Upon approval to the Elementary and Early Childhood Education (PreK-4) major, students are responsible for keeping valid copies of all clearances/verifications on file with the EECE Campus Coordinator/Program Chair. All clearances/verifications must be renewed yearly by the student and must remain valid throughout the entire academic year. Clearances/verifications should be requested during the month of May and MUST BE ON FILE BY JULY 30.
No student will be permitted to participate in any field experience without evidence of all required clearances and verifications on file by the first day of classes each fall semester.
Non-participation in field experiences dramatically impacts a student's course grade and will result in failure of the course(s). There will be no "make-ups" for absences from field experiences due to clearances. Any student enrolled for any course(s) with a field experience who does not have all annual required clearances/verifications ON FILE BY THE FIRST DAY OF FALL SEMESTER CLASSES will be advised to drop the course(s).
Copies of the following clearances/verifications must be ON FILE with the EECE Campus Coordinator/Program Chair:
- Valid Act 34 Criminal Record Check Clearance
- Valid Act 151 Child Abuse History Clearance
- Verification of a Negative Tuberculosis (TB) Test
- Evidence of Professional Liability Insurance (for student-teaching semester)
- FBI Federal Criminal History Records Clearance
For information about obtaining required clearances and verifications, visit the Penn State College of Education clearances website and the Pennsylvania Department of Education Clearances/ Background Checks website.
Additional Information
The information offered here is intended to serve as a general guide to students preparing to become educators in Pennsylvania. It is not intended as a substitute for meeting with your academic adviser and researching and fulfilling all current clearance and verification requirements in your state.