These instructions are intended for most paid contractors

Cab Companies, Teacher Candidates, Interns, and Volunteers have different steps. Please refer to the appropriate tab for those instructions.

Contractors with a current badge who need to renew their background check may qualify to do so without being fingerprinted again, for a lower fee. Please see rules, restrictions and fees on the contractor renewal tab.

Step 1: Submit PPS fees and forms 

• First, pay the $92.00 fee. This covers PPS and ODE background check costs; Checkout
  • You will need the transaction number, payment date and name on credit card for the application.
• Next, complete the online application.
  • Only submit an application once.
  • An auto response email will be generated after submitting. If you do not get this email, contact backgroundcheck@pps.net. Do not submit a second time without checking with PPS.
  • If you have additional information to submit please email backgroundcheck@pps.net,. PPS will add the information for you.
  • The portal allows you to upload a photo to be used on your badge. This must be a passport-like photo. See the photo instructions tab for more information on what is allowed.
  • If you upload a photo you must also upload a photo of your driver's license or ID.
  • By uploading the photo and ID, you will be able to request your badge be printed for pickup without needed a badging appointment.
•  PPS SECURE SUBMISSION PORTAL
• Incomplete forms may be rejected. Please confirm all applicant fields have been filled in. Call 503-916-3000 or email backgroundcheck@pps.net with questions.
• Please give complete addresses when you are able. At minimum, you must enter the city, state and zip code of where you have resided in the last 10 years.

Step 2: Get Fingerprinted

After reviewing the application we will send an email with follow up questions or we will send you an email with a special Fieldprint code and instructions on how to schedule a fingerprint appointment at any Fieldprint site. Do not schedule a fingerprint appointment without our authorization.

• Applicants are expected to complete the fingerprint appointment within 10 days of receiving the code.
• Fieldprint charges a $12.50 fee when signing up. This is separate from the PPS charge.
• Do not schedule a fingerprint appointment if you are volunteering. Your fingerprint application will be voided, and all fees will be forfeited.

Step 3 Badges

Badges are required to be visibly worn at all times while on PPS property. Contractor badges have expiration dates. Contractors wearing an expired badge can be asked to leave the property and the badge will be confiscated. 

When the PPS prelim background check has been completed, you will receive a clearance decision email from PPS. Contractor background checks are not considered complete until the badge is issued.

Options for how to get your badge will be offered in the email. 

• Will call: If we already have a photo from a previous badge or a headshot was uploaded in the application, the quickest way to get the badge will be the request for badge google form offered in the email. Badges will be ready within 2 business days.
  • If fingerprints are required you must have attended your Fieldprint appointment before requesting the badge.
  • Pickup location: 501 N Dixon Street, Portland
  • Will call hours Summer M-F 9:30am to 3:30pm
• Photo and badge scheduled appointment
  • If fingerprints are required, that step must be completed first. 
  • No drop in photo appointments. 
  • Appointments are limited and may fill up quickly.
  • Appointment location is 501 N Dixon Street, Portland

Access badges are not standard for contractors. Requests for an access badge must be initiated by a PPS department manager and there are fees associated with an access card.

Contractors

Please check your badge for your expiration date.

 IF YOUR BADGE IS EXPIRED, YOU DO NOT QUALIFY FOR THE RENEWAL PROGRAM.  (* see 3b for exception)

PPS will now allow long-term contractors to renew their badges without a full fingerprint-based background check, for a lower fee, under very specific rules. 

1. The company/organization must have an active current contract for services with Portland Public Schools.
    
2. The contractor must not have lived outside of Oregon since their most recent ODE fingerprint-based background check.
    
   1. Applicants who live in Washington or a different state when they applied and got fingerprinted do not qualify for the fingerprint waiver when renewing.
       
      1. Continuous residency is an Oregon Department of Education rule, not a PPS rule and cannot be waived.
          
3. The applicant must still have a current PPS badge when applying for the renewal.
    
   1. An applicant cannot request to renew their background check more than 90 days prior to the current expiration date.
       
   2. PPS will allow a 15-day grace period from the current expiration date to the new application being submitted.
       
4. If an applicant is moving from a PPS employee to a contractor, they may qualify for the renewal process. Please reach out backgroundcheck@pps.net to inquire.
    
5. If an applicant used a TSPC license when they originally applied, their license must be up-to-date when they renew their background check or an ODE-based fingerprint clearance will be required at the higher fee.
    
   1. Not all TSPC clearances qualify to be used in place of new fingerprints. Please reach out to backgroundcheck@pps.net to see if your license will be accepted.
       
6. Applicants may request to use their previous photo and have the card ready for pick-up instead of scheduling a new photo/badge appointment.
    
7. When an applicant who has previously been authorized to have an access card renews their background check, the fee will also cover the cost of a new access card. (no separate second payment will be required)
    
8. PPS reserves the right to require a new fingerprint-based background check for a renewal if an investigation is inconclusive or Security Services staff have any reason to believe a new one is needed.

