Providing a safe and welcoming learning environment is essential to student success. An important step to providing this environment begins with the adults in our schools. Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) conducts multipoint background checks on employees to ensure that they are qualified, ethical, responsible, and meet high expectations for professionalism prior to being hired or interacting with students.
Below are the key elements in MCPSâ vetting process for new employees:
In addition, all certified educatorâs credentials are checked against the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) Clearinghouse, a national collection point for professional educator discipline. This screening helps to ensure that an educatorâs credentials have not been suspended or revoked.
Substitute teachers receive the same vetting process and are required to complete the same training on the key student safety issues as other MCPS employees, including prevention, recognition, and reporting of child abuse and neglect.
In compliance with new amendments to Maryland law and Board of Education policy, contractors working in an MCPS facility where they could have direct, unsupervised, and uncontrolled access to students must undergo a  a criminal background check, which includes fingerprinting and mandatory training on the prevention, recognition and reporting of child abuse and neglect. Learn more about contractor background check procedures here: www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/procurement/Contractors.aspx
MCPS values the volunteers who work in our schools to enrich our studentsâ experiences. As a community, we are mindful of our shared responsibility to create safe, nurturing environments for our students. As part of this responsibility, the following categories of volunteers are required to complete fingerprinting and background checks:
Learn more about volunteer background checks here: www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/childabuseandneglect/CAN%20Volunteer%20FAQs%20010518.pdf
Volunteers are also required to complete training on preventing, recognizing and reporting child abuse and neglect. Learn more about this training here: www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/childabuseandneglect/#VolunteerÂ
In addition to the screening process for all employees, MCPS bus operators are subject to federal requirements for pre-employment, random, reasonable suspicion ; and post-accident alcohol and other drug testing. The testing programs apply to all employees who hold commercial driverâs licenses, and who operate commercial vehicles for MCPS, even if they drive such vehicles only infrequently.
MCPS believes that student teachers/interns make a direct, positive contribution to education and, and the system is dedicated to contributing excellence to future educators by offering quality teaching experiences. As part of this experience, student teachers/interns undergo a background check.
Learn more information about student teacher background checks here:
www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/personnel/studentteaching/