Compliance Documents Required for Practicum, Internship or Student Teaching

The FBI fingerprinting national background check is required for all students enrolled in a course in which the student will interact with children or other individuals in some capacity. The FBI fingerprinting national background check must be obtained to meet requirements of the course assignment(s). The FBI fingerprinting will be recorded in your Test Scores and will be valid for three years. After three years, if you are still enrolled at MSU, we will validate your fingerprints to extend your expiration date an additional three years.

PLEASE NOTE: MSU FBI MOVECHS Fingerprinting is NOT the same as the DESE FBI Fingerprinting that is required for a substitute certificate and certification. 

MOVECHS Waiver and Fingerprinting procedure:

1. You must complete the MOVECHS Waiver Agreement form found at My Missouri State > Teacher Education Resources box/card > MOVECHS Waiver prior to beginning the registration process for MOVECHS FBI fingerprinting. Use Google Chrome.
2. Print or save the MOVECHS FBI fingerprinting instructions that display in a new window, after completion of the waiver agreement. You will receive the 4-digit code needed for Missouri State University MOVECHS fingerprinting after completing the waiver.
3. Enter the 4-digit Missouri State University MOVECHS fingerprinting registration code that will be given within the instructions to register on the Missouri Automated Criminal History System (MACHS). The screen will automatically display MSU College of Education.
4. Follow the screen instructions through completion.
   1. If located in Missouri, or your permanent residence is outside Missouri, but you are temporarily located in Missouri for college, choose the Register for Digital Fingerprinting Services option. When you go to IdentoGo to complete your fingerprinting, make sure to check that they are sending your results to MSU with our 4-digit code that you received after completing the MOVECHS fee waiver.
   2. If located outside Missouri, and you are not available to complete fingerprinting in the state of Missouri, you can complete a “Fingerprinting Card” and mail it in. Please follow the instructions on the attachment: Fingerprinting_Cardscan_Instructions_for_IdentoGo.pdf
5. The cost of a MOVECHS FBI fingerprinting is $44.75.
6. The fingerprinting result is usually received in approximately one week by the MSU College of Education and entered in MSU Test Scores.

Procedure for Monitoring and Processing FBI Fingerprinting Background Check Findings:

The Professional Education Services office processes MOVECHS FBI fingerprinting background checks and verifies the clearance date of DESE FBI background checks. In the event that there is a “finding” on a student’s record, students will not be allowed to begin their practicum, internship, or student teaching until the student has been approved by the program/department to enter or re-enter the classroom.

If the student wishes to challenge the accuracy and completeness of information contained in the finding report, it is the student's responsibility to contact the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

NOTE: A MOVECHS FBI fingerprinting background check cannot be used when applying for a Substitute Certificate or Initial Teaching Certificate. If you are obtaining a fingerprinting for a Substitute Certificate or Initial Teaching Certificate, a DESE FBI fingerprinting background check registration code must be used.

• FBI fingerprinting background check result
• Assessment Information
• Application for a Substitute Certificate
• Application for an Initial Professional Certificate (IPC)
• Certification Information

Creating a DESE Profile:

1. Use Internet Explorer at the link above to create and register a user ID and password. Click "Register" in the lower portion of the page. 
2. Complete the registration questions and click "Create User" (a confirmation message will appear)
3. Click "Return to DESE Login page" link and enter your username and password. Click "Login."
4. Click "Educator Certification System - Request Educator Access" and click "Submit."
5. Click "Close" in the small confirmation window.
6. Click on "Educator Certification System" and enter your Social Security Number (SSN) and date of birth (DOB). Click "Submit."
7. Enter or verify Profile information (proper/legal name - no nicknames) and click "Save Profile."
8. Scroll down and complete or edit the Contact Information* section and click "Save."

NOTE: Do not create more than one username. Creating multiple usernames will cause the system to deny access to the profile page and certification records. Click "Forgot Username/Password?" in the lower section of the login page to request access to username or to reset password if needed.

