If you want a job in a local school district, expect some of them to dig a little deeper into your background.

Most school districts in Northwest Indiana use the Indiana State Police database to conduct a free, limited criminal background check on potential employees, which allows them to access Indiana records.

Last year, Merrillville, Crown Point and a few other districts implemented a policy that uses First Advantage Investigative Services to conduct a nationwide criminal background check. The system has the ability to check correctional systems, sex offender registries and an applicant's credit.

School districts in Porter County band together to do extensive criminal background checks.

Although an extensive search gives school districts the ability to check credit, they say they don't access credit reports because it isn't a factor in employment.

Jim Kurth, Merrillville schools personnel director, said the district went to this more in-depth search because "we found that some individuals had records that were not in the Indiana report" and the district does everything it can to protect its students.

Kurth said seven recent applicants did not get jobs in Merrillville as a result of the criminal background report.

When the Crown Point School Board approved its policy in April 2007, school officials said they got a number of applicants from outside Indiana and thorough background checks were critical.

While Hammond schools do an extensive background check for all prospective employees, human resources representative Eliza Vela said officials said they don't check credit. However, she said the treasurer and fiscal manager at each school building are bonded, and the bonding company runs credit checks on those individuals.

Monte Moffett, Duneland School Corp.'s assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, said every school district in Porter County works together and uses Danville, Ind.-based Safe Hiring Solutions, which does nationwide background checks.

A couple of years ago, Moffett said the districts, as part of the Porter County Study Council, talked about initiatives they could do together.

"For example, if someone applies at Duneland to substitute teach, they can sign up for Portage and Valparaiso as well," Moffett said. "We do the background check and we let the other districts know if the person is OK. If an applicant goes to Union Township first, Union Township will do the background check and let other districts know about the applicant."

Hammond, Griffith, Highland, Lake Central and Tri-Creek all do a limited background check. Highland Personnel Director Robert McDermott is co-chairman of the Lake County Safe School Commission along with Milan Damjanovic, security director for the Crown Point Community School Corp.

McDermott said legislation was proposed in the Indiana General Assembly last session to make extensive checks for employment in Indiana schools a requirement but it didn't pass. He said they've had some conversations with local legislators about the possibility of reintroducing the legislation next year.