You’ve impacted students through assisting in a classroom, and now you want your own. We’re ready to walk beside you on your path to teacher certification. Did you know that a major benefit of pursuing your teacher certification while working full-time as a paraprofessional is that your years of service as a paraprofessional will count towards teacher retirement benefits?
Learn more about finding a teaching job in Georgia – Find Teaching Jobs in Georgia
Do you have a college degree?
Four-Year Degree
- Fort Valley State University
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Georgia Southern University
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Georgia State University
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Kennesaw State University
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Middle Georgia State University
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University of Georgia
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University of West Georgia
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’re 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 finish the teacher certification process. Ask your school district and GaTAPP provider if you are eligible for tuition reimbursement through the Georgia Paraprofessional to Teacher Grant ($5000). 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, you need to complete a four-year degree. If you do not yet hold a bachelor’s, Georgia colleges have designed teacher certification programs with working paraprofessionals in mind by offering flexible online courses. Please contact the following GaPSC approved education preparation program providers for more information about their teacher certification programs for paraprofessionals:
- Augusta University
- Columbus State University
- Dalton State College
- Georgia College and State University
- Georgia Gwinnett College
- Georgia Southern University
- Georgia Southwestern State University
- Gordon State College
- Kennesaw State University
- Mercer University
- Middle Georgia State University
- Piedmont University
- Shorter University
- South Georgia State College
- Thomas University
- University of Georgia
- University of North Georgia
- University of West Georgia
- Valdosta State University
Option 2: Adults transitioning from working in industry to education may be eligible to teach with a permit that does not require a 4-year degree. Refer to the teacher certification options for career and technical education teachers for more information.
Option 3: The Georgia Registered Teaching Apprenticeship Program offers new way for paraprofessionals to be become teachers. If you have dreamed of making a difference through teaching, this is your opportunity to earn while you learn.
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, 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
- Columbus State University
- Dalton State College
- Georgia College and State University
- Georgia Gwinnett College
- Georgia Southern University
- Georgia Southwestern State University
- Gordon State College
- Kennesaw State University
- Mercer University
- Middle Georgia State University
- Piedmont University
- Shorter University
- South Georgia State College
- Thomas University
- University of Georgia
- University of West Georgia
- Valdosta State University
Learn more about the certification steps to become a Georgia teacher!
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