be determined by the results of this review. The district may withdraw an employment offer at any time if there is activity on an applicant's criminal history.
I was fingerprinted as a requirement for certification in another state. Do I need to be reprinted to work in Tomball ISD?
Yes. All applicants holding an educator credential in another state or in a foreign country must undergo a national criminal background check through DPS and the FBI.
I was fingerprinted when I got my concealed handgun license/real estate license/daycare license. Do I have to be fingerprinted again?
Yes. DPS requires that a separate set of fingerprints be submitted.
