Office of Teacher Certification & Clearances

Teacher Certification Information

Teacher Certification Applications are now completed through TIMS on the PDE website http://www.pde.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/pennsylvania_department_of_education/7237
Please be sure to register for a TIMS account through PDE the semester you student teach https://www.login.state.pa.us/login/Register.aspx
Do not apply for your Instructional I Teacher Certification until the day of or after your graduation
Once your application is correctly entered into TIMS the Certification Officer will be notified and will recommend you for certification
After your application is approved by PDE you will be able to print your certification using your TIMS account
Directions for registering in TIMS and creating a certification application

ACT 48 Information

Level II Certification Information

Additional Information for the PDE

College Verification Forms (Form V) should be addressed to this office.

Clearance Information ( Clearance Packet )

Criminal Record Check (Act 34 Background Clearance)

Only Document with State Seal Watermark Accepted

The Criminal Background Check can also be obtained on-line using a debit or credit card at https://epatch.state.pa.us/ .
Is good for one year from the date the clearance has been granted.
Students must check “Education” under Purpose of Clearance
Must say “no record”.
May take two to four weeks to be processed.
Applicants must make sure that they print the “official” Certification Form with the state seal watermark in the background.

Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance (Act 33/151)

Only Originals Accepted

Is good for one year from the date the clearance has been granted.
Students must check “School Employee” under Purpose of Clearance
Will only take $10.00 money orders
Must say “no record”.
May take three weeks or more to be processed
Child Abuse History can only be obtained by mail but the form can be printed off at http://www.dpw.state.pa.us/ucmprd/groups/webcontent/documents/form/s_001762.pdf

FBI Clearance (Act 114)

Only Originals Accepted

All student teachers, students participating in the classrooms, and anyone employed in private or public schools must have a current FBI Federal Criminal History Record done.
This clearanceis good for the entire time you are enrolled at LHU; unless you lose the original or if you have a break in your enrollment.
Must say “no record”
This clearance requires fingerprinting done at specific sites in Pennsylvania.
You must be registered with Cogent Systems at http://www.pa.cogentid.com/ prior to having your fingerprinting done.
You must click on the PDE link. Use only the Pennsylvania Department of Education Site. This website will walk you through the process and list fingerprinting sites.
It may take up to 8 weeks to receive your clearance results back and you will not be able to enter schools without it so plan ahead.

Tuberculin (TB) Test

Only Physicians Report Accepted

Is good for two years from the date of the test. If a student has a valid TB test on record at the LHU Glennon Infirmary, the student may go there to request a TB Test Verification Form. (New students must have the TB test as part of their Medical Record for entrance to the University, so it will be part of their physical examination form and we recommend that you keep a copy of that TB Test Verification information to submit to our office.)
If a student needs a TB test, the Infirmary will do the test free of charge everyday but Thursday
The TB Test verification from the infirmary or from a private physician must include the student’s name, date of test, and the test results (which should be negative), and the physician’s name on the report. No hand written notes accepted.

Note: Non-U.S. citizens must also apply for clearances and a TB test