Self Evaluation - Vocational Fields
(Vocational Fields are Also Called
Technology/Career Education Fields)

For certification applicants who want to teach in vocational fields, there are four possible routes to certification:

1. Completion of a teacher preparation program which results in a recommendation for your certification. The program can be in Georgia or in another state, as long as the program is approved by that state's certification agency.
   
   Click here to see Georgia approved programs which prepare teachers in your field.
   
   In Georgia the preparing institution's certification official will prepare an institutional recommendation for certification. If this is the case for you, coordinate with that official in completing the necessary application for certification. Click here to see a list of college certification officials and other personnel.
   
   If you have completed a state-approved vocational teacher preparation program in another state, an institutional recommendation will be necessary to apply for Georgia certification. Use the Georgia application form and program recommendation form, included in the full Georgia application package which you may download from our web site. Click here to go to the download area.
   
   
2. Interstate Reciprocity . Georgia will accept certification in a vocational field issued by any other state, if the field issued by the originating state matches a Georgia vocational field.
   
   
3. Nonrenewable certification in all Georgia vocational fields. Click here for more information.
   
   
4. Certification through the Georgia Teacher Alternative Preparation Program (GA TAPP) .
   
   
   Vocational Fields Served by GATAPP:
   
   
   • Agriculture Education
   • Business Education
   • Family and Consumer Science
   • Health Occupations
   • Marketing Education
   • Technology Education
   • Trade and Industrial Education
     

General Notes on Georgia Vocational Certification:

• For some vocational fields you must have a bachelor's degree or higher from a PSC approved institution . In Georgia certification terminology, the bachelor degree level is called level 4. The full list of certificate levels is as follows:
  
  Level 1 High School Diploma or GED
  Level 2 Associate Degree
  Level 4 Bachelor Degree (Note: there is no level 3 in Georgia certification terminology)
  Level 5 Master's Degree
  Level 6 Educational Specialist
  Level 7 Earned Doctorate Degree
  
  
• To obtain full certification in a vocational field, you must have a minimum of 24 months of full-time occupational experience in the requested field. If you have completed a bachelor's or higher degree from a regionally accredited college with a major in or closely related to the requested field of certification, only 12 months of full-time occupational experience in the field will be required.
  
• If you obtain level one certification, you will be required to obtain the associate's degree or its equivalent (level two).
  
• If you receive the nonrenewable technical specialist certificate (NTS), you will have up to three years to qualify for the nonrenewable (NT) certificate.
  
• If you receive the nonrenewable certificate (NT), you must complete the associate's degree or its equivalent during the three-year validity period of the NT.

Special Notes on Vocational Certification Through Georgia TAPP :

• You must have a bachelor's degree or higher from a PSC-approved accredited institution, with a bachelor level grade point average of 2.5 on a 4 point scale,
• If you do not meet the 2.5 GPA requirement, you must have a Master's Degree from a PSC-approved accredited institution or be admitted to a Master's Degree program at a PSC-approved accredited institution.
• You must pass a 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 for information on the required basic skills test.
  
  Exemption scores are as follows:
  
  • SAT exemption: a minimum score of of 1000
  • GRE exemption: a minimum score of 1030
  • ACT exemption: minimum score 43.
  
  
• If a subject area content test is required for your certification field and teaching assignment, and if you do not have a major in that subject, you must pass the subject area content test before you can be accepted into a Georgia TAPP program.  Click here to see if a subject area test is required for your field.
  
• You must be offered employment in a Georgia school system. As part of the application process for provisional 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 GA TAPP provider can help you apply for your intern certification after you have provided required basic information and materials.
  

We will need the following documentation from you when you apply for a Vocational certificate.

• 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.
  
• Experience Documents verifying your work experience in the requested certification field may be required for non-renewable certification.
  
• Basic Skills Test Results or exemption documentation, if you are seeking either a test-based certificate or a GA TAPP Intern certificate.
  
• Subject Area Content Test Results for the tests required for your certification field  (Test-Based Route Only) .
  Click here to see if a subject area content test is required for your field.
  
• Employment Verification.  After you have been offered employment with a Georgia school system, ask the personnel official there to submit an Employer Assurance Form on your behalf. Employment is a requirement for test-based certification and for enrollment in the GA TAPP program.
  
• 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 2008 Professional Standards Commission