Self Evaluation - Certification for "Alternate" Route Candidates

• The Test-Based Route
  
• The GATAPP Intern Route - offered through the Georgia Teacher Alternative Preparation Program
  (GA TAPP)
  
• The Permit - limited to foreign language teachers, teachers in the performing arts, retired teachers, JROTC instructors, and superintendents

Test-Based Nonrenewable Certification For Teaching Fields

• You must be offered employment in a Georgia school system. As part of the application process for certification, the school system personnel office which hired you must submit evidence of your employment with an Employer's Assurance Form or on-line equivalent.
  
  Note: your public school system employer can apply for your test-based nonrenewable certification online after you have provided them basic information and materials required for the application.
  
• You must have at least a bachelor level degree from a PSC approved institution with a GPA of at least 2.5 on a 4-point scale. If your graduation date was more than 10 years ago, this GPA requirement is waived.
  Note: there is no GPA requirement for vocational fields that do not require a bachelor degree.
  
• If you do not meet the 2.5 GPA requirement, you must be graduated from a Master's Degree program (or higher) or enrolled in either a Master's degree program (or higher) or a Georgia approved educator preparation program. Your new (or prospective) employer can provide information about educator preparation programs in your field and in your geographic location.
  Click here to see a list of approved educator preparation programs.
  
• You must pass the PSC's required basic skills test or provide documentation of exemption. The basic skills test may be exempted if high enough scores are obtained on the SAT, ACT or GRE.
  Click here to see more about the basic skills requirement.

• You must pass the subject area content assessment required for your certification field.
  Click here to see the test required for your field.
  
  
• For teaching fields only, you may choose the "Approved Practicum Route".  This route requires you to pass a PSC-approved professional pedagogy test (in addition to the basic skills test and subject area content tests)  and to undergo a formal one-year on-the-job practicum approved by the Professsional Standards Commission for satisfying requirements for full or "clear renewable" certification.

  Note: The PSC-approved professional pedagogy test is the GACE® Professional Pedagogy Assessment. It is the only pedagogy test which the PSC accepts to support this Approved Practicum Route to Georgia teacher certification.
  

• If you do not pass the required professional pedagogy test before requesting your test-based certification, you will be required to complete an approved program at a college or other approved provider in order to be recommended for full renewable certification.
  
  
• If you choose the Approved Practicum test-based route, your degree field must match your requested certification field.  Not all degree fields (majors) are well matched to certification teaching fields.
  Click here to read more about academic majors and related certification fields.

Georgia Certification Through Georgia TAPP (Intern Certificate)

• You must be accepted into a PSC approved GA TAPP program. In order to be accepted you must have a bachelor's degree or higher from a PSC approved institution , with a bachelor level grade point average of 2.5 on a 4 point scale.
  
  
• You must pass the PSC's required basic skills test in reading, writing and mathematics or provide documentation of exemption. The basic skills test may be exempted if high enough scores are obtained on the SAT, ACT or GRE.
  Click here to see more about the basic skills requirement.

  Exemption scores are as follows: SAT exemption: minimum combined verbal and mathematics scores totaling 1000, GRE exemption: minimum combined verbal and quantitative scores totaling 1030, ACT exemption: minimum combined English and mathematics scores totaling 43.

  
  
• You must take the PSC's required subject area content test for your certification field during your first year in the GA TAPP program, and you must pass that content test before the end of the second year of the TAPP program. Click here to see the subject area content test required for your field.
  
  Note: For some certificate fields and teaching assignments GA TAPP candidates are required to pass the subject area assessment before acceptance into the TAPP program. Click Here for Details
  
  

• You must be offered employment in a Georgia school system. Georgia school system personnel are knowledgeable about the GA TAPP program and can assist you with enrollment in the most convenient GA TAPP program. As part of the application process for GA TAPP certification, the school system personnel office which hired you must submit evidence of your employment with an Employer's Assurance Form or on-line equivalent.
  
  Note: your employer can apply for your intern certification online after you have provided required basic information and materials.
  
  
  

Documentation Required for Test-Based Certification or GATAPP Intern Certification

• Official Transcripts from all colleges you have attended. Your bachelor level transcript must show the graduation date and GPA information. The transcript showing your highest degree, regardless of major or specialization area, will be used to determine your highest certificate level and will likely affect your pay as a Georgia teacher. The Georgia Professional Standards Commission accepts credit only from colleges which are accredited by specific agencies. Click here to see accreditation information.
  
  
• Passing Basic Skills Test Results or exemption documentation.
  
  
• Passing Subject Area Content Test Results for the Tests Required for your Certification Field.
  (Subject Area Contest Test results are required for test-based certification; GA TAPP Intern candidates are not required to pass subject area content test prior to receiving the Intern certificate, if their college major is in the field of certification sought.)
  Click here to see the subject area content tests required for your field.
  
