Sometimes, yes. A criminal record doesn’t automatically keep someone out of teaching. What matters is the offense, how long ago it happened, the role and the state where you want to teach. Offenses against children and sexual offenses are the clearest barriers, and many states treat them as permanent. An older, minor misdemeanor often isn’t a barrier at all.
Two reviews usually happen: the state checks your record for a teaching license, and the district runs its own background check before you start. Offenses against children and sexual offenses rule people out in many states. Most other records are weighed case by case, looking at the offense, the time since and what you’ve done since. Answer applications honestly, and read your state’s rules before you invest in a teaching program.
This guide is for people who want to teach and have a record, and for the district HR teams who review their applications. For how districts run checks on teachers and staff, see school background checks.
Can you be a teacher with a felony?
Sometimes. A felony conviction makes the path harder, but it doesn’t close it in every state or for every offense. Licensing agencies usually sort felonies into two groups.
- Disqualifying offenses. Felonies involving children, sexual offenses and serious violent crimes bar a teaching license in many states, often for life. Some states add certain drug distribution offenses to the list.
- Offenses reviewed case by case. For other felonies, the licensing agency weighs the facts: what the offense was, how long ago it happened, whether the sentence is complete and what the person has done since.
Some states let you ask before you commit to a teaching program. Texas, for example, offers a preliminary criminal history evaluation that tells people whether their record could make them ineligible for certification. In California, the Commission on Teacher Credentialing reviews criminal history and other conduct through its licensure enforcement process.
Your state’s rules decide more than any national guideline, so look them up with your state education agency before you start a preparation program.
Can you be a teacher with a misdemeanor?
Often, yes. Plenty of teachers have an old misdemeanor on their record, and most states don’t treat a minor one as disqualifying on its own. The offense matters more than the label.
| Misdemeanor | How it’s usually viewed |
|---|---|
| An older, minor offense, such as disorderly conduct | Often not a barrier when it has nothing to do with children, especially with time and a clean record since |
| Impaired driving (DUI or DWI) | Weighed more heavily when it’s recent or repeated, and for any role that involves driving students |
| Offenses involving violence, including domestic violence | A closer review; some states treat certain ones as disqualifying |
| Offenses involving children or sexual misconduct | Disqualifying in many states, even as a misdemeanor |
How far back does a school background check go?
It depends on which check you mean. Most teachers go through more than one.
| Check | Who runs it | How far back |
|---|---|---|
| State licensing review | The state education agency, using state and FBI criminal history records | No seven-year limit, so older records can appear |
| District pre-employment check | The school district, usually through a background check company | Convictions can be reported no matter how old; arrests without a conviction generally drop off after seven years; some states set shorter limits |
| Sex offender registry search | The district or its screening provider | Current registrations, in any state |
The seven-year limit comes from the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. 1681c). It limits what background check companies can report about arrests that didn’t lead to a conviction and other older records. It doesn’t apply to convictions, and it has an exception for jobs that pay $75,000 a year or more. The full rules are in how far back a background check goes.
What do school background checks look at?
Most districts look at more than criminal history. A typical school check covers:
- Criminal history at the county, state and federal level
- Sex offender registries, including the National Sex Offender Public Website
- Teaching license history, including actions taken against a license in another state
- A state child abuse registry, in states that offer one for school employees
- Employment and education verification
- A driving record for bus drivers, coaches and anyone else who drives students
Which checks are required depends on state law. What background checks schools legally need covers the requirements, and do felonies always show up on a background check explains why some records surface and others don’t.
What usually disqualifies someone from teaching?
There’s no single national list. These are the records that most often keep someone out of a classroom:
- Offenses against children
- Sexual offenses, including registration as a sex offender
- Serious violent felonies
- A teaching license revoked or surrendered in another state
- Certain drug distribution offenses
- Dishonesty on the application itself
Some states set waiting periods instead of permanent bars, so an offense that disqualifies someone today may not in five or ten years. Others decide case by case.
Do sealed or expunged records show up?
Usually not on a report from a background check company, which generally can’t report records a court has sealed or expunged. State licensing agencies are different. Some can see sealed records, and some applications ask about them directly. Read the instructions on your state’s application, and talk to an attorney about how to answer.
What should you do if you have a record and want to teach?
Read your state’s rules
Start with your state education agency’s page on certification and criminal history. Note which offenses disqualify and whether there’s a waiting period.
See your own record
Get your state record, or order a personal background check to see what a report could show. Fix errors before you apply.
Ask for an early review if your state offers one
A preliminary review, like the one Texas offers, tells you where you stand before you spend time and tuition on a program.
Gather your documents
Collect court records that show how each case ended, proof that you completed your sentence and letters from employers or mentors who know your work since.
Answer every question honestly
Disclose what the application asks for, in plain language. An undisclosed record often causes more trouble than the record itself. More in navigating background checks with a criminal record.
Ask about sealing or expungement
If your state allows it, an attorney can tell you whether your record qualifies.
The EEOC and FTC explain your rights during a background check in Background Checks: What Job Applicants and Employees Should Know.
How should districts review applicants with records?
District HR teams see these questions from the other side. A consistent process protects students and treats applicants fairly.
- Apply your state’s mandatory disqualifiers first. Those decisions aren’t discretionary.
- For everything else, look at the nature of the offense, the time since the offense or the end of the sentence, and the nature of the job, the factors in the EEOC’s guidance on arrest and conviction records.
- Screen everyone in the same role the same way: teachers, substitutes, coaches, bus drivers, custodial staff and the volunteers who work with students.
- When you use a background check company, follow the FCRA steps: a stand-alone disclosure, written authorization, and a pre-adverse action notice with a copy of the report before you decide. Background Checks: What Employers Need to Know, from the EEOC and FTC, walks through them, and adverse action in background screening covers the notices.
- Treat an arrest as an accusation, not a conviction. See arrests vs. convictions.
- Plan for rescreening. A check shows one moment in time, so many districts rescreen on a schedule or add continuous monitoring.
Volunteers who work with students need screening too. SecureVolunteer collects each volunteer’s consent online, runs the checks and tracks each clearance and its renewal date.
How does Bchex help schools?
Bchex screens teachers, substitutes, coaches and support staff for school districts in many states, and serves 2,000+ organizations in all. About 85% of eligible searches come back within 24 hours. New hires complete their part online from one link, and renewal dates are tracked so rescreening happens on time. See how school background checks work with Bchex.
Frequently asked questions
Can you be a teacher with a felony?+Screen school staff with Bchex
Background checks for teachers and school staff, with about 85% of eligible searches back within 24 hours.