Certification Pathways

The Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC) is the state agency responsible for the preparation, certification, and professional conduct of certified personnel employed in Georgia public schools.

If you are interested in working with Atlanta Public Schools, please create a MyPSC account with the Georgia Professional Standards Commission. Click here for Georgia Professional Standards Commission contact information.

Certification Fields and Endorsements

Service Fields (P-12)
Audiology
Media Specialist
School Counseling
School Nutrition Director
School Psychology
School Social Work
Speech and Language Pathology
Curriculum & Instruction
Instructional Technology
Teacher Leadership

Educational Leadership
Educational Leadership-Tier I
Educational Leadership- Tier II

APS-ACCEPTED CREDENTIALS

• Standard Renewable (SR)
• Performance-Based Renewable (PR)
• Induction Pathway 1, 2, and 3 (IN1, IN2, & IN3)
• Induction 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year (I1, I3, & I5)
• Eligibility for a Provisional certificate (BT issued upon employment)
  • Eligibility based on the following:
    • Bachelor degree or higher from an accredited institution with a GPA of at least 2.5 on a 4-point scale.  
    • GACE Program Admissions Assessment or exemption –  Please click here to view  acceptable exemption options. 
    • GACE content assessment – Please click here for information regarding GACE content assessments.
    • GACE Educator Ethics – Program assessment (test code 360). Please click here for information 
    • Employment  (PLEASE NOTE: An initial Provisional is issued for one year. To extend a Provisional beyond the first year, you must enroll in a state-approved program. Provisional Certification can only be held for a total of three years – it is the responsibility of the educator to complete a state-approved teacher certification program within the first 3 years of teaching.

Reciprocity based on Out-of-State Certification

Applying for a Georgia Certificate:

1. Create a MyPSC account
2. Complete the electronic application through MyPSC account
3. Complete the Verification of Lawful Presence (VLP) form in front of a Notary. Once notarized, upload your VLP and a copy of your identification to your MyPSC account
4. Upload an Experience Verification form to your MyPSC account
5. Upload a copy of your valid or expired professional out-of-state certificate to your MyPSC accountUpload a copy of the official score report(s) for any content/subject area assessments you were required to take for your out-of-state certificate:
6. Submit official transcripts from all colleges/universities you have attended.
7. Pass the GACE Ethics Exit Assessment (test code 360)
8. Pay the $20 processing fee though your MyPSC account (the fee is not required if employed by a Georgia school system)

Permit 

Permits are issued in the following fields: career and technical specializations, engineering and technology, and healthcare science; foreign languages; art, dance, drama or music; and JROTC. 

Foreign Language 

1. Bachelor’s degree or higher from a GaPSC-accepted accredited institution, or the U.S. equivalent  based on a GaPSC-accepted Course-by-Course Foreign Credential Report.
2. GACE foreign language content assessment or the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) and Writing Proficiency Test (WPT) at the appropriate passing level.
3. Permit will be requested by Human Resources once you gain employment as a French teacher

Performing Arts (Art, Dance, Drama or Music)

1. High school diploma or GED
2. Two (2) years of verifiable occupational experience in the field in which the Permit is requested.
3. Permit will be requested by Human Resources once you gain employment as a French teacher

JROTC

1. High school diploma or GED
2. Official Military Retirement Orders DDForm 214
3. Permit will be requested by Human Resources once you gain employment as a French teacher

Career and Technical Specializations and Healthcare Science 

1. Pass the Educator Ethics Assessment (360)
2. Two (2) years of verifiable occupational experience in the field in which the Permit is requested.
3. Minimum degree requirements and industry testing and/or licensure, which may be found HERE.
4. Permit will be requested by Human Resources once you gain employment as a French teacher

Engineering and Technology

1. Bachelor degree or higher from an accredited institution with a GPA of at least 2.5 on a 4-point scale.
2. Permit will be requested by Human Resources once you gain employment as a French teacher

PLEASE NOTE: An initial Permit is issued for 3-years,. In order to extend the Permit validity additional requirements will apply.

Atlanta Public Schools Non-Certification Track

1. Bachelor’s degree from accredited institution of higher education 
2. GACE Program Admissions Assessment or exemption –  Please click here to view acceptable exemption options
3. Evidence of Specialised training in the field such as an academic major or appropriate GaPSC content assessment

PLEASE NOTE: All educators employed based on the APS-Non Certified Track must complete the APS / METRO RESA Empowering Teacher Program and Induction.

Certification Programs

In order to qualify for a professional Georgia educator certificate, you must complete a GaPSC-approved or GaPSC–accepted educator preparation program, in addition to other requirements. If you gain employment based on eligibility for a Provisional Certificate, you must complete a state-approved teacher certification program within your first three

years of teaching. When choosing a program, please confirm the program selected leads to initial educator certification and is approved by the certification office in the institution’s home state.

GaPSC-Approved Teacher Certification Programs: Programs offered by Georgia colleges/universities

and TAPP providers are approved by the GaPSC. Please click here to view GaPSC-Approved programs.

GaPSC-Accepted Teacher Certification Programs: Approved by the educator certification office of the state in which the college/university is located. Programs offered by a  college/university located in another U.S. state must be approved by that state’s certification office. Remember that some institutions may offer online courses to Georgia residents or have satellite campuses in Georgia. However, any program you complete for certification must be approved by the state in which the institution is headquartered.

 A certification program can be completed through the following routes:

• Bachelor’s degree 
• Master’s degree
• Certification-only
• GaTAPP (Georgia Teacher Academy for Preparation and Pedagogy)

Atlanta Public Schools program partners:

• Georgia State University
• Relay School of Education

***Please Note: Georgia only accepts GaPSC-approved Educational Leadership programs.