All substitutes guides

Background check and fingerprinting, start to finish

Essential
9 min

You have been asked for fingerprints and you are not sure what to book, or which district to choose.

A short video for this is in production

The written walkthrough below is complete and current — it is the same steps the video will show.

Short clips for this

These short clips are in production — the written steps below cover the same actions today.

Start your background check

Coming soon
By the end you can
  • Know the order of the steps and which one you are currently waiting on
  • Book the appointment under EverTeach as the contractor/vendor — not under a district
  • Know what to do when a result is delayed

Walkthrough

1
Open your background check status
Substitute dashboard → Background check

Shows which stage you are at and what is waiting on you rather than on someone else.

Take me there
2
Consent first

Nothing starts until you have signed the disclosure and authorization. This is a legal requirement, not a formality — read it before you sign it.

3
Book the in-person appointment

Fingerprinting is done in person by IdentoGO. When it asks for school information, choose Contractor/Vendor → Morris → EVERTEACH SOLUTIONS LLC. Do not pick a school district, and do not ask a district HR office for a code — the walkthrough shows every screen.

Take me there
4
Bring exactly what the confirmation asks for

Photo ID matching the name on your application, your appointment confirmation, and EverTeach's vendor code (27-7632) as shown in the walkthrough.

5
Upload your approval, then check the status screen

When the state approves you, upload the approval to your background check so EverTeach can verify it. Most clear in a few business days; some take longer for reasons that are nothing to do with you. Once approved, you do not repeat this for another NJ partner district.

Take me there
Worth knowing
  • Use the exact legal name on your ID everywhere. A middle initial mismatch is a common cause of a delayed result.
  • Keep the receipt and confirmation — they are your proof that you were printed under EverTeach's vendor code.
What goes wrong
  • Choosing a school district, or a district's code, at IdentoGO instead of EverTeach as the contractor/vendor. Your approval is then filed under that district and EverTeach cannot see it.
  • Getting fingerprinted again for each district. In New Jersey one print under EverTeach covers every partner district; if a district ever asks for its own, its card on Districts & clearance will say so.
  • Assuming no news is bad news. Most silent stretches are the vendor, not a problem with you.
Next: Why some jobs are not offered to you yet
Related
Fingerprinting walkthroughDistrict clearance
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