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LeadChange Group

Background Check Services

Best Background Check Services for Education

Schools, colleges and education programs hire staff who work with students, and many also screen volunteers, coaches and contractors. State law often sets its own requirements for school employees, so a provider's name-based searches and verifications usually sit next to the checks the state requires.

products that fit
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By LeadChange Research TeamUpdated Based on 7 sources, facts checked

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Top 2 by LeadChange Scoreof 8 that fit · 6 not scored yet · scored for education (reweighted)

  1. GoodHire7.0 out of 10, Medium confidence
  2. Accurate C&S Services6.7 out of 10, Medium confidence
  3. Backgrounds OnlineNot scored yet
  4. IntelifiNot scored yet
  5. Trusted EmployeesNot scored yet
  6. InfoMartNot scored yet
  7. Universal Background ScreeningNot scored yet
  8. ZincNot scored yet

See the full rankingMedium confidence

Background check services for education, ranked

Ranked by LeadChange Score from verified facts; products with too few verified facts are not scored yet and come last. Prices are list prices as published by each vendor.

Filter by verified facts

  1. GoodHire

    GoodHire is a Checkr-owned screening platform for employers of any size, with published per-check packages from $29.99 and FCRA-compliant consent and adverse action workflows. Pricing is public only below 50 checks per year, and third-party fees can be added.

    Pricing model
    Per check1
    GoodHire pricing

  2. Accurate C&S Services

    Accurate C&S Services (Accurate Screens) is an Oakland-based screening provider for background checks, drug and alcohol testing and occupational health. It lists SOC 2 Type II and PBSA accreditation, 70+ ATS and HRIS connectors, a REST API with webhooks and SAML single sign-on, and quotes prices through sales.

    Pricing model
    Quote only2
    SOC 2 Type II
    Yes3
    Accurate C&S Services pricing

  3. Backgrounds Online

    Backgrounds Online is a Sacramento screening provider with published packages from $29.95 to $99.95 per applicant, no monthly fee or minimum, free consent and adverse action forms, a yearly SOC 2 Type 2 audit and PBSA accreditation. It says most checks finish in three to five business days.

    Pricing model
    Per check4
    SOC 2 Type II
    Yes5
    Not scored yet16 of 27 facts verifiedWhat Backgrounds Online costs

  4. Intelifi

    Intelifi is a Beverly Hills screening provider serving all 50 states with criminal, verification, DMV and drug testing plus an integrated adverse action workflow. It publishes no pricing, so cost requires a quote.

    Pricing model
    Quote only6
    Not scored yet16 of 27 facts verifiedWhat Intelifi costs

  5. Trusted Employees

    Trusted Employees is a Minneapolis screening provider with published per-screening packages from $29.95 to $69.95 and published add-on prices, built-in consent and adverse action letters, and REST and SOAP APIs. Court, DMV and verification fees are passed through at cost.

    Pricing model
    Per check7
    Not scored yet15 of 27 facts verifiedTrusted Employees pricing
Show all 8 products
  1. InfoMartNot scored yet (14 of 27 facts verified)InfoMart plans and prices
  2. Universal Background ScreeningNot scored yet (14 of 27 facts verified)Universal Background Screening pricing
  3. ZincNot scored yet (13 of 27 facts verified)What Zinc costs

LeadChange Score: editorial assessment based on public information.

All background check services for employers, ranked

How the score works

What matters for education

  1. Sex offender registry searches

    Roles with minors usually warrant registry checks in every state the person lived in, because registries are kept state by state.

  2. Reference and employment verification

    Past employment and reference checks help assess fitness for a role with students.

  3. Documented policy and records

    Boards, insurers and state agencies expect a consistent, documented process, with records of who was checked, when and against which searches.

  4. Volunteer and contractor screening

    People beyond employees often have access to students, such as coaches, bus drivers and vendor staff, and should be screened to the same standard.

More tools for education

Find your fit

By industry

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By company size

Best background check companies for employers for enterprisesBest background check companies for employers for mid-sized companiesBest background check companies for employers for small businessBest background check companies for employers for startups

Frequently asked questions

What background checks are required in education?

