Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education Candidate Guidebook:

Part 3. Other Information Important to a Candidate’s Success

If a candidate has an academic grievance, they should refer to the Process for Petitions, Appeals, Grievances, and Complaints section of the Walden University Student Handbook (under Section 3. Student Expectations and Responsibilities, Student Conduct and Responsibilities, and Code of Conduct) for specific directions.

Background checks are investigations into one or more of the following: employment history, criminal records, driving records, education records, drug test results, and sex offender lists. Prospective employers usually will require these types of checks before hiring an applicant to work with children.

Why Should a Candidate Know About Background Checks?

Candidates are choosing to enter a profession – teaching – that has many regulations governing the people who come into contact with children. Depending upon the state, district, school, site, and/or childcare facility, different background checks are required, and they may be performed in different manners. Background checks are primarily required of people who are to become employees; however, sometimes background checks are required of any person who will encounter children, including volunteers or those who may be on-site for field experience or DT.

Thus, it is important for teacher candidates to know about background checks for three specific reasons:

1. Candidates will come into contact with children during required field experience through certain methods courses.
2. Candidates will come into contact with children during DT.
3. Candidates likely will seek employment as a teacher or other educator or on-site school personnel once they have obtained licensure.

Although the Riley College will not require candidates to obtain certain background checks, it is strongly recommended that candidates do so, because field experience and/or DT placement sites might require it. DT will take place in a public school. If a candidate does not complete a required background check, the OFE may not be able to secure a placement.

Which Background Checks Are Most Important for Candidate Awareness?

The most commonly required background checks are criminal history (including for use of illegal substances and alcohol) and checks of sex offender lists. However, again, the specific requirements vary from state to state and even district to district and childcare facility to childcare facility.

What Should Candidates Know About Criminal Histories?

Any conviction, even one for which the candidate successfully has completed probation, is part of their criminal history. This includes convictions for drug and alcohol offenses and any misdemeanor offenses. Certain exceptions may apply, such as sealed records or records that have been expunged.

Criminal or Sex Offender History and Licensure in Minnesota

It is important to understand that teacher licensure in the state of Minnesota (or any state, for that matter) is partly dependent upon character, which includes, but is not limited to, criminal history and sex offender history. The state needs to feel absolutely sure that not only is a candidate qualified, but that they also have a good character to work with children.

When applying for a Minnesota teaching license, applicants are required by the Minnesota PELSB to submit fingerprints for a national criminal background check. Fingerprint cards can be requested by emailing PELSB staff at pelsb@state.mn.us or calling 651-539-4200 (option 1) and including your full name and current mailing address in your message. The subject line of the email should be “Fingerprint Card Request”. The completed fingerprint card must be submitted with the licensure application packet. This background check is for state use only.

Applicants also are required to complete a Conduct Review. This consists of questions regarding the nature and dates of arrests and convictions, as well as formal disciplinary measures.

If a candidate marks Yes to anything on the Conduct Review Statement, they may be denied a teaching license. Candidates should view the Minnesota PELSB website for more information.

Important Note: If, for any reason (whether intentionally or by accident), a candidate misrepresents their criminal history in the conduct review portion of the license application, certification will be revoked. Thus, when self-disclosing criminal history or sex offender history, candidates should mark Yes if they are unsure about marking Yes or No.

If a candidate does not mark Yes, the lack of disclosure—an apparent attempt to hide facts about their past—will reveal an untruthful part of their character that is even more troublesome to the state. This is true even if the crime hidden would not otherwise have kept the candidate from becoming Minnesota licensed teacher.

Recommendations for Candidates Regarding Criminal Background Checks

The Riley College of Education and Human Sciences highly recommends that all teacher candidates understand their own criminal and sex offender history; the following actions are also recommended:

1. So that there are no delays in being able to complete field experience, including DT, candidates should complete any background checks required by the placement site(s) immediately if the OFE advises that a background check(s) is necessary. DT will occur in a public school.
2. If a candidate is considering any employment that involves working with children, regardless of state or setting, they should complete a name-based and fingerprint-based criminal history check and complete a national sex offender registry check well in advance of when they anticipate applying for the license.

Because of the intensive and standards-focused course of study required in Walden University’s teacher preparation programs, the professional courses are nontransferrable. Each course in the BSEE program carefully builds on the learning and assignments that come before. In many ways, Walden offers a spiral curriculum: assignments and opportunities for reflection are revisited, added to, and developmentally enriched as candidates prepare increasingly complex and comprehensive materials for inclusion in their ePortfolios.

Teaching Experience

Field experiences and DT cannot be waived in full or in part, regardless of prior or current teaching experience. If a candidate currently is working as an aide or provisionally licensed teacher in a K–6 setting, they may list the current work setting on the Preferred Placement Form when the setting is deemed appropriate in age, grade, and content. Candidates should remember that they are expected to develop and refine their teaching skills through a variety of diverse field experiences at different age, grade, and content levels; therefore, they will not be able to complete all of their field experiences in the current work setting. In addition, experiences must span the scope of the license.

While conducting field experiences, Walden University teacher candidates are considered an invitee at their approved placement site, and time spent at the site must be focused on completing the field experience and program requirements. Therefore, teacher candidates are not allowed to bring their dependent child (children) or another family member to their placement site during field experiences or DT unless the dependent is an enrolled student at the placement site. If the dependent is an enrolled student at the placement site, the teacher candidate must complete all requirements in a classroom other than the one in which their dependent child is enrolled or in which another family member is present.

