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Teacher Certification

Fingerprinting

Appointments

  • The fingerprinting office is located in Black Hall room 208-9 in the NE corner of the second floor. The link provides a map of the second floor and routes to reach the office from either of the main staircases.
  • Process takes approximately 10-15 minutes.
  • Completion of the Individual Information Form needs to be done prior to the appointment. The link to this form is also in your confirmation e-mail as well as your reminder e-mail. You only have to do this once. If you cannot complete the form prior to your appointment, arrive ten (10) minutes early to complete it.
  • Present a government issued form of identification (i.e., driver's license, military id or passport). Your CWU Connection Card is NOT an acceptable form of government issued identification.
  • The $87 processing fee can be made by debit/credit cards or student charge.
  • Creating an eCERT account with OSPI or verifying you can log into your account will expedite any communication from WSP or FBI if new prints are needed.

Book your appointment online

Not Local to Ellensburg?

If you are not able to come to Ellensburg you may be able to get your fingerprints done elsewhere in Washington.

If you get your fingerprints taken anywhere other than by the Teacher Certification Program you will need to email teachercertification@cwu.edu for us to look for your records in OSPI and update your status.

  • I work at a daycare do those count?

    No. DCYF and OSPI do not share records and more than likely you will need to have them redone for OSPI

    1. Complete DCYF Background Check Request form
    2. You will be mailed 2 copies in sealed envelopes
    3. Mail a sealed copy to OSPI to:

    OSPI
    Attn: Fingerprint Records Office
    Old capitol Building
    PO BOX 47200
    Olympia, WA 98501-7200

  • Mailing fingerprint cards to OSPI

    If you are completing this task with a law enforcement agency or other private company that handed you paper cards, plan for the process to take six weeks from the time you request a card to OSPI processing your submission.

    • Each CWU campus offering education programs has prefilled out cards in the main office to save you time.
      • If you are not nearby one of those centers you can request a fingerprint card from oppfp@k12.wa.us to be mailed to you.
    • Bring the card to a private agency or law enforment agency where you will be printed.
    • Mail the completed card and $50.00 (check, money order or cashier's check) made payable to OSPI to:

    OSPI
    Attn: Fiscal Office
    PO BOX 47200
    Olympia, WA 98504-7200

  • Additional Information

    Non-traditional candidates and/or candidates who have had specific past careers/hobbies may experience difficulty with fingerprint clearance. You may be asked to return to have your fingers scanned one or more times if the CWU Certification Office is unable to process your prints the first time. Please allow enough time for clearance should this be the case.

    Disagree with results?

    If you believe the results of your background check from the FBI are not complete or are wrong, you have an opportunity to complete or challenge the accuracy of the information by sending a written challenge request to the FBI's Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division to the following address:

    FBI CJIS Division
    Attn: Correspondence Group
    1000 Custer Hollow Road
    Clarksburg, WV 26306

    Your written request to the FBI should clearly identify the information that you feel is inaccurate or incomplete and should include copies of any available proof or documents that support your claim. The correspondence group will contact appropriate agencies to try to verify or correct challenged entries for you. When the FBI receives official communication from the agency with jurisdiction over the matter, the FBI will make appropriate changes and notify you of the outcome. (This process is described in 28 C.F.R.)

  • Request a physical copy of background check

    When you submit fingerprints to OSPI, no news is good news. There is no way for you to check your own clearance date or status. 

    You may complete the OSPI Request Form and submit it to OSPI to have a hard copy of your background check.

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Questions? Contact Us.

Teacher Certification Program

Black Hall 208-9