It depends on the state and the role. Schools usually check criminal records and sex offender registries for anyone who works with students, and verify degrees, teaching licenses and past employment. Many states require their own checks for school employees, often fingerprint-based through the state, so confirm your state's rules; a screening provider covers the name-based searches and verifications around them.

Should education employers screen volunteers and contractors?

Yes, when they have regular access to students: volunteers, coaches, bus drivers and vendor staff. Screen them to the same standard as employees with the same access, keep the policy written down, and check which groups your state requires to be screened.

Is an education background check the same as education verification?

No. Education verification confirms a candidate's degrees, dates of attendance and graduation with the school. Background checks in education, for schools and colleges, are broader: criminal and sex offender registry searches, identity, license and employment verification, plus any checks the state requires for school staff.

How long does a background check take in education?

Name-based searches and registry checks through a provider often finish in a few days, while state fingerprint checks follow the state agency's own timeline. Plan hiring around the slower step, and confirm whether your state allows a provisional start while results are pending.

How often should education employers rerun background checks?

It depends on state law and policy. Some states require periodic rechecks or enroll school employees in ongoing record notifications; others leave it to the district. Where you rescreen through a provider, the employee's written permission must cover checks made after hire.

What are the best background check services for education?

On the LeadChange Score weighted for education, the highest-scoring of the 2 products with a published score are GoodHire (7.0/10) and Accurate C&S Services (6.7).

Which background check services for education have SOC 2 Type II?

Accurate C&S Services, Backgrounds Online, and Zinc state SOC 2 Type II compliance; Zinc also holds ISO 27001. That is 3 of the 8 products for education.

Which background check services for education integrate with Bullhorn?

Bullhorn, listed by 3 of the 8 background check services for education: Accurate C&S Services, InfoMart, and Intelifi.

Which background check services for education are built for enterprises?

Accurate C&S Services, Backgrounds Online, GoodHire, InfoMart, Trusted Employees, Universal Background Screening, and Zinc list enterprises among the company sizes they serve.

Which background check services for education support single sign-on?

Accurate C&S Services and Zinc document single sign-on; 6 of the 8 products for education do not.

How we research

This ranking of background check services for education reweights the LeadChange Score: capability coverage 35%, pricing transparency & value 15%, integrations & API 10%, security & compliance 15%, fit & support 15%, and data confidence 10%. Only products with a verified fact showing they serve this segment are listed.

How this page was made

  • What it is built from

    21 verified facts, each checked against the vendor's own pages or another primary source, most recently on Oct 24, 2026.

  • Method

    Scored and compared with the LeadChange methodology, version 1.3. Read the methodology

  • Independent review

    Not reviewed yet by our independent reviewer. How we review

  • Hands-on testing

    We have not tested these products hands-on: this page uses public information only.

  • Who made it

    The LeadChange Research Team, following a written research process. No named expert has reviewed this page. About us

  • Independence and errors

    Who pays us never changes a score or a rank. If something here is wrong, tell us and we correct it publicly. Request a correction

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Sources

The 7 pages this page's facts come from, with the day we last checked each one. The numbers beside the figures above link here.

Quotes from the sources
  1. GoodHire goodhire.com/pricing“Background Check Pricing Varies By Annual Volumes”
  2. Accurate Screens accuratescreens.com/contact“Talk to our team about pricing, demos, and getting started.”
  3. Accurate Screens accuratescreens.com/compliance“Annual independent audit of security, availability, and confidentiality controls.”
  4. Backgrounds Online backgroundsonline.com/faqs/getting-started“Our packages range from $29.95 up to $99.95 per applicant.”
  5. Backgrounds Online backgroundsonline.com/soc2-report“We voluntarily undergo a type 2 SOC 2 audit each year to demonstrate our deep commitment to maintain strong security controls”
  6. Intelifi intelifi.com/support“GET A QUOTE”
  7. Trusted Employees trustedemployees.com/pricing-packages“Starting at 29 .95 Per 1 screening”

What the LeadChange Score means

A 0–10 editorial assessment built only from verified facts, across six weighted dimensions: capabilities, pricing, integrations, security, fit and support, and data confidence.

Payments, commissions and lead fees are never inputs.