Most of our partner school districts require background checks of teacher candidates BEFORE they can begin their field experience, and ALL districts require background checks for student teachers. Some forms are listed below.

If you do not see your school district listed or have specific questions regarding background checks, you should reach out to the district office ASAP.

• Bemidji ISD 31 Background Check Form
  • Complete the form as a PDF form ONLY and email to to Jody DeVries (jody_devries@isd31.net).
  • When completing the form,
    • You must list your current BEMIDJI address on the form (even if it is not your permanent address)
    • You must list your past seven years of addresses on the form
    • You must sign the form with a signature (either electronic or wet) (DO NOT PRINT YOUR SIGNATURE)
• Bagley ISD 162 Background Check: Email Nichole Ekre and ask for instructions: nekre@bagley.k12.mn.us
• Blackduck ISD 32 Background Check Form
• Cass Lake-Bena ISD 115 Background Check Process:
  • Contact Lori Bannor at lbannor@isd115.net. She will provide a link to their background check website.
  • Cass Lake-Bena ISD 115 Drug Screen Form – Give to Sandford Health
    • Drug Test: call Bemidji Occupational Medicine Clinic at 218-333-4735 for information
    • Let the clinic know the screening is for Cass Lake-Bena school so that the school is billed and you are not.
• Clearbrook-Gonvick ISD 2311 Background Check Form
• Deer River ISD 317 Background Check Form
  • Email completed background check to Ashley Evans (aevans@isd317.org). The background check costs $41.00 (cash or check made out to ISD 317 Deer River) and is due on your first day of field experience. You do not need to submit payment prior to submitting the background check.
• Heartland Personal Testimony, Heartland Statement of Faith, Heartland Background Check Form:
  • Complete these three forms and email to Principal Greg Ferrin (greg.ferrin@heartlandbemidji.org).
• Kelliher School District #36 does not require a background check for volunteers/ BSU students.
• Laporte ISD 306 Background Check Form and Instructions
• Mahnomen ISD 432 Background Check
• Northome ISD 363 (South Koochiching-Rainy River) Background Check Form AND Background Check Cover Letter
  • Requires a $15 check or money order made out to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
• Red Lake and Ponemah ISD 38 Background Check Form
  • Email the completed form to avanhorn@redlake.k12.mn.us, fax to 218-679-2321, or mail to Red lake Schools Human Resources, PO BOX 499 Red Lake, MN 56671
• St. Philips Safe Environment Certification
• St Mary’s Mission Background Check Instructions
• Schoolcraft ISD 4058 Background Check Form
• TrekNorth Background Check Form
• Voyageurs Expeditionary School Background Check Form
  • Complete the form and drop off the original copy at the Voyageurs school office. Complete this process ASAP – it will take roughly 2 weeks for the background check to be returned to the school.
• Walker-Hackensack-Akeley Elementary School (Pre-K-5th Grade)
  • Email Principal Jill McGowen at jillmcgowan@whaschools.org. She will provide a link to their background check website. If you have a placement at both the elementary and secondary levels of WHA schools, only one background check is needed.
• Walker-Hackensack-Akeley High School (6th-12th Grade)
  • Email Principal Tom Cooper at Tomcooper@whaschools.org. He will provide a link to their background check website. If you have a placement at both the elementary and secondary levels of WHA schools, only one background check is needed.

Notify the Office of Teacher Education immediately if you are ineligible to complete you hours at a certain school due to an issue with your background check. You will be scheduled to discuss you situation with the Director of Clinical Experiences. You are not required to disclose your background check report to anyone. However, you may need to share certain information with the Director of Clinical Experiences to identify an alternative solution for placement.

Important to Note

• The State of Minnesota allows every school/district to require a background check of anyone entering the school or the school grounds.
• Every school district decides what type of background check and/or drug screening it requires.
• Every district may set its own eligibility parameters.
• A Notary Public Signature and/or fee may be required to submit your background check authorization form.
• Every school district may determine to pass the expense of the check/screening on to the student or it may cover the cost of these checks/screenings.
• You may have to pay the fee with cash, check, or cashier’s check made out to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension or the district. Be aware!
• School districts may or may not accept background checks performed by other districts. Even if they do accept checks performed by other districts, a waiver must always be signed to have one district transfer a report to another district.
• A background check on file with a particular district is usually good for 12 months from the time it was executed. You may have to authorize another background check even if you have previously visited a certain district.