COST FBI Fingerprint & Background Clearance 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What federal agency maintains the national fingerprint database used in teacher background checks?
- Department of Education
- FBI's Next Generation Identification (NGI) system (Correct answer)
- Department of Homeland Security
- National Center for Education Statistics
Correct answer: FBI's Next Generation Identification (NGI) system
The FBI's Next Generation Identification (NGI) system is the national repository for fingerprint and criminal history records used in background checks.
Question 2: A teacher applying for out-of-state certification discovers a juvenile record from 20 years ago. How are juvenile records typically treated in FBI background checks for educators?
- Always fully disclosed and treated the same as adult records
- Automatically sealed and never appear in checks
- May be expunged or sealed, but disclosure rules vary by state (Correct answer)
- Permanently disqualify applicants from teaching in any state
Correct answer: May be expunged or sealed, but disclosure rules vary by state
Juvenile records are often sealed or expunged, but state laws differ on whether they must be disclosed or considered in educator certification decisions.
Question 3: Which federal law requires states to conduct criminal history checks on school employees and access FBI records?
- No Child Left Behind Act
- Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
- National Child Protection Act / Volunteers for Children Act (Correct answer)
- Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
Correct answer: National Child Protection Act / Volunteers for Children Act
The National Child Protection Act and Volunteers for Children Act authorize states to submit fingerprints to the FBI for background checks on those who work with children.
Question 4: How long does a typical FBI fingerprint-based background check take to return results?
- 24-48 hours guaranteed by federal law
- 3-5 business days on average, though times vary (Correct answer)
- 6-8 weeks minimum
- Results are instantaneous through digital submission
Correct answer: 3-5 business days on average, though times vary
FBI fingerprint checks typically return within 3-5 business days, though processing times can vary based on submission volume and method.
Question 5: What is the purpose of the "rap back" service offered by the FBI for school employees?
- It provides a musical background check for fine arts teachers
- It notifies employers when a current employee has a new arrest or conviction (Correct answer)
- It allows employees to dispute fingerprint records
- It is a second fingerprint scan to confirm initial results
Correct answer: It notifies employers when a current employee has a new arrest or conviction
The FBI's Rap Back service sends ongoing notifications to authorized agencies when a subscribed individual has a new criminal record event after initial hire.
Question 6: A teacher submits fingerprints electronically via LiveScan. What advantage does this method offer over ink-and-roll cards?
- It bypasses the FBI review process entirely
- It eliminates the need for state agency review
- It produces higher-quality captures that reduce rejection rates (Correct answer)
- It is the only method accepted by the Department of Education
Correct answer: It produces higher-quality captures that reduce rejection rates
LiveScan captures digital fingerprint images with higher clarity, significantly reducing the rejection rates caused by smudging or poor impressions common with ink cards.
Question 7: What happens if an applicant's fingerprints are rejected due to poor quality?
- The state automatically grants provisional certification for 30 days
- The applicant is permanently disqualified from the process
- The applicant must resubmit fingerprints, sometimes multiple times (Correct answer)
- The check proceeds using name-based records only
Correct answer: The applicant must resubmit fingerprints, sometimes multiple times
Rejected fingerprints require resubmission; applicants may need to try multiple times, and some states allow a name-based search as a last resort after repeated rejections.
COST FBI Fingerprint & Background Clearance 2
What federal agency maintains the national fingerprint database used in teacher background checks?