How Georgia School Districts Set Up Live Scan for Employee Screening
The Responsibility Behind Every Hire
Every person a school district hires (whether a first-grade teacher, a maintenance worker, or a substitute aide) will be in proximity to children. That's a responsibility Georgia takes seriously, and so should the screening process that supports it.
Georgia education background checks are mandatory for all K-12 employees and require compliance with both the Professional Standards Commission (PSC) and Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) regulations. The background check process includes fingerprinting and must be completed with an authorized provider. Certified educators must renew their background checks every five years, while non-certified staff also undergo relevant screenings.
For most districts, this means a steady, year-round volume of fingerprinting: new hires in the summer rush, substitutes throughout the year, volunteers, contractors, and renewal cycles that never really stop. The question isn't whether your district needs fingerprinting. The question is whether your current process is serving you well or slowing you down.
What Live Scan Fingerprinting Means for Schools
Live Scan is the electronic capture of fingerprints using a digital scanner instead of traditional ink-and-roll cards. Live Scan fingerprinting is the electronic Georgia Applicant Processing Service (GAPS), and fingerprints are scanned electronically rather than pressed onto paper cards and mailed. The prints are captured on a glass platen, converted to a digital format, and transmitted to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) and the FBI for processing.
IDEMIA is the contracted vendor to provide statewide fingerprinting for Georgia and has established a fingerprint processing service solution for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Many districts currently send applicants to external IdentoGO enrollment centers or local law enforcement agencies for fingerprinting. While this works, it introduces delays, scheduling conflicts, and a fragmented experience for new hires.
An in-house live scan system changes that equation entirely.
Why More Districts Are Bringing Fingerprinting In-House
School districts face unique challenges when it comes to employee screening. From teachers and administrators to support staff and volunteers, background checks are a critical part of creating a safe learning environment.
When your district relies on an external fingerprinting provider, you're asking applicants to schedule an appointment at a separate location, often days or weeks after their initial interview. In a competitive hiring environment (especially during the summer when every district is recruiting simultaneously), those delays can cost you qualified candidates.
Here's what bringing live scan fingerprinting in-house looks like in practice:
Faster Time-to-Hire
With an in-house system, an applicant can complete their fingerprinting during the same visit they fill out their employment paperwork. No waiting for an appointment at an external site. No mailing ink cards and hoping they arrive without smudges. Results, including the Georgia criminal history record, should be available for the agency to retrieve within 24 to 48 hours after the applicant is fingerprinted and the transaction submitted to GCIC for processing. That means your HR department can have actionable background check results in hand within days, not weeks.
A Better Experience for Applicants
First impressions matter, and the hiring process is one of them. When a prospective teacher or staff member walks into your district's HR office and can complete everything in one visit, it reflects a well-run organization. Compare that to handing someone a list of external fingerprinting locations and asking them to figure it out on their own. Gainesville City School System recently deployed an Eagle*Print Applicant Portable Live Scan solution to support its applicant screening process, improving the efficiency of background check procedures while providing a more professional experience for prospective employees.
Greater Control Over Your Process
When fingerprinting happens outside your building, you lose visibility. You don't know if the applicant has scheduled their appointment. You can't see if prints were rejected for quality issues. You're waiting on someone else's timeline. An in-house system puts your HR team in control of every step, from capture to submission to response tracking.
Understanding Georgia's Requirements
Before setting up a live scan system, it's important to understand the compliance landscape your district operates within.
Georgia's K-12 background check requirements involve a dual oversight structure. The Professional Standards Commission (PSC) and the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) jointly ensure all personnel working in the education sector meet strict screening standards.
For certified employees (teachers, administrators, counselors), the PSC manages the credentialing and background check process. For non-certified employees (custodians, cafeteria workers, bus drivers, paraprofessionals), the district is responsible for ensuring fingerprint-based background checks are completed.
Both paths require fingerprints submitted to the GBI's GCIC (Georgia Crime Information Center) for a state criminal history check, and to the FBI for a national criminal history check. As an applicant who is the subject of a Georgia and FBI national fingerprint/biometric-based criminal history check for a noncriminal justice purpose (such as an application for employment), you have certain rights. Applicants must be informed of their privacy rights, consent to the check, and present valid identification at the time of fingerprinting.
Your live scan system must be able to capture prints that meet GBI and FBI quality standards, format submissions according to EFTS (Electronic Fingerprint Transmission Specification) requirements, and transmit records through the proper channels. This is a place for accuracy and compliance as the foundation of the entire process.
What to Look for in a Live Scan System for Your District
Not every live scan system is built with school districts in mind. Here's what matters most when evaluating your options:
Georgia-Specific Configuration
Your system should come pre-configured for Georgia's submission requirements: correct ORI (Originating Agency Identifier) codes, proper EFTS formatting, and compatibility with the GBI's network. A system designed generically for a national audience will require more configuration, more troubleshooting, and more risk of rejected submissions.
Look for a provider that understands Georgia's specific operational and regulatory environment. That local knowledge matters when you need help navigating a GBI requirement or resolving a submission issue.
