Program Entrance Requirements for Clear Renewable Teaching Certificates
Prior to admission in GaTAPP, a candidate must meet ALL of the following:
- Secure a job offer as a teacher with local school system
- Earned a bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university
- Not completed student teaching in undergraduate or graduate work
- Not previously held a Clear Renewable Teaching or Technical Specialist Certificate
- Passed the appropriate content GACE, and have a bachelor’s degree or higher with a major, or equivalent, in the teaching field for which the individual is seeking Clear Renewable certification. GACE content scores are accepted at induction level for admission. If changes in this come from PSC during your time in program, you may be subject to passing at the professional level before completing the program
Important note for SpEd candidates: The content GACE for SpEd candidates in grades K-8 is either: 087 – Special Education: Reading, English Language Arts, and Social Studies OR 088: Special Education – Mathematics and Science. Candidates must pass the content areas test for which they will be teaching. Candidates may take both tests to be Highly Qualified in all areas
Special Education General Curriculum (081 and 082) is not a content assessment. SpEd candidates must also pass either Special Education General Curriculum (081 and 082) or Special Education Adaptive Curriculum (083 and 084) to complete GaTAPP. SpEd Candidates teaching at the high school level need to pass a content exam in at least 1 area for which they teach before completing the program. - Passed the GACE Educator Ethics Exam (sign up through mypsc.gapsc.org)
- Maintained a GPA of 2.5 or higher on undergraduate degree. *Please note: Exceptions may be made upon completion of a waiver for candidates with a 2.2-2.49 GPA to be placed on a waiting list. However, no exceptions can be made for early childhood (elementary) education nor special education*
- Provided official copies of transcripts of all colleges and universities attended
- Obtained a Georgia Criminal History Report and Fingerprinting with your local school system
- Assume financial responsibility for all tuition and other related costs associated with certification. Tuition and fees are non-refundable. The annual fees cover tuition for all trainings and seminars at Wiregrass, course and program related materials, books, and the Supervisor who will visit to conduct observations and meetings.
Program Entrance Requirements for Technical Specialist Teaching Certificates
Prior to admission in GaTAPP, a candidate must meet ALL of the above EXCEPT following:
- Earned an associate’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university in the teaching field for which seeking certification
- Have a passing score on the appropriate professional or industrial assessment as noted in Certification Rule 505-2-.96 Trade & Industrial Ed or Rule 505-2-.70 Healthcare Science Technology Ed for fields in which certification is being sought. If a GACE content exam is available in the teaching field, the GACE content must be taken and passed. GACE content scores are accepted at induction level for admission. . If changes in this come from PSC during your time in program, you may be subject to passing at the professional level before completing the program
Admission requirements are also found in the Professional Standards Rule 505-3-.05 Georgia Teacher Academy for Preparation and Pedagogy (GaTAPP).
***Program and GaPSC policies and requirements are subject to change. The most current information will be provided on the first day of Essentials in mid-July of each year.***
