Please note: You must be fingerprinted to obtain employment with the New York City Department of Education.
The HR Connect Walk-In Center and the Office of Personnel Investigation (OPI) are responsible for screening all new staff hired by the New York City Department of Education (DOE) to ensure the safety and well-being of students and staff. State education laws and DOE policy and practice mandate the taking of fingerprints as a prerequisite for licensure and/or employment. Particular attention is given to fingerprint results that reveal a criminal history. Click for important information regarding arrest and conviction information for both applicants and current employees.
IMPORTANT: Cleared fingerprints do not guarantee employment with DOE.
Fingerprinting
Fingerprinting services are available from the HR Connect Walk-In Center at 65 Court Street, Room 102, in Brooklyn between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. However, applicants are strongly encouraged to report to the Walk-in Center by 4:30 p.m. (See below for alternative sites for fingerprinting.)
1. A referral letter, as described below:
- Teachers: either a commitment letter or principal nomination letter.
- Student teachers: a letter of introduction from the Office of Student Teaching Initiatives.
- Custodial cleaners: a referral letter from the custodial engineer at the school.
- After-school program staff: a referral letter from your program that includes your name, your Social Security number, the signature of your program director, and information about any fee waivers that may apply.
- Consultants and contract employees: a referral letter from your employer that includes your name and Social Security number.
- Occupational therapists, physical therapists, and school nurses: a referral letter from the Office of Related and Contractual Services (ORCS).
- Volunteers: a referral letter from your volunteer organization (if affiliated) or from the school principal (if volunteering independently).
- Lab specialists, substitute paraprofessionals, substitute teachers, school secretaries, principals, or assistant principals: no letter is required.
2. A completed and signed Fingerprint Referral Form
Please note: The moral questions listed on the Fingerprint Referral Form must be answered honestly. You will need to disclose prior convictions for all offenses. This includes felonies, misdemeanors, and violations. Minor traffic infractions do not need to be listed. If you answer no to a question that the New York City DOE discovers should have been answered yes, you will automatically be denied approval for employment based on the nondisclosure.
If you answer yes, you will be given an opportunity to further explain the circumstances surrounding the particular occurrence. If deemed necessary, you will meet with a New York City DOE investigator, at which time you may bring legal representation, additional documents, and/or job/character reference letters to your investigative interview.
The New York City DOE requires that all applicants disclose prior convictions for all offenses, felonies, misdemeanors, and offenses other than traffic tickets. Failure to disclose may result in the applicant being disqualified for employment.
3. Proper identification, including a completed I-9 form (if applicable)
All applicants must provide a government-issued photo ID to be fingerprinted. Applicants for positions that are payrolled by DOE must also provide additional identification in accordance with federal employment eligibility requirements via the Employment Eligibility Verification (I-9) form. Click to access the I-9 form for a list of acceptable identification.
4. Payment for processing fee
The cost for fingerprinting at the HR-Connect Walk-In Center is $115. Acceptable forms of payment are:
- Money orders (payable to NYCDOE/DHR).
- Personal checks (payable to NYCDOE/DHR).
- Credit card (Visa, MasterCard, or Discover) or debit card.
- Paycheck deducation. Payment can be deducted from your paycheck if you are an applicant who has been hired as an educator. Substitutes can not have their payment deferred.
You may not be required to provide the fee if you are on full public assistance, or if your program/employer has contracted with DOE to assume the cost of your fingerprinting.
5. Proof of a recent negative tuberculosis test (Please note: This requirement applies to custodial staff only.)
Alternative Fingerprinting/Job Fairs
The DOE provides fingerprinting services at each Job Fair site for individuals who still need to meet the fingerprint requirement. If you are being printed offsite through an arrangement with your recruiter or vendor employer, the fee for fingerprint services is $135. If you were previously fingerprinted on behalf of the New York State Education Department (for example, when being certified), you will not need to be refingerprinted. You will be asked to fill out an OSPRA 103 form at the fair. When submitting the OSPRA 103 form, the Fingerprint Referral Form and I-9 Form are also required, including a clear copy of each acceptable document that is used to show eligibility to work in the United States. Please note: Once the OSPRA 103 has been submitted and entered, additional fingerprinting at 65 Court Street for the person who submitted the OSPRA 103 is prohibited. There is no charge for submitting an OSPRA 103.
Alternative Fingerprinting/Integrated Service Centers (ISCs)
For your convenience, your ISC may request a representative from HR Connect to conduct fingerprinting at the ISC during peak hiring periods, including the summer. These offsite fingerprinting events allow you to report to your local ISC for fingerprinting instead of traveling to HR Connect's Walk-In Center in Brooklyn. Please work with your ISC to determine whether a fingerprinting event has been scheduled. Employees reporting for fingerprinting at an ISC or offsite fingerprinting event are required to provide a completed Fingerprint Referral Form, I-9 form, and appropriate identification (listed on the I-9 form) at the time of fingerprinting.
Please note: If you are an ISC liaison, please call HR Connect at (718) 935-4000 for instructions on scheduling an event at your location.
Custodial staff, please note: When fingerprint requirements have been met and you have been hired, your custodial engineer will provide you with an official letter authorizing the release of your DOE ID card, indicating the effective date of employment, employee status, and the site where you will be employed. You must report to the HR Connect Walk-in Center with this letter and a valid, government-issued ID card in order to obtain your ID.
Replacement Employee ID Cards
For replacement of a lost, stolen, or mutilated employee ID card, you must provide the HR Connect Walk-In Center with an official letter from your employer and a $10 fee (check or money order payable to NYCDOE/DHR). This fee is waived if you provide a police report documenting a stolen ID card.
There is no fee for replacement ID cards requested due to a name change, title change, or work location change.
Smart Cards
Smart Cards are used by substitute teachers and part-time teachers as a way to log attendance and gain access to participating Smart Card-based schools. To obtain a Smart Card, follow the same procedures as employee ID cards (see above). New substitute teachers will automatically be issued a Smart Card at the time of initial employment.