Current through Rules and Regulations filed through March 20, 2024
(1)
Summary: State-approved
programs are professional education programs based on established state
standards and delivered as traditional or non-traditional routes to
certification. Such programs, usually provided by colleges/universities, school
systems, Regional Educational Services Agencies (RESAs), or collaborative
arrangements between any of these agencies, must be approved by the appropriate
state agency in order to verify completion of certification programs. Program
standards and requirements are based on preparation necessary to obtain a
certificate, and state-approved programs may or may not require a specific
degree. Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC)-approved programs
include those that result in certificates as well as endorsements. A listing of
GaPSC-approved programs may be found on the GaPSC web site at
www.gapsc.com. Information concerning
program approval standards and procedures may be found HERE.
(2)
Out-of-State Programs. The
GaPSC may certify individuals who have completed state-approved educator
preparation programs in any state under the following conditions:
(a) The educator preparation program was
approved by the state approval authority in a state that approves teacher
preparation programs, the program was approved for the field in which the
educator completed the program and the program held approval status during the
year in which the individual completed the program.
1. In the specific field of Speech and
Language Pathology, the GaPSC shall accept ASHA-approved programs that are not
state-approved but are completed at GaPSC-accepted accredited
institutions.
(b) The
individual has completed all state-approved program requirements and the
authorized official at the program provider has verified program completion on
the appropriate GaPSC form.
(c) The
program was completed in a field recognized by the GaPSC. If the program was
completed in an area recognized in Georgia as an endorsement only, the
individual will be eligible for the appropriate endorsement certificate in that
field.
(d) The individual has
completed field experiences or clinical practice including student teaching. If
field experiences, clinical practice or student teaching was completed in a
Georgia local unit of administration (LUA) requiring GaPSC certification, the
individual must have held a Pre-Service certificate and have worked with a
cooperating teacher holding renewable professional certification in the field
in which the individual completed a state-approved certification program, or in
a closely related field as outlined below. If clinical practice was completed
in a Georgia LUA that has the legal authority to waive certification, the
cooperating teacher must, at a minimum meet federal requirements under Title
IIA regulations or Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015 In-field
requirements. If the cooperating teacher does not meet these requirements, the
clinical practice or field experience does not meet Georgia certification
requirements and will not be accepted.
1. The
following fields are considered closely related for the purposes of cooperating
teachers for field experiences, clinical practice, or student teaching:
(i) An individual earning certification in
Birth through Kindergarten may work with a cooperating teacher certified in
Early Childhood Education.
(ii) An
individual earning certification in Middle Grades may work with a cooperating
teacher certified in the corresponding secondary (6-12) field.
(iii) An individual earning certification in
a foreign language field may work with a cooperating teacher certified in any
other foreign language field.
(iv)
An individual earning certification in Science (6-12) may work with a
cooperating teacher certified in any other secondary science field (Biology,
Chemistry, Earth/Space Science, or Physics), and a candidate earning
certification in any of the secondary science fields may work with a
cooperating teacher certified in Science (6-12).
(v) An individual earning certification in a
Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE) field may work with a
cooperating teacher certified in any other CTAE field.
2. Effective July 1, 2020, individuals
completing culminating residency (formerly referred to as student teaching) in
a Georgia LUA must be placed in classrooms for a minimum of one full semester
or the equivalent.
(3)
In-State Programs.
GaPSC-approved programs shall include all course work specified in Special
Georgia Requirements, outlined in GaPSC Rule
505-2-.24 SPECIAL GEORGIA
REQUIREMENTS. However, the GACE content assessment is not considered part of
the approved program, but is a separate state requirement for certification.
GaPSC-approved program providers may verify approved program completion for an
individual who has completed all program requirements, to include the Special
Georgia Requirements, and the GACE content assessment as long as the assessment
was attempted. If a GaPSC-approved provider verifies program completion with
attempting but not passing the assessment, the individual will not be eligible
for any certificate unless requested by an employing Georgia local unit of
administration (LUA). Upon such a request, a One (1)-year Induction certificate
may be issued.
(4)
Out-of-Country Programs. The GaPSC may certify individual who have
completed the equivalent of a state-approved educator preparation program
outside the United States. The program must be in a field recognized by the
GaPSC, and include clinical practice / student teaching. Individuals for
certification who have attended colleges or universities outside the United
States must provide the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC) with
a detailed course-by-course credential report of college-level credit completed
as outlined in GaPSC Rule
505-2-.29 EVALUATION OF CREDIT EARNED
OUTSIDE OF THE U.S.
(5)
Advanced Degrees. In order to qualify for a certificate level
upgrade, an individual must complete an advanced degree program that meets
specific quality standards outlined in GaPSC Rule
505-2-.33 CERTIFICATE UPGRADE. These
standards apply to all advanced degree programs, even those that are
state-approved.
(6)
Educational Leadership.
(a)
Georgia Educational Leadership programs that lead to certification must be
GaPSC-approved programs, as described in GaPSC Rules
505-3-.58 EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP
PROGRAM and
505-2-.153 EDUCATIONAL
LEADERSHIP.
(b) Georgia applies
reciprocity to initial out-of-state Educational Leadership certificate holders
based on completion of a state-approved program at level six (6) or seven (7),
and also at level five (5) when the educator has at least three (3) years of
successful experience in a leadership position as outlined in Rule
505-2-.153 EDUCATIONAL
LEADERSHIP.
(7)
Resources. GaPSC-approved programs for all fields are listed on
the GaPSC web site HERE.
O.C.G.A. §
20-2-200.