  Note: For some certificate fields and teaching assignments GA TAPP candidates are required to pass the subject area test before acceptance into the TAPP program. Click Here for Details
  
  
• (Optional) Passing Professional Pedagogy Test.
  
  
• Employment Verification. After you have been offered employment with a Georgia school system, ask the personnel officer there to submit an Employer Assurance Form on your behalf. Employment is a requirement for both Test-Based Certification and GA TAPP Intern Certification.
  
  
• Application form containing your answers to the following questions:
  
  
  • Have you ever been dismissed, non-renewed, terminated or resigned while under investigation for allegations of or commission of a felony, a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude or a violation of any profession’s code of ethics?
    
  • Do you have any charges pending against you for committing a felony, a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude or a violation of any profession’s code of ethics?
    
  • Have you ever had any adverse action (i.e. warning, reprimand, suspension, revocation, voluntary surrender, etc.) taken against any professional certificate or license by any agency (in any state) other than the Georgia Professional Standards Commission?
    
  •  For any felony or for any misdemeanor offense involving moral turpitude, have you ever:
    • Pled guilty?
    • Been granted first offender treatment without adjudication of guilt?
    • Been found guilty?
    • Participated in a pre-trial diversion program?
    • Entered a plea of nolo contendere?
    • Been placed under a court order whereby an adjudication or sentence was withheld?

Permit

• Permits allow performing artists, retired teachers and native foreign language speakers to teach in Georgia classrooms and selected business/professional leaders to serve in Superintendent positions based on their rich expertise.
  
  
• Retired teachers may be issued a Permit in any teaching field which was on a certificate valid at the time of retirement. For other applicants, permit fields are issued only for:
  
  
  • foreign languages
    
  • dance
    
  • drama
    
  • music
    
  • Educational Leadership (for Superintendents only).
  
  
• A Permit cannot be issued to an individual who has been previously certified in Georgia but has not passed the required content assessment(s).
  
  
• You must be offered employment in a Georgia school system. Georgia school system personnel are knowledgeable about permit applications and can assist you. As part of the application process for a permit, the school system personnel office which hired you must submit evidence of your employment with an Employer's Assurance Form or on-line equivalent.
  
  Note: your employer can apply for your permit online after you have provided required basic information and materials.
  
  
  

Documentation Required for Permit Applications

• Official Transcripts from all colleges you have attended, including foreign credential evaluations. The Georgia Professional Standards Commission accepts credit only from colleges which are accredited by specific agencies. Click here to see accreditation information.
  
  
• An individual professional development plan (IDP) shall be locally developed and implemented for the validity period of the Permit.  ( Satisfactory IDP documentation is needed for extensions of permits.)
  
  
• A foreign language native speaker, or an individual with native fluency, who applies for a permit to teach a foreign language must hold a bachelor’s degree or higher from a PSC-accepted accredited institution (or the U.S. equivalent).
  
  
• The applicant must be proficient in English, as determined by the employing school system.
  
  
• Foreign language native speakers must pass either the ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) with a rating of at least “Advanced”, or pass the appropriate Praxis content assessment(s).
  
  The Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) is a nationally accepted measurement of oral language skill and is used by the federal government to assess an applicant’s ability to function using oral language. The OPI must be administered by a certified examiner from the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). The validation of “native-speaker ability” through the OPI is completely the responsibility of the applicant and the school system. The interview procedure should be arranged by the applicant and/or school system by contacting:
  
  American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages
  6 Executive Plaza
  Yonkers, New York 10701
  Phone: (914) 963-8830
  Web site: www.actfl.org
  
  
• Permit applicants in performing arts must have a minimum of 3 years of experience in the performing arts field in which the permit is requested
  
  
• Employment Verification. After you have been offered employment with a Georgia school system, ask the personnel officer there to submit an Employer Assurance Form on your behalf. Employment is a requirement for a permit.
  
  Note: your employer can apply for your permit online after you have provided required basic information and materials.
  
  
• Application form containing your answers to the following questions:
  
  
  • Have you ever been dismissed, non-renewed, terminated or resigned while under investigation for allegations of or commission of a felony, a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude or a violation of any profession’s code of ethics?
    
  • Do you have any charges pending against you for committing a felony, a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude or a violation of any profession’s code of ethics?
    
  • Have you ever had any adverse action (i.e. warning, reprimand, suspension, revocation, voluntary surrender, etc.) taken against any professional certificate or license by any agency (in any state) other than the Georgia Professional Standards Commission?
    
  •  For any felony or for any misdemeanor offense involving moral turpitude, have you ever:
  • Pled guilty?
  • Been granted first offender treatment without adjudication of guilt?
  • Been found guilty?
  • Participated in a pre-trial diversion program?
  • Entered a plea of nolo contendere?
  • Been placed under a court order whereby an adjudication or sentence was withheld?

Copyright 2010 Professional Standards Commission