Teacher Licensing in CA and Livescan? (find a job, school districts, university)

[hconstan]

hello,

are there any teachers out there in the city data forum for CA?

what is the deal with Livescan? i tried to get one done yesterday, because i understood that i need to get it done for my license application (i just passed the CSET recently in my area of expertise.) well, they told me i can't get a Livescan without an employer's request. how can that be?don't i need a license to get a job interview - and many school districts won't interview me without a license - and i can't get a license without a Livescan, right? what am i missing here?

i am from Indiana originally, and background checks were cheap there - about $10 - and you didn't have to have an employer sign off on the check, either. you could have it done, whether there was a job lined up or not.

thanks for helping me understand this process,

- H

[psr13]

Maybe call the licensing people or something? I had one done, but I had an employer already. I do believe you need an employer's request for it. And they're exorbitantly expensive.

[slowbill]

You need to be sent by the school district that is going to hire you. In CA you need a California Teaching Credential also. Hopefully you will be hired, but realistically, schools are laying off people.

[mommyntheoc]

Many schools are hiring, don't listen to these grumpy people on here...ignorance is fairly common around here, just a heads up! :-)

You can apply to be a substitute teacher in a district and then they will give you the request for livescan, you take it to the local police station and they will do it for you. You do not need a teaching credential for subbing, however you DO need the 1 year unpaid experience credentialing for your own class.

You don't need a license to get an interview, you just need the ABILITY to get the licensing if you don't have it and have not been a teacher previously.

Hope that helps...go find a job, then they will request the livescan, then you have it done, then you work - but before any non-sub position, you need your CA credential (which requires courses and 1 yr working unpaid as a teacher's aide here in CA). This is why we don't have enough teachers, not since they changed the requirements.

You should also know it isn't about the kids here so much as passing the tests...they just want the scores to show high on the charts, not to actually teach the children (the schools that is, some teachers still have a heart to teach). Best of luck!

Originally Posted by hconstan

hello,

are there any teachers out there in the city data forum for CA?

what is the deal with Livescan? i tried to get one done yesterday, because i understood that i need to get it done for my license application (i just passed the CSET recently in my area of expertise.) well, they told me i can't get a Livescan without an employer's request. how can that be?don't i need a license to get a job interview - and many school districts won't interview me without a license - and i can't get a license without a Livescan, right? what am i missing here?

i am from Indiana originally, and background checks were cheap there - about $10 - and you didn't have to have an employer sign off on the check, either. you could have it done, whether there was a job lined up or not.

thanks for helping me understand this process,

- H

[amhealy]

I don't think you need an employer's request. I had one done myself and it cost me only $50.00. There is a place on the second floor of a building on the corner of 17th and Bristol where they do live scans.

[mommyntheoc]

Hmm mine required the employer request for the University of CA.