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Background Checks & CORI

All school employees hired after 2013 who work in the schools and may have direct and unmonitored contact with school children are required to complete state and national background checks. It is a condition of employment that all newly hired employees and sub-contractors be CORI-checked and fingerprinted prior to the start of their assignment. All volunteers and chaperones in schools need to be CORI'd. Please see the details below. For more general information about background screenings, please visit: http://www.mass.gov/eopss/agencies/dcjis.

CORIs (Criminal Offender Record Information)

In compliance with Massachusetts Law requiring all schools to conduct Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) checks on current and prospective employees, volunteers, school transportation providers, and any others who may have direct and unmonitored contact with children, Dedham Public Schools require all new employees, volunteers, chaperones, student teachers and sub-contracted workers in the schools to complete a CORI Acknowledgement and CORI Form.

CORI Acknowledgement and Form

Please print and complete the CORI form and bring to your school office or Human Resources.  Please bring a photo ID along with your completed form

Criminal History Record Investigation (CHRI) / Fingerprinting

In 2013 Massachusetts became the 50th state in the country to pass a law requiring that ALL public school employees undergo a fingerprint-based national Criminal History Record Investigation (CHRI) check.  This one-time process involves submitting your fingerprints at a specially designated center.  The fingerprints will be sent to the FBI and a report will be sent to the Criminal Justice Information Service.  The final report will be sent to the Superintendent for review.

Fingerprinting Instructions

For more information on the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's regulations regarding Criminal History Checks for school employees, please click below.

DESE Background Checks Legislation

Request a Letter of Suitability

  • Current and former employees who need a Letter of Suitability should complete the following Google form.  If we have your original SAFIS report, we will send a Letter of Suitability within 5 school days to the specified employer. (Letters will take up to 7 business days in the summer.)

    REQUEST A LETTER OF SUITABILITY