Massachusetts law now requires fingerprint-based criminal history record checks for most individuals involved with Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) licensed, approved, or funded programs. EEC, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (ESE) and the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS) have partnered with MorphoTrust USA to implement the Statewide Applicant Fingerprint Identification Services (SAFIS) Program and are working to provideconvenient applicant fingerprinting enrollment centers throughout the Commonwealth ofMassachusetts. NOTE: This Registration Guide is intended to provide guidance to individuals who are licensed or employed by EEC, or seek licensing or employment with an EEC-licensed family, small or large group/school-age child care provider, residential care program or adoption/foster care placement agency, as well as in-home non-relativecaregivers, adoptive or foster parents and their household members, and individuals who provide transportation services on behalf of any EEC-licensed or funded program. If you work for a Pre-K program run by a public or private K-12 school, please consult the ESE registration instructions for Pre-K-12th Grade Education entities.

Overview of the Fingerprinting Process

The following is an overview of the SAFIS fingerprinting process:

• An applicant/employee registers for a fingerprinting appointment via either the MorphoTrust USA IdentoGo™ registration website or the MorphoTrust Massachusetts Customer Service (telephone) Center at (866) 349-8130;
• Provide your Whitman-Hanson Regional School District and ESE Organization Code: 07800000
• An applicant/employee goes to a MorphoTrust USA IdentoGo™ enrollmentcenter on the date and time selected by him/her and has his/her fingerprints taken;
• Individuals will pay a fee to comply with this requirement of $35.00 for non-licensed employees and $55.00 for DESE Licensed Professionals (including those with pending applications/licenses).
• You will be provided with a fingerprint receipt. A copy of this receipt should be returned to Jennifer Kroese in the Office of the Superintendent as a confirmation that the fingerprints were captured.
• The applicant's/employee's fingerprints are sent electronically to the Massachusetts State Police (MSP) for a statewide criminal history record check and to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for a nationwide criminal record check;
• The results of both the State and National fingerprint-based criminal history record checks are returned to the MSP; and
• The State and National fingerprint-based criminal history record check results are returned to EEC for review. EEC will then determine if the applicant/employee is suitable or not suitable for the position sought.

For more information please visit:

http://www.mass.gov/edu/government/news/2013newsupdates/frequently-asked-questions-regarding-background-checks.html

or
http://www.malegislature.gov/Laws/SessionLaws/Acts/2013/Chapter77.

If you have any further questions, please contact Jennifer Kroese, Admnistrative Assistant to the Superintendent of Schools at 781-618-7412 or by email at [email protected]