Self-Validating Data Fields
Data entry errors are one of the most common reasons fingerprint submissions are delayed or rejected. The best live scan systems won't allow a submission to go through until all required fields (name, date of birth, Social Security number, ORI, and submission reason) are properly completed. This kind of built-in validation acts as a safety net for your staff, catching mistakes before they become problems.
EaglePrint Live Scan, for example, uses self-validating fields that prevent submission until all required information is entered correctly. The save and submit function will not enable unless all required fields are completed. This is a simple safeguard that saves significant time and prevents rejected records.
Intuitive, Guided Workflows
Your HR coordinator is not a fingerprint technician by trade. They're managing onboarding, benefits enrollment, compliance documentation, and dozens of other tasks. Your live scan system needs to be intuitive enough that any trained staff member can operate it confidently. Look for a system that walks the operator through each step (demographics entry, fingerprint capture, image capture, and electronic submission) in a logical sequence that minimizes errors.
Portable and Desktop Options
Depending on your district's size and structure, you may need flexibility. A desktop system works well for a central HR office that processes all applicants in one location. But larger districts with multiple school sites, or districts that conduct hiring events at job fairs, may benefit from a portable live scan unit that can travel where it's needed.
EAS offers both desktop and portable applicant live scan solutions with the same core features, so your district can choose the setup that fits your operations or use both.
Response Tracking and Record Management
Once fingerprints are submitted, your system should allow you to track the status of each submission and receive responses from the GBI and FBI directly within the application. This includes identification responses, criminal history records, and any rejection notices. Being able to view all of this in one place (organized by applicant) keeps your records clean and your process auditable.
EaglePrint provides the ability to receive, review, print, and export all EFTS responses, including GBI and FBI identification responses and rap sheet data, all within the application. Response images can also be received and viewed directly in the system.
Real Districts, Real Results
Georgia school districts are already putting in-house live scan to work—and seeing the difference it makes.
Treutlen County Schools adopted live scan technology to bring fingerprinting directly into their administrative workflow, reducing delays and eliminating the need to send applicants to external locations. For a smaller, rural district where the nearest IdentoGO center may be a significant drive away, having the capability on-site is a practical necessity.
Elbert County Board of Education Police Department also implemented live scan to support both employee screening and its school police operations. Their setup demonstrates how a single system can serve dual purposes (applicant screening for HR and criminal identification for school-based law enforcement), maximizing the value of the investment.
These aren't stories about flashy technology deployments. They're examples of districts making practical, mission-driven decisions to protect their students and support their staff.
The Summer Hiring Crunch: Why Timing Matters
If your district is considering a live scan system, timing is worth thinking about. The heaviest fingerprinting volume for most Georgia school districts falls between May and August, when new hires for the upcoming school year are being onboarded. If you're still relying on external providers during that window, you're competing with every other district and agency in your area for appointment slots.
Having your own system means your HR team sets the schedule. You can process five applicants in a morning or handle walk-ins during onboarding events. You're not waiting on anyone else's calendar, and your new hires aren't starting the school year in limbo because a background check is still pending.
Setting Up Your System: What to Expect
Implementing a live scan system in a school district doesn't have to be complicated. Here's a general overview of what the process looks like:
Needs Assessment: Your technology partner should work with you to understand your district's volume, locations, and workflow. A district processing 50 applicants a year has different needs than one processing 500.
ORI and Agency Setup: Your district will need an active ORI code assigned by the GBI for applicant submissions. Your live scan provider should assist with this configuration.
Equipment Installation: Whether desktop or portable, the system is set up and connected to the appropriate state network for electronic submission.
Staff Training: Your HR staff or designated operators receive hands-on training on the system, from demographic data entry to fingerprint capture to submission and response review. The goal is confidence on day one.
Ongoing Support: Questions will come up. Print quality issues will arise. Submission requirements may change. Your technology partner should be available by phone with knowledgeable staff who can help resolve issues quickly.
Choosing a Partner, Not Just a Product
A live scan system is a long-term investment in your district's hiring infrastructure and, ultimately, in student safety. The vendor you choose should understand the unique environment of a Georgia school district: the compliance requirements, the seasonal hiring patterns, the staffing realities of an HR office that wears many hats.
Ask these questions when evaluating a partner:
Do they have experience with Georgia school districts specifically? Georgia's requirements are different from other states. A provider with local expertise will save you time and prevent costly missteps.
Is training thorough and practical? Your staff should feel confident operating the system before the first applicant walks through the door.
Is support responsive and human? When a submission fails during your busiest hiring week, you need a real person on the phone, someone who understands both the technology and the urgency.
Is the system designed for your workflow? The best system for a school district is one built around how school districts actually operate, not a generic product repurposed from another industry.
It Comes Down to the Mission
Every fingerprint your district captures is connected to a simple, serious question: Is this person safe to be around our students? The technology behind that process should be accurate, compliant, and reliable.
Setting up live scan fingerprinting for your school district is about taking full ownership of a process that directly affects the safety of your schools and the trust of your community.
That's a responsibility worth getting right.
Eagle Advantage Solutions provides live scan fingerprinting systems built specifically for Georgia's public safety, justice, and education agencies. If your school district is ready to bring fingerprinting in-house, our team is here to walk you through every step. Contact us at (800) 223-4773.
