Criminal Background Check Sources

The Department of Public Instruction is required by law to conduct background checks on all applicants for licensure each time they apply. In the process of doing background checks the DPI uses a variety of sources to gather relevant information.

Sources of information frequently used by the DPI for conducting background checks include:

• Crime Information Bureau (CIB) - Within the Wisconsin Department of Justice, the CIB functions as a central repository for criminal arrest and conviction records within Wisconsin. Only incidents that were submitted to the CIB accompanied by fingerprints are contained in the database.
• Consolidated Court Automation Programs (CCAP) - This website, also called the Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (WCCA), provides access to certain public records of the circuit courts of Wisconsin. The information displayed is an exact copy of the case information entered into the CCAP case management system by court staff in the counties where the case files are located. The court record summaries are all public records under Wisconsin open records law. Not all counties provide their court information to CCAP.
• FBI Fingerprint Check - Used to check the criminal history of certain applicants who have lived, worked or attended school outside of Wisconsin.
• NASDTEC Clearinghouse Database - A private national database containing information about misconduct by licensed educators in all fifty states.
• Wisconsin Sex Offender Registry - A data base that contains information about certain convicted sex offenders in Wisconsin.
• Conduct and Competency Form - Questionnaire that is included with all educator license application forms which requests information relevant to any criminal behavior or professional misconduct which resulted in discipline or termination. This document must be notarized before being submitted to the DPI.
• Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Registry - A national data base that contains information about certain convicted sex offenders from all fifty states.

Note: An applicant may have a juvenile record, but if that applicant does not reveal this information to the DPI at the time of application, it is likely that information will remain confidential. Juvenile records are not disclosed by the FBI, CIB or CCAP to the DPI.

For questions about this information, contact Courtney B. Spitz (608) 264-9339

Last updated on 7/8/2008 3:17:20 PM