When it comes to education, you don’t take anything for granted. You’ve researched the schools. (If not, click here for help) You look for educational video games. (Need ideas? Click here.) But how well do you know their teachers?

How have they performed in the past? What are their backgrounds? Have they been checked?

I’m not trying to scare you. You’ll likely never have a problem. But it’s something that’s worth checking.

You could start with a simple Google search. Put quotes around the teachers’ names for specific results. But Google may not be the best tool. You’ll probably end up with too many results.

State resources

Teachers are certified by states. Arizona, for instance, requires fingerprinting and a background check. The FBI gets involved. Practically everyone in Arizona is from somewhere else. So, a national check is necessary.

The process may be different in your state. But you should understand how it works. Type your state’s name into your browser’s address bar. Then, add .gov.

Every state’s site is different. But navigate to the department of education section. There you’ll find details on teacher certification.