Southern Tioga School District
Administration Office 241 Main Street, Blossburg, Pa 16912
Phone: (570) 638-2183 or (570) 659-5521 Fax: (570) 638-3512
PA PUBLIC SCHOOL CLEARANCE PROCEDURES
Act 34 of 1985 (Criminal Record Check through the PA State Police), Act 151 of 1994 (Child Abuse History Clearance, PA Department of Welfare) and Act 114 of 2006 (FBI Federal Criminal History Record) require all applicants for employment with PA public schools to undergo background checks, which shall be no more than one year old at the time of employment.
ACT 34 CRIMINAL RECORD CHECK—paper/mail process with form #SP4-164, available at school district office:
- Requester Name: applicant fills in own name and address.
- Requester Identification: select individual/non-criminal justice agency box.
- Reason for Request: select employment box.
- Fee/Mailing – $10.00 certified check or money order. Personal checks will not be accepted. Send the completed form with payment to the Pennsylvania State Police Central Repository. The address is on the form, bottom right side. Processing time may be up to 4 weeks.
P.A.T.C.H. (online process for Act 34):
- Fee: $10.00 by using a credit/debit card.
- Go to internet web-site https://epatch.state.pa.us
- Select “Submit a New Record Check”. Read and click “Accept” on the “Terms and Conditions…” page, and follow instructions on web page.
- Applicant should fill in his/her own name and address for the “Record” status request lines.
- If the results are “No Record” you should receive this response immediately. Print out the “Invoice” with a copy of the State seal embedded on the paper.
- If the response is “Request Under Review, or Pending”, you must periodically check back with the website until your request is processed. Results of “Record” will be mailed to the applicant and may not be printed.
ACT 151 CHILD ABUSE HISTORY CLEARANCE—paper/mail process with form #CY-113, available at school district office:
- Applicant Identification: applicant fills in own name and address.
- Purpose of Clearance: select school box.
- Fee/Mailing: $10.00 money order. Personal checks will not be accepted. Send the completed form with payment to the Childline and Abuse Registry. The address is on the form, top-right. Processing time estimated up to 3 weeks.
ACT 114 FBI FEDERAL CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORD—fingerprint scanning process
- Applicant must register with Cogent Systems—On line: www.pa.cogentid.com or by calling 1-888-439-2486 Monday thru Friday, 8:00 AM—6:00 PM.
- Fee: $40.00 using a credit/debit card online or by money order/cashiers check made payable to Cogent Systems at the fingerprint scanning site. Personal checks will not be accepted.
- Fingerprints will be scanned at the BLaST I.U. #17 office in Canton (or go to www.pa.cogentid.com for additional fingerprinting sites), Monday thru Friday, 8:00 AM—3:00 PM. No appointment is necessary (www.iu17.org for more information). A photo ID must be presented before fingerprints can be scanned.
- The school district will accept a receipt from www.pa.cogentid.com, indicating the background check was submitted, for employment up to 90 days pending receipt of the official record.
- If an applicant does not receive the official record within 8 weeks after being fingerprinted, call Denise Wolfgang at (717)783-3750 or e-mail her at dwolfgang@state.pa.us. Do not call Cogent Systems.
- For positions not requiring work alone with children, the district may employ up to 90 days on a provisional basis pending receipt of the official record. The processed Act 34 and 151 clearances and a receipt from www.pa.cogentid.com indicating the Act 114 FBI background check was submitted are required. This may include cafeteria, secretary, and some paraprofessional positions.
If you have any questions, please contact
Sandy Skolny, Secretary to the Superintendent’s Office, 570-638-2183 ext. 3008.