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Employment Requirements and Background Checks

The Howard County Public School System’s employment application process requires applicants to provide written references, a comprehensive work history, military history (as needed), certification/licensure status (when applicable), and educational credentials, which must be verified before employment.

The HCPSS also requires applicants to disclose and document criminal background information. Failure to disclose information is grounds for dismissal or consideration for hiring or immediate termination of employment.

The HCPSS completes a background check for all prospective employees, which includes searches of the National and State Sex Offender Registry and the Maryland Judiciary. As required by law, a background check new employees also are subject to a State and FBI fingerprint background check.

A Criminal Background Investigation Form (Family Law Article, 5-560 et. seq) is completed to account for the period of time between the initial employment application evaluation and the start of employment. Failure to disclose information is grounds for immediate termination of employment.

New employees are required to complete the Howard County Department of Social Services Release of Information Form for a child abuse/neglect background check. The form is submitted to the Howard County Department of Social Services. County and state results of the check are forwarded to the school system.

If at any point during the employment application process, information regarding a criminal record is disclosed, discovered or found to be inconsistent, the application evaluation process stops and the information is investigated.