A student’s graduation date is also called the degree conferral date or the validation date. Candidates are eligible for validation or conferral of their degree at the end of the final academic term during which they complete all program requirements. As students approach the completion of their programs, they must submit an application for graduation to confirm their eligibility to graduate and to help ensure that their diploma will be accurate. Students must do so during their last quarter of classes. Students can find the application on their myWalden university portal under the Student Services tab. Additional information about the graduation process can be found in Section 6 of the Walden University Student Handbook on the Degree Audit, Completion, and Graduation page under Grading, or by contacting the Student Success Advising Team.

Student Wellness and Disability Services

Student Wellness and Disability Services is dedicated to providing barrier-free access to Walden’s educational services. Walden will work with teacher candidates to provide personalized support services and accommodations for disabilities. If assistance is needed, teacher candidates should visit the Student Wellness and Disability Services website and contact Student Wellness and Disability Services as soon as possible in the program.

If a teacher candidate anticipates the need for disability-related accommodations during field experience, the candidate must contact Student Wellness and Disability Services (disability@mail.waldenu.edu) at least 2 weeks before matriculation into the program. Student Wellness and Disability Services staff will work with the candidate and the OFE to ensure field placement sites are prepared to accommodate the teacher candidate. Failure to officially request accommodations through Student Wellness and Disability Services in a timely manner will delay a candidate’s field placement.

Career Planning and Development

Career Planning and Development offers resources and advice to help candidates navigate their career paths. Taking a proactive approach to developing and managing a career is an important part of lifelong learning. Whether a candidate is looking to change jobs or enhance a current professional role, the center encourages goal setting, professional network building, and active stewardship of career progress from the very start of an academic program. For more information or to schedule a counseling appointment, teacher candidates should go to the  Career Planning and Development website.

In Walden’s Code of Conduct, the university maintains the following nondiscrimination and nonharassment policies.

Nondiscrimination

Walden University does not discriminate or tolerate discrimination by or against members of the university community on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, mental or physical disability, veteran status, marital status, or other protected characteristics in the admission to, access to, or treatment in employment in any of its programs or activities.

Nonharassment

Walden University is committed to maintaining an environment that is free of unwelcome and disrespectful conduct and communication and in which university members feel safe and comfortable. As such, it is a violation of this policy for any Walden employee, instructor, or student to engage in harassing conduct or communication directed toward another employee, instructor, student, or any other person affiliated with the university. Sexual harassment can include, but is not limited to, unwelcome sexual advances; requests for sexual favors; unwelcome physical contact; inappropriate emails; obscene or harassing phone calls or jokes; suggestive gestures, sounds, or stares; and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when: 

• Submission to such conduct is made, either explicitly or implicitly, a term or condition of a student’s academic progress;
• Submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as a basis for decisions affecting assessment of academic progress; or
• Such conduct, by instructors, staff, or students, including between students, has the purpose or effect of interfering with academic performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment.

Unwelcome conduct of this nature, directed at others and based on other protected characteristics, such as race, sexual orientation, gender, religion, age, and other characteristics as set forth in the university’s nondiscrimination policy, violates both the nonharassment policy and the nondiscrimination policy.

Student Safety/Title IX

Walden’s notice of nondiscrimination and procedures for student, faculty, and staff reporting of sexual misconduct, sexual discrimination, or other related reports may be found in the Walden University Student Handbook and by visiting Walden’s Student Safety/Title IX page.

If a student has been a victim of any form of sexual violence, harassment, or discrimination (or knows someone who has), whether at a Walden-sponsored event or at the field experience site, the first priority is the student’s own personal safety. After the student is safe, they should contact either the OFE (Educationfield@mail.waldenu.edu) or Walden’s Title IX coordinator. The Title IX coordinator is responsible for receiving and processing, in a timely manner, reports from students, faculty, staff, and administrators regarding rights and responsibilities concerning sexual misconduct in violation of Title IX. Any questions or complaints regarding Title IX may be referred to Walden’s Title IX coordinator or Title IX deputy coordinator or to the Office of Civil Rights.

Students, faculty, or staff members may report any incidents of sexual misconduct or discrimination in association with university activities to the following individuals who have been designated to handle these reports:

Title IX Coordinator (Lead)
Gina Dyson, Associate Dean, Office of Student Affairs 
100 S Washington Ave #1210, Minneapolis, MN 55401
Phone: 667-217-1974
Email: TitleIX@mail.waldenu.edu

Title IX Deputy Coordinator
Julie K. Ogren, Associate Director, Office of Student Affairs
100 S Washington Ave #1210, Minneapolis, MN 55401
Phone: 443-892-0376
Email: TitleIX@mail.waldenu.edu

Candidates have the right to feel safe and secure during their field experience placements throughout their program. Before a candidate starts a field experience placement, it is critical to learn about the safety procedures in the school in which they are placed. Candidates should talk to their host teacher, cooperating teacher, and/or principal to learn about the local policies and procedures implemented at the school, including lockdown drills, fire drills, and other emergency guidelines. Often these safety materials are available online.

If candidates ever feel their safety is at risk at their field experience placement site, they should follow the safety procedures established by the school and leave the situation immediately after appropriate checkout. They should also contact Walden University at 1-800-925-3368. Both the candidates and the field experience sites have the right to cancel the field experience at any time if there is a concern about safety and security.