Dates to Remember. Quick Reference Guide Educator Certification Changes. Spring 2015 Fall Spring 2014 Fall 2014

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1 Educator Certification Changes Quick Reference Guide This guide is based on GaPSC rules initiated February The information is subject to change until the rules are formally adopted. Dates to Remember February 2014 TKES is being piloted in RT 3 districts. January 1, 2015 A passing score on the Georgia Educator Ethics Assessment will become a requirement for the Induction certificate. July 1, 2015 Pre-service certificates will be issued for the first time and will be required for field experiences and student teaching in Georgia public schools and public charter schools. Two GACE content assessment pass rates will become effective: Induction and Professional. Lead Professional certificate will be issued for the first time. Summer Spring 2014 Fall Summer Spring 2015 Fall July 1, 2014 Induction and Standard Professional certificates will be issued for the first time. All valid Clear Renewable certificates will be converted to Standard Professional. Employment will become a requirement for initial certification and renewal if the educator has not taught for at least one year in a GA school. Out-of-state content assessments taken after this date will not be acceptable. Statewide evaluation system will be implemented, to include TKES and LKES. Out-of-state educators will need to have taught all of the last five years to exempt Special Georgia Requirements, including the content assessment. Recency of study will no longer be required for certification. Transcript evaluations will no longer be conducted for any certificate fields. September 1, 2015 A passing score on the GaPSC-approved content pedagogy assessment will become a certification requirement for those with no teaching experience. TBD: After examining initial TKES data, Exemplary evaluation requirements will be determined for Advanced and Lead Professional certificates. Renewal requirements will be revised, with the revisions taking effect in 2018.

2 Tiered Certification Basics Establishes a 4-tiered certification structure that will transform a flat profession into one that offers increased opportunities for professional growth to teachers who remain in the classroom. New certification requirements will ensure that new teachers enter the profession better prepared. The required GaPSCapproved content pedagogy assessment will provide new teachers with a roadmap to navigate induction teaching years. Tiered certification will help us identify excellent teachers and recognize their accomplishments. Tiered certification is not tied to compensation; certificate levels will continue to be used by GaDOE to determine compensation. Each tier has specific qualifications; teachers are expected to attain the Professional level and may seek to attain Advanced or Lead. Tier 1: Pre-Service Pre-Service Induction Professional Advanced/Lead Professional Who is it for? Educator candidates completing field experience/student teaching in Georgia Who requests it? Educator Preparation Providers Fall 2014 Admitted candidates must take Ethics exam by 2015 July 1, 2015 Pre-service certificates issued for the first time Qualifications: Enrollment in an initial certification program Successful state background check Completion of the Georgia Educator Ethics Exam Validity: Up to 5 years, renewable January 1, 2015 Ethics exam required for admission to GA programs Note: A Pre-Service certificate is not a prerequisite for any other certificate.

3 Tier 2: Induction Who is it for? Teachers with fewer than 3 years of experience within the last 5 years; some Service certificate holders Who requests it? Employing local units of administration (LUAs) July 1, 2014 First Induction certificates issued September 1, 2015 GaPSC-approved content pedagogy assessment required for Induction pathways 1, 2, & 3 (if no exp.) Validity: Up to 3 years, non-renewable with some exceptions January 1, 2015 Ethics exam required for Induction certificate Qualifications: There are 4 pathways to Induction teaching certification, each with its own qualifications. All applicants must be employed to receive an Induction certificate; otherwise, they may receive a Certificate of Eligibility (except for Pathway 4). 1 3 For those who have completed a traditional educator preparation program in GA Approved Program Recommendation Induction level or higher passing score on GACE content exam Passing score on edtpa (as of 9/1/15) Exceptional Child course For those who completed all parts of an ed. prep. program OOS, or OOS educators who do not qualify for Professional certification Approved Program Recommendation or OOS certificate Induction or higher passing score on GACE content exam For those with no teaching experience, passing score on edtpa or GaPSC-approved comparable exam (as of 9/1/15) Exceptional Child course NOT required for initial certificate 2 4 For those who have completed a traditional preparation program OOS, but completed student teaching in GA Approved Program Recommendation Induction or higher passing score on GACE content exam Passing score on edtpa (as of 9/1/15) Exceptional Child course For those teachers completing a non-traditional initial certification program in GA (replaces the current NNT and GaTAPP certificates) Bachelor s degree or higher, with a GPA min. of 2.5 in most cases Induction or higher passing score on GACE content exam Passing score on the Program Admission Assessment, or exemption Passing score on edtpa earned during the second full semester of the non-traditional certification program (as of 1/1/15) Notes: Requirements for Induction service certificates are found in individual service field rules. Induction certificate holders may receive Supplemental Induction certificate fields or endorsements while teaching out-of-field. Induction certificates may not be upgraded until conversion to the Professional certificate.

