CHANGE IN TEACHING HIRING PROCEDURE EFFECTIVE 5/1/09

Effective May 1, 2009, a new Minnesota law requires a school hiring authority to contact the Board of Teaching before hiring a new teacher to determine if disciplinary action has ever been taken against the applicant's Minnesota teaching license. The Board of Teaching has developed an online search system for those hiring teachers to investigate whether such disciplinary action has been taken. This online system is called the Teacher Discipline Inquiry System (TDIS).

Here's what those in charge of hiring at your school need to do:

1. Go to https://education.state.mn.us/MIDMS/login.jsf?AppId=TDIS to set up an online account. Call the Minnesota Department of Education's helpdesk at 651-582-8481 if you need technical assistance.

2. Make sure the applicant has completed, signed and dated the TDIS Search Verification and Release form before running the TDIS search. Click here to download the TDIS Search Verification and Release form.

3. Enter the applicant's teaching license file folder number where indicated on the TDIS search page to run the TDIS search. If you do not have the applicant's teaching license file folder number, there is a teaching license file folder number lookup on the TDIS search page.

4. Print the applicant's TDIS search results page. File those results in the applicant's file.

5. If disciplinary action was taken against your applicant's Minnesota teaching license and you are not sure whether that disciplinary action should prevent hiring, consult with the pastor or canonical administrator and the archdiocesan Chancellor for Civil Affairs to assist you in making a hiring decision. If the applicant failed to disclose any disciplinary action taken against his or her teaching license, such failure is a ground for denial of employment or dismissal.

6. If a person has or had a teaching license in a state other than Minnesota, please contact the PCYI office at pcyi@archspm.org or 651-290-1622 for assistance.