Get a Substitute Certificate: 

1. Log in to DESE's site with your user ID and password, then choose "Educator Certification System."
2. Find "Applications" in the left menu and choose "Substitute Certificate." Complete the Substitute Certificate application from the DESE profile choosing "Content Substitute" as the type of application . A processing fee of $50.00 is required which may be paid by credit/debit card. Additional information from the DESE website can be accessed through Substitute Certification Application Procedure.
3. Obtain a DESE FBI Fingerprinting background check using registration code 2301 and by following the steps in the DESE FBI Fingerprinting National Background Check link above.
4. Order original transcripts from ALL institutions attended and have them sent to DESE.

*An e-mail address must be included in this section, as all correspondence from Educator Certification will be sent via e-mail.

Checking Fingerprinting Results:

1. Click on Web Applications and log in to https://dese.mo.gov .
2. Scroll down the page to "Fingerprint Information" to access results.

Checking Certificate Status:

1. Go to https://dese.mo.gov, click Web Applications and log in.
2. Click on Certificate Status (left menu).
3. A listing of all certificates applied for and issued will appear with classification, effective date, and expiration date.

The Substitute Certificate application is the only application needed in order to obtain a substitute certificate. Do not complete any other applications at this time, as they will be returned.

This is not an MSU requirement. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) requires a background check for all certificates. The background check is valid for one year for DESE certification and must be valid at the time of certification. This background check is required even if students are working on a Provisional, Temporary, or Substitute Certificate. Students must be in compliance with this requirement before their practicum, internship, or student teaching begins. 

PLEASE NOTE: DESE FBI Fingerprinting is NOT the same as the MSU FBI MOVECHS Fingerprinting that was required for admission to teacher education. 

To complete DESE FBI Fingerprinting Background Check which is required for a substitute certificate and student teaching:

1. Register with the Missouri Automated Criminal History System (MACHS) at machs.mo.govto be fingerprinted through IdentoGO.
2. Select “Click here to Register with the Fingerprint Portal".
3. Select "Click here to register with MACHS".
4. Obtain a DESE FBI Fingerprinting background check using registration code 2301.
5. Once the code is received, enter the fingerprinting registration code, and select "Enter".
6. Select "OK" on the pop-up window and verify the ORI name listed. The ORI name should automatically display as Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. If the correct ORI name does not display, verify that the correct 4-digit registration code was entered.
7. After ORI name is verified, enter data into the fields provided. When finished, select “Register”.
8. Follow screen instructions through completion selecting the Register for Digital Fingerprinting Services option. PLEASE NOTE: Students located out of state should select Fingerprinting Card instead of the digital option since the digital option is not available to non-residents. Follow all instructions to complete the fingerprinting process.
9. The cost of a DESE FBI fingerprinting background check is $41.75. The fingerprinting result will display on the DESE Educator Certification System profile and can be used for a Substitute Certificate and Initial Professional Certificate.
10. Email a screenshot using these guidelines: In order to verify compliance of DESE FBI fingerprinting background check requirements, a full DESE profile screen shot including DESE's logo must be submitted to ComplianceDocs@MissouriState.edu. Start the screen shot at the top of the page with DESE's logo and capture the entire screen to include the fingerprinting background check information. Redact your SSN before emailing.
11. When the fingerprinting result is received, it is entered in MSU Test Scores.
12. If you have questions, please call 417-836-8772.

Note: Potential substitute teachers may now send the results of a criminal history background check and fingerprint collection to five K-12 school districts where they have submitted an application. The total amount of any fees for disseminating these results to up to five school districts (under this subsection, 168.021, RSMo.), will not exceed $50. Information from the Missouri Highway Patrol on how the process works can be found on the DESE fingerprinting and MACHS information webpages and in the Manual Fingerprint Instructions document. 

For questions about the manual fingerprint process, refer to Attachment A of the Manual Fingerprint Instructions document, or contact the Missouri State Highway Patrol at 573-526-6153 option 3, option 1, for the Record Check Processing Unit. 

Procedure for Monitoring and Processing FBI Fingerprinting Background Check Findings:

The Professional Education Services office processes MOVECHS FBI fingerprinting background checks and verifies the clearance date of DESE FBI background checks. In the event that there is a “finding” on a student’s record, students will not be allowed to begin their practicum, internship or student teaching until the student has been approved by the program/department to enter or re-enter the classroom.

If the student wishes to challenge the accuracy and completeness of information contained in the finding report, it is the student's responsibility to contact the Missouri State Highway Patrol.