Thursday, June 17, 2010

And so the long, tedious, expensive process begins...

As you all know, I graduated in May with an education degree. However, some of you may not know that I have not received my Missouri teaching license yet. This is because I first need to get fingerprinted and have a background check done. Ok, no big deal right? Well, first I had to make sure that I could get fingerprinted in Iowa after I got home from college. That was fine--no big deal. Ok, next step...making sure the Marion Police Department would fingerprint me. Again, fine, no big deal....except that they only fingerprint on Thursdays, and I called on a Monday. Ok, now I at least know that it can be done and when I can go. Oh, did I mention it is going to cost me over $50 for the Missouri fingerprinting/background check....and $10 to just get fingerprinted at the police department? And that's only the beginning....

Ok, so I have that part figured out, right? Well, not so much. I had read a couple of places that if a person needed blank fingerprint cards, they would send them to that person. Yet they fail to mention how a person knows if they need the cards. (Did I mention how confusing the government can be?) So, I was planning on going today, Thursday, to get fingerprinted, but I thought I should call and double check on the fingerprint card thing before I got there and felt stupid. It's a good thing I called because the police department does not provide blank fingerprint cards. Sigh....so I had to call and have blank fingerprint cards sent to me. And now I wait again.

So, I think I have all of that figured out. For now, anyway. The next step is to get certified in Iowa. Wow, who knew it could take me 6 months to finally figure out what I am supposed to do to be certified in Iowa?? (Did I mention how confusing the government is??) I started looking online, trying to find anything that would tell me what I am supposed to do. For a long time, the only helpful thing I found was an application for an Iowa teaching license. From what I could tell, it looked like I only needed to send that in. Wow, was I wrong. I was trying to find more information online and found a website that was saying I needed to get fingerprinted, have a background check done, take a class, take some tests, and pay lots of money! I was like, whoa!! Not cool! (Oh, I forgot to mention that at the beginning when I was having problems finding information I tried contacting someone....who, in turn, emailed me the application I had already found. Big help, right?) Anyway, I tried contacting someone again (this time a different person) and asked a whole bunch of questions on the class I needed to take, any tests I needed, if I had to get fingerprinted again, etc, etc. This lady was sooo much more helpful! She answered ALL of my questions this time....and it actually MADE SENSE. And....I found out I do need to take a class (ugh), but I don't need to take another test (yay!), but I do need to get fingerprinted again (yuck) and pay more money for the fingerprinting/background check (yuck, this time it's over $60).

Whew! What a process, right? The worst part, I think, (besides forking out a ton of money) is the waiting part. I feel like I have it figured out now, but I'm nowhere near being done with it all! I do feel better about it though. Those of you who know me well, know that I don't like not knowing what is going on. It has been hard over the past few months not knowing myself what I am supposed to do and also having to answer a whole bunch of questions with...."I don't really know yet." But I am glad I seem to have it figured out now! By the way, this is why I haven't posted anything recently because I did not know what to post!

Hopefully soon I can update you all with how the fingerprinting went!

2 comments:

Kristen said...

wow we can totally relate to the difficulties of figuring out the licensing requirements, etc!!!

I'm so glad you know what you need to do now! :) You're going to be a great teacher!

JK said...

I feel your pain friend. Take that times 3 months, and that is the Peace Corps medical process! (It took me a really long time to find somewhere around school to get fingerprinted at!) This is why people hate bureaucracy!But it really does make you thankful for the nice people along the way who go out of their way to help. Don't give up, and always remember why you're doing it! LOVE!