Background Checks for Education Students

Questions have arisen regarding requirements of background checks and clearances and accessibility with the disruptions of COVID-19. There are no changes of requirements due to COVID-19. All students must meet the background checks and clearances required of their Education program. Read the following information to determine who needs background checks and any programs exempted from background checks and clearances. 

Please refer to the University’s FERPA Compliance Policy.

The School of Education Background Checks policy requires: students enrolled in Education courses that require fieldwork to submit updated  background checks/clearances documents (listed below) annually to the School of Education (by July 1st), via its online platform, Castle Branch. Please review the list of exempt courses prior to purchasing a background checks package.

All students are additionally required to report any infractions incurred between renewals. Any student enrolled in Education courses or an Education program who commits a reportable offense listed in Section 111 (e) of PA Act 24, is required to complete and return an Arrest/Conviction PDE form-6004 to the School of Education, Office of Field Experiences and Outreach (Taylor Hall, room 303) within 72 hours of any arrest or conviction.

All Graduate and Undergraduate Education Students and other Arcadia students who take School of Education courses that include fieldwork are required to obtain and submit updated clearances in advance of all fieldwork. This policy extends to and includes Graduate Students who intend to complete fieldwork / field projects with the students or youth in the classrooms or schools or community centers or agencies, etc. in which they are currently employed full-time. 

Background check documents must be valid for the entire academic year (May, June, July or August through the following April (May 1st)) in order to be approved. No matter when students initially obtain their clearances, students are directed to update their clearances immediately following the spring semester (or each summer) so that they’re valid to begin coursework at the start of the summer sessions (and the subsequent fall and spring semesters) and to register in the Fall for Spring courses that require fieldwork and in the Spring for Summer and Fall courses that require fieldwork.

Once students have successfully submitted their updated documents to Castle Branch, no further action is necessary. The approval process can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, depending on the time of year and the volume of submissions to Castle Branch.*

*Processing a clearance that reports an incident takes longer than the processing of clearances without an incident, as those with one or more incidents listed must be reviewed for approval. Students who have incidents on their clearances should contact the Director of Office of Field Experiences and Outreach immediately. The office is located in Taylor Hall, room 303.

Students not having all required clearances loaded in Castle Branch are prohibited from engaging in fieldwork until their clearances are approved.

All Undergraduate Education majors and minor Students are required to obtain updated clearances and upload them to Castle Branch in advance of their first course that includes fieldwork and then annually (each summer).

All Education degree Graduate Students are required to obtain and submit their updated clearances upon admission to their program(s) and then annually (each summer).

Undergraduate Students from other Arcadia University schools/colleges who intend to register for a School of Education course requiring clearances during the upcoming academic year – whether fall or spring – should begin the process for obtaining each of the required clearances in May (not before) of the academic year prior so that all clearances are ready to be uploaded to Castle Branch by the July 1st deadline established by the School of Education.

Transfer Students transferring into Arcadia University for a spring semester should make all attempts to obtain their clearances before attending their Transfer Student Advising Session. Transfer Students transferring into Arcadia University for a fall semester should make every effort to adhere to the policy as stated and secure clearances for a July 1 effective date. Transfer students will be required to obtain clearances before starting fieldwork for spring courses and then also be required to update again that summer in order to be aligned with the annual clearance update cycle established by the School of Education.

Graduate Students should begin the process for obtaining each of the clearances as soon as they:

Please read thoroughly the policies and procedures pertaining to obtaining and submitting your background checks. Students must purchase and maintain through yearly renewals a CastleBranch account throughout their certification program for the purpose of obtaining and submitting their needed background checks.  The cost for a CastleBranch initial package (2020-21) is $52.50 (renewal $33.00). Additional fees apply for the IdentoGO FBI fingerprint and the PA Child Abuse. The cost of a TB test varies by site. The Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Record Checks for Employment is included in the CastleBranch package. Graduate students completing their field requirements in their place of employment obtain an alternative CastleBranch package which can be found on Arcadia’s CastleBranch portal.

A student with an offense/incident listed on his/her background check(s) must also immediately notify the Office of Field Experiences and Outreach for review.

If one or more incident is reported on an updated clearance, then the process for approval for fieldwork is as follows:

Education students and others who take courses in the School of Education that require fieldwork are expected to inform the School of Education about any incidents they incur after they have submitted updated clearances to the School for the given academic year.

A student who fails to immediately report an incident and/or who continues to engage in fieldwork before an incident has been reviewed by the Office of Field Experiences and Outreach will be subject to disciplinary action in accordance with Arcadia University’s Student Code of Conduct and/or PA Department of Education Code of Professional Practice and Conduct for Educators.