PPS is now offering an online secure submission portal in place of sending form through email. To use this option please

Pay the renewal fee and then click on the submission button below.  

$30 Renewal Fee- please confirm you qualify for this type of background check

PPS SECURE SUBMISSION PORTAL

Cab Company Recertifications

Type 10 drivers must renew their badge with us every 3 years along with getting recertified with student transportation services. Please follow all driver recertification directions prior to renewing you badge. Cab company badges will still be sent to transportation.

Interns and student teachers

Intern badges are issued for only 1 school year. If you do not complete your placement requirements before your badge expires, you may contact backgroundcheck@pps.net to ascertain if you will need to complete a new background check or if we can extend your current clearance. 

New contractors who have recently gotten an ODE background check, or have a qualifying Oregon TSPC license  may be eligible to skip the fingerprint based background check part of our process. See requirements below, or contact backgroundcheck@pps.net for more information.
Contractors will still be required to submit an application to PPS and undergo the PPS internal background check in order to get a contractor badge. Please read through and follow the directions below.

STEP 1

• Pay the fee associated with your background check type. (follow link below) 
  • PPS background check without fingerprinting fee.
• Note the Order # or Transaction # on the receipt- you will need this for the application.

STEP 2

• Enter your information into the PPS online application. (click link below)
  • PPS Online Application
• In the comment section of the application, please state that you have been fingerprinted previously or that you have a TSPC license. 

STEP 3

• Expect an automated response that your application has been successfully submitted.
• Wait for a response from a member of the PPS background team, confirming your application has been accepted or noting what additional information is needed. 

STEP 4

• PPS background check staff will contact you by email, with their clearance decision. If you are cleared to proceed the email will have a link to the photo and badge scheduling app. 

 Requirements 

• ODE fingerprint based background check from a different Oregon school district
  • ODE clearance cannot be more than 18 months old.
  • Applicant must have resided continuously in Oregon since that ODE clearance
  • The clearance cannot be a Central Background Registry (CBR) clearance
  • Please contact Securityservices@pps.net to check if you qualify to waive this step and pay the lower fee. 
  • Your contractor badge’s expiration date will be 3 years from the previous ODE clearance date.
• TSPC licenses that can be used in place of an ODE fingerprint based background check:
  • Must be Active for at least a year from the current date
  • Must be a full teaching license 
  • Cannot be an emergency substitute, or student teacher credential.

Teacher candidates must have first been placed through the Educator Pathways Program.  Once accepted into the program please follow the instructions and deadlines sent by them. 

Check with your school's placement office if you are not sure if you have been issued a placement at a PPS school or are not sure of your next step.

• 1. Step 1 Prior to submitting a background request to Security Services:

     1. Ensure you have been placed with a cooperating teacher.
     2.  Verify you have cleared your fingerprint based background check with TSPC.

     ---

     Step 2 PPS background check

     • Submit a background check through the  PPS SECURE SUBMISSION PORTAL
       • Follow all directions. Completely fill out the form. We require 10 years of address history (city, state and zip code). 
     • State that you are in the teacher candidate program and which PPS school you are assigned to.
     • You will receive a confirmation email once we have accepted your application. That email will give an estimated completion timeframe for the background check. 

     ---

     Step 3 Photo and badge pick up

     Unscheduled visits are not allowed

     • You will receive an additional confirmation email once we clear your background, confirming you have cleared, and can proceed to this final step. 
     • Included in the email will be a link to a scheduling page for photos and badge pick up at the PPS administration building. 
     • The full background application process can take 2-3 weeks to complete. Please be cognizant of this timeline when planning for the start of your placement.   

Speech Language Pathology Interns. (SLP)

Because of an odd discord in the state's rules on fingerprinting and the district's admin directives concerning our badging process, we cannot run a full background check on SLP interns, or issue an ID badge for you.

SLP Interns do not qualify for a fingerprint based background check through ODE or TSPC and PPS cannot issue a badge without one of those.

The only option available for SLP interns is our volunteer background check process. Being cleared as a volunteer still qualifies you to work one on one with students and will be accepted by the school in lieu of a badge. Once cleared in the volunteer database, you will use the school's sign in kiosk to print a badge each day. Should school staff have any questions, please direct them to this site to help explain why you were not issued an ID badge with us.

VOLUNTEER APPLICATION

• Administrative Directive 5.10.141-AD Employee Contractor and Volunteer Criminal History Verification

• Disqualifying Convictions List

• The Fair Consumer Reporting Act  Know your rights. 
• PPS uses court records services that also offer access to credit reports. PPS will never run a credit report as part of a background check, but we are required to post this notice.
•  

  $92 Fingerprint & Background check fee

  $30 Renewal Fee- please confirm you qualify for this type of background check

  
  
   

Volunteers do not complete these forms. Please see our  volunteer page for further additional information.

Volunteer background checks can take up to 4 weeks during peak times of the school year. Only the school office or classroom teacher can request a rush for a background check.