Thousands of faculty and staff members in Colorado schools must undergo new background checks after gaps in personal records were discovered during a 2015 FBI audit.
Over the past 18 months, the state Department of Education has been sending out letters to school employees instructing them to submit new fingerprints to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, according to the Denver Post.
The fingerprints will be used to fill gaps in personal records within the state’s licensing database.
Roughly 3,000 people have received or will receive the letters, including administrators, principals, teachers and other staff members.
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Some of the employees’ files had no state background checks or federal background checks, although state officials say proper vetting was conducted at the time of their hiring.
“This is more record-keeping than anything,” Colorado Department of Education Director of Teacher Licensing Colleen O’Neil says.
The affected employees will not be able to renew their state licenses until they submit their new fingerprints. They are also encouraged to respond to the letter within three months.
Colorado teaching licenses can last up to seven years.
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