Georgia Alternative Teacher Preparation Program

Georgia offers educator certificates in three categories: Teaching fields, Leadership fields and Service fields.

Teaching Fields - Teaching certificates are issued in fields that prepare an individual to teach the subject matter offered as a part of the school curriculum. These fields qualify under GATAPP®.

Leadership Programs - These programs prepare individuals to administer or supervise a school system, school or school program. These advanced level certification programs require eligibility for a teaching or service clear renewable certificate and do not qualify under the GATAPP® program.

Service Fields - These programs prepare individuals to provide support services to students, school personnel and school operations. These certification programs are not available under the GATAPP® program.

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Description of Teaching Field Options

Elementary Education - The State of Georgia does not prepare nor certify teachers for Elementary Education. Individuals interested in this developmental range of learners should investigate either Early Childhood or Middle Grades education programs.

Early Childhood Education (Pre kindergarten to Grade 5)- An individual with a certificate in early childhood education is in-field to teach any subject in grades P-5 and remedial reading and mathematics in grades P-5.

Middle Grades Education (Grades 4-8)- An individual with a certificate in middle grades is in-field to teach all subjects offered in grades 4-8 and remedial instruction in grades 9-12 in reading, mathematics, and writing.

Secondary Education Fields (Grades 6-12)

• Agriculture Education - An individual certified in Agriculture Education is in-field to teach all courses in Agriculture Education in grades 6-12.
  
  
• Business Education - An individual certified in Business Education is in-field to teach all courses in business education in grades 6-12, including courses in computer education.
  
  
• English Education - An individual with a certificate in English is in-field to teach literature, grammar; composition, drama, journalism and other English related subjects in grades 6-12.
  
  
• Health Occupations - An individual certified in Health Occupations Education is in-field to teach all courses in health occupation education in grades 6-12.
  
  
• Family and Consumer Science Education - An individual certified in Family and Consumer Sciences Education is in-field to teach all courses in family and consumer science in grades 6-12.
  
  
• Marketing Education - An individual with a certificate in marketing education is in-field to teach all courses in marketing education in grades 6-12.
  
  
• Mathematics Education - An individual with a certificate in mathematics is in-field to teach all courses in mathematics in grades 6-12 and remedial mathematics in grades 9-12.
  
  
• Science Education -
  
  
  • Biology - An individual with a certificate in biology is in-field to teach biology and life science in grades 6-12. A major or equivalent in biology or life sciences is required.
  • Chemistry - An individual certified in Chemistry is in-field to teach chemistry and physical science in grades 6-12. A major or equivalent in chemistry or physical science is required.
  • Earth/Space - An individual certified in Earth/Space Science is in-field to teach all courses in earth/space science in grades 6-12. A major or equivalent in earth/space science is required.
  • Physics - An individual with a certificate in physics is in-field to teach all courses in physics and physical science in grades 6-12. A major or equivalent in physics or physical science is required.
  • Broad Field - An individual with a certificate in science is in-field to teach all courses in science in grades 6-12. A major in science is required with a concentration in one of the specialty fields and additional course work in two of the three other specialties.
    
    
• Social Science Education -
  
  
  • Economics - An individual certified in Economics is in-field to teach all courses in economics in grades 6-12.
  • Geography - An individual certified in Geography is in-field to teach all courses in geography in grades 6-12.
  • History - An individual certified in History is in-field to teach all courses in history in grades 6-12.
  • Political Science - An individual with a certificate in political science is in-field to teach all courses in political science in grades 6-12.
    
• Speech Education - An individual with a certificate in speech is in-field to teach all courses in all speech and speech related subjects in grades 6-12.
  
  
• Technology Education - An individual with a certificate in technology education is in-field to teach technology education in grades 6-12. Candidates should have a major in Technology Education, or a closely related field. (e.g., electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, industrial engineering, industrial technology, and related technologies.)
  