4 Tier 3a: Performance-Based Professional Who is it for? Teachers evaluated by TKES; Leaders who have completed a GA performance-based certification program Who requests it? Employing local units of administration (LUAs) Validity: 5 years, renewable Implementation: Clear Renewable Performance-Based leadership certificates valid on 7/1/14 will be converted to Performance-Based Professional certificates. Those holding expired Clear Renewable Performance-Based leadership certificates on 7/1/14 may convert to Performance-Based Professional by meeting renewal requirements. Clear Renewable Performance-Based teaching certificates valid on 7/1/14 will be converted to Standard Professional certificates. The requirements listed below for an initial Performance-Based Professional teaching certificate must be met to convert. Qualifications: After initial implementation, all applicants must be employed to receive an initial Performance-Based Professional certificate; otherwise, they may receive a Certificate of Eligibility. The qualifications for Performance-Based Professional leadership certificates are not otherwise changing. Listed below are the qualifications for the Performance-Based Professional teaching certificate: For all applicants At least 3 years of educator experience within 5 years; at least 2 must have been on TKES At least 2 Proficient/Exemplary TKES evaluations within 5 years; no more than 1 Ineffective/Needs Improvement Employment by a Georgia LUA Exceptional Child course Professional level passing score on the GACE content exam o This requirement may be exempted by an educator with at least 1 Exemplary TKES rating and an Induction level passing score on the GACE content exam Special requirements for those who held an Induction certificate through Pathway 4 (non-traditional program completers) Completion of a GaPSC-approved preparation program Passing score on edtpa (as of 9/1/15) 3 full years of experience teaching on an Induction or Permit certificate. Renewal Requirements: For teaching certificates Standard renewal requirements (professional learning) A minimum of 2 Proficient/Exemplary TKES ratings within 5 years As of 7/1/15, employment by a GA LUA, unless an educator has previously worked for at least 1 year on a GA professional cert. For leadership certificates Standard renewal requirements (professional learning) As of 7/1/15, employment by a GA LUA, unless an educator has previously worked for at least 1 year on a GA professional certificate

5 Tier 3b: Standard Professional Who is it for? Educators with at least 3 years of experience within 5 years who do not qualify for Performance-Based Professional Who requests it? Employing local units of administration (LUAs) Validity: 5 years, renewable Implementation: Clear Renewable teaching and service certificates, as well as non-performance-based leadership certificates, will be converted to Standard Professional certificates on July 1, Those holding expired Clear Renewable certificates, except for performance-based leadership certificates, on 7/1/14 may convert to Standard Professional by meeting renewal requirements. Qualifications: After initial implementation, all applicants must be employed to receive an initial Standard Professional certificate; otherwise, they may receive a Certificate of Eligibility. The qualifications for Standard Professional leadership and service certificates are not otherwise changing. Listed below are the qualifications for the Standard Professional teaching certificate: For Georgia educators A minimum of 3 years of acceptable educator experience within 5 years; no more than 1 unsatisfactory evaluation in the last 5 years Professional passing score on the GACE content exam Employment by a GA LUA For out-of-state (OOS) educators A minimum of 3 years of acceptable OOS educator experience within 5 years Professional passing score on the GACE content exam o May be exempted by those who have taught in a field for all of the last 5 years Employment by a GA LUA Exceptional Child course not required for initial certification Renewal Requirements: Standard renewal requirements (professional learning) As of 7/1/15, employment by a GA LUA, unless the educator has previously worked for at least 1 year on a GA professional certificate For those initially certified through reciprocity, completion of the Exceptional Child course Notes: Teachers holding Standard Professional certificates may apply to convert to Performance-Based Professional upon meeting requirements. Standard Professional teaching certificates will be converted to Performance-Based Professional at renewal for those who qualify.

6 Tier 4a: Advanced Professional Who is it for? Teachers who demonstrate expert classroom practice Who requests it? Employing local units of administration (LUAs) Validity: 5 years, renewable Qualifications: At least 5 years of acceptable teaching experience, with at least 3 of those earned on a professional GA certificate within 5 years One of the following: o Advanced degree in a teaching field o Certificate in Curriculum & Instruction or Instructional Tech. o NBPTS certification A minimum number of Exemplary TKES ratings and no unsatisfactory evaluations within 5 years o The number of Exemplary ratings will be determined after more data is available. Until then, Advanced Professional certificates will not be issued. Employment by a Georgia LUA Who is it for? Teacher leaders Tier 4b: Lead Professional Validity: 5 years, renewable Who requests it? Employing local units of administration (LUAs) Qualifications: At least 5 years of acceptable teaching experience, with at least 3 of those earned on a professional GA certificate within 5 years One of the following: o Teacher Leadership certification o Advanced degree in a teaching field and a Teacher Leader, Coaching, or Teacher Support Specialist (TSS) endorsement o Certificate in Curriculum & Instruction or Instructional Tech. and a Teacher Leader, Coaching, or TSS endorsement o NBPTS certification and a Teacher Leader, Coaching, or Teacher Support Specialist (TSS) endorsement A minimum number of Exemplary TKES ratings and no unsatisfactory evaluations within 5 years o The number of Exemplary ratings will be determined after more data is available. Until then, Lead Professional certificates will be issued to those who meet all other requirements after 7/1/15. Passing score on the Teacher Leadership GACE Employment by a Georgia LUA Renewal Requirements: These apply to both Advanced and Lead Professional certificates. Standard renewal requirements (professional learning or NBPTS certification) At least one year of successful teaching experience on TKES within 5 years, with a minimum number of Exemplary evaluations (TBD) As of 7/1/15, employment by a GA LUA, unless the educator has previously worked for at least 1 year on a GA professional certificate Notes: An educator who receives 1 unsatisfactory evaluation while holding an Advanced/Lead Professional certificate may receive a Standard or Performance- Based certificate at renewal, but the Advanced/Lead title will be lost. Lead Professional certificates will first be issued on July 1, 2015; Advanced Professional certificates will not be issued until the required number of Exemplary evaluations is determined.