Provisional

This certificate is for individuals who wish to transition into a career in education. These individuals meet entry-requirements and are hired to teach in a Georgia school before completing an educator preparation program.

The qualifications for the Provisional certificate in a teaching field include:

  • A bachelor's degree or higher.
  • A passing score on the appropriate GACE content assessment. These scores are transmitted electronically to the GaPSC.
    • If no GACE or other GaPSC-approved content assessment is available for the certification field requested, the individual is exempt from this requirement;
    • For Special Education certificates, the content assessment is not required up front, but must be passed before conversion. Issuance of special education academic content concentration(s) requires the appropriate GACE content assessment(s) for the concentration area(s) for the Provisional Certificate.
  • A passing score on the Georgia Educator Ethics Assessment (Test Code 360). This score is also transmitted electronically to the GaPSC.

Converting to an Induction or Professional Certificate

  • Educators must complete all the requirements of a state-approved educator preparation program and all applicable Special Georgia Requirements.

Career and Technical Specializations and Healthcare Science

To view qualification for a Provisional Certificate, please visit the Career, Technical and Agricultural Education section of our website.

Service Fields

Provisional certificates are issued in the following service fields:
  • Media Specialist
  • School Counseling
  • School Nutrition Director
The requirements for a Provisional certificate in each of these fields may be found on the Service Field section of our website.

Validity

The Provisional certificate is valid for three (3) years with the following exceptions:
  • Provisional certificates will be issued for one (1) year pending verification of enrollment in a GaPSC-accepted educator preparation program leading to certification in the certification field held by the individual. Once enrolled in a GaPSC-accepted program, the certificate will be extended for two additional years.
    • Individuals who are not enrolled in a GaPSC-accepted program after the initial one-year validity period may be issued a certificate for an additional year upon the request of the employing LUA. In order to qualify for the remaining year of eligibility, an individual must be enrolled in an approved program.
  • Valid from one (1) to three (3) years if an individual has previously held a Non-Renewable, Non-Professional, Induction Pathway 4, or GaTAPP (Clinical Practice, Core Academic, Intern and One-Year Supervised Practicum) certificate in any field. In these circumstances, the Provisional certificate will be issued for the number of full years for which the individual can document that the previous certificate was unused.