  
• Vocational Education - Trade and Industrial Education - An individual with a certificate in trade and industrial education is in-field to teach survey courses in trade and industrial education in grades 6-12. Candidates for specific fields within trade and industrial education must hold industry certification in the specific field.

Grades Pre kindergarten to 12

• Art Education - An individual with a certificate in art is in-field to teach art, drawing, painting, graphics, crafts, sculpture, three-dimensional art, and art history and appreciation in grades P-12.
  
  
• Dance Education - An individual with a certificate in dance is in-field to teach modern dance, ballet, folk dance, square dance, round dance, ethnic dance, traditional and contemporary social dance, jazz, tap or other dance forms in grades P-12.
  
  
• Drama - An individual certified in Drama is in-field to teach all areas of drama in grades P-12.
  
  
• Foreign Language Education - An individual with a certificate in foreign language (P-12) is in-field to teach the identified language in grades P-12. Candidates should have a college major in the language or be able to demonstrate competence in the knowledge and understanding of the language, as spoken by a proficient speaker, at normal conversational tempo. Proficiency in reading, writing, and knowledge of the culture and social context is necessary.
  
  
• Health Education - An individual certified in Health Education is in-field to teach all courses in health in grades P-12. A major in a health related field is expected.
  
  
• Health and Physical Education - An individual certified in Health and Physical Education is in-field to teach all courses in health and physical education in grades P-12. The program requires sufficiently developed skills in both health and physical education.
  
  
• Music Education - An individual with a certificate in music is in-field to teach all courses in music in grades P-12. A major in music is expected. Music content should include coverage in fundamentals, theory, conducting, instrumental music, and orchestration.
  
  
• Special Education Programs -
  
  
  • Behavior Disorders (BD) - An individual with a certificate in Behavior Disorders is in-field to teach students with behavior disorders (including autism) in grades P-12 in self-contained and resource settings. This certificate holder is also in-field to teach remedial mathematics, reading and writing in grades P-12.
  • Learning Disabilities (LD) - An individual with a certificate in learning disabilities is in-field to teach children with learning disabilities in grades P-12 in self-contained classrooms and in resource settings in grades P-12. This certificate holder is also in-field to teach remedial mathematics, reading and writing in grades, P-12.
  • Mental Retardation (MR) - An individual with a certificate in mental retardation is in-field to teach mentally retarded children and autistic children in grades P-12 in self-contained classrooms and in resource settings. This certificate holder is also in-field to teach remedial mathematics, reading and writing in grades, P-12.
  • Interrelated Special Education - An individual with a certificate in Interrelated Special Education is in-field to be a resource teacher in the fields of Behavior Disorders, Learning Disabilities, and Mild Mental Retardation; and to teach students in self-contained classrooms with Behavior Disorders, Learning Disabilities, and Mild Mental Retardation in grades P-12; to teach preschool special education students; to teach autistic students; and to teach remedial mathematics, reading and writing in grades P-12.
  • Interrelated Special Education/Early Childhood Education - An individual with a certificate in Interrelated Special Education/Early Childhood is in-field to teach Preschool Handicapped; to be a resource teacher in the fields of Behavior Disorders, Learning Disabilities, and Mental Retardation in grades P-5; to teach students in self-contained classrooms with Behavior Disorders, Learning Disabilities, and Mild Mental Retardation in grades P-5; and to teach all subjects in Early Childhood Education in Grades P-5. This program requires a program in both interrelated special education and early childhood education.
  • Hearing Impaired Education - An individual with a certificate in hearing impaired is in-field to teach hearing impaired children in grades P-12 in self-contained classrooms and resource settings.
  • Orthopedically Impaired Education - An individual with a certificate in Orthopedically Impaired is in-field to teach all courses in orthopedically impaired students in grades P-12.
  • Visually Impaired Education - An individual with a certificate in Visually Impaired is in-field to teach Visually Impaired students in grades P-12.