Maybe you’ve owned your own business, crunched numbers at a bank, or tightened bolts as an aviation mechanic. Whatever your occupational background, your unique experiences and skills can inspire future generations. We hope you consider teaching as your next career.
Do you have a college degree?
Four-Year Degree
Option 1: Look for another degree program (like Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT)) that will also provide initial teacher certification. This must be a Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC)-approved education preparation program with a student teaching/apprenticeship field experience. The benefit of completing a MAT program is that upon completion you will not only be a certified teacher, but you will also receive master’s level pay.
Option 2: Take and pass the Georgia Assessment for the Certification of Educators (GACE) in a subject or grade level you are interested in teaching. Apply for a one-year provisional teaching certificate. Next, search for an open teaching position. After you are hired, apply for the Georgia Teacher Academy for Preparation and Pedagogy (TAPP) through an approved provider. Once enrolled in TAPP, you will have two additional years of provisional certification to teach while finishing the teacher certification process.
Option 3: Adults transitioning from working in industry to education may be eligible to teach with a permit or provisional certification due to their professional experience. Refer to the teacher certification options for career and technical education teachers for more information.
Two-Year Degree
Option 1: To obtain teacher certification in Georgia, you will need to complete a four-year degree. Consider transferring your previously completed coursework to a college/university with a Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC)-approved education preparation program. After completing the necessary coursework, pass the Georgia Assessment for the Certification of Educators (GACE) exam in the subject areas and grade levels that interest you. Get a copy of your completed college transcripts and GACE certifications. Use these documents when applying for teaching jobs in Georgia.
Option 2: To obtain teacher certification, you need to complete a four-year degree. If you have a High School Diploma or GED, however, you can apply to become a paraprofessional teacher with a passing score on the Georgia Assessment for the Certification of Educators (GACE) for Paraprofessionals.
Georgia colleges have designed teacher certification degree programs with working paraprofessionals in mind by offering flexible online courses. This allows you to work in a school with your years of service counting towards teacher retirement while still pursuing your four-year degree and teacher certification. Please contact the following approved program providers for more information:
- Augusta University
- Dalton State College
- Fort Valley State University
- Georgia Gwinnett College
- Georgia State University
- Gordon State College
- Kennesaw State University
- Mercer University
- Middle Georgia State University
- Piedmont University
- Shorter University
- Thomas University
- University of West Georgia
- Valdosta State University
Option 3: Adults transitioning from working in industry to education may be eligible to teach with a permit or provisional certification due to their professional experience. Refer to the teacher certification options for career and technical education teachers for more information.
No Degree
Option 1: To obtain teacher certification, you need to complete a four-year degree. If you have a High School Diploma or GED, however, you can apply to become a paraprofessional teacher with a passing score on the Georgia Assessment for the Certification of Educators (GACE) for Paraprofessionals.
Georgia colleges have designed teacher certification degree programs with working paraprofessionals in mind by offering flexible online courses. This allows you to work in a school with your years of service counting towards teacher retirement, while still pursuing your four-year degree and teacher certification. Please contact the following approved program providers for more information:
- Augusta University
- Dalton State College
- Fort Valley State University
- Georgia Gwinnett College
- Georgia State University
- Gordon State College
- Kennesaw State University
- Mercer University
- Middle Georgia State University
- Piedmont University
- Shorter University
- Thomas University
- University of West Georgia
- Valdosta State University
Learn more about the certification steps to become a Georgia teacher!
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