State hub

How to become a teacher in Georgia

Prep providers

Completers

5,164

Newly licensed

7,497

Colleges (IPEDS)

141

Credential rules change. Confirm current requirements with Georgia Professional Standards Commission.

Steps drawn from the state's data

Earn a bachelor's degree. At least one initial credential requires one.
Complete a teacher preparation program. Georgia has 63 Title II providers.
Complete clinical experience such as student teaching.
Pass the tests the state requires (Title II reports that tests are required, not which ones).
Complete a background check or fingerprinting.
Apply to Georgia Professional Standards Commission for an initial credential, such as Induction; Permit; Professional.
Career changers can use one of 1 alternative routes instead of a traditional program.

Georgia teacher certification Alternative routes

Teacher preparation providers in Georgia

Provider	Program types	Enrollment	Completers
Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College	Traditional	40	40
Albany State University	Traditional	218	32
Andrew College	Traditional	5	5
Augusta University	Traditional	746	142
Berry College	Traditional	169	41
Brenau University	Traditional	256	85
Brewton-Parker College	Traditional	29	8
Central Savannah River Area RESA	Alternative, not IHE-based	114	44
Chattahoochee-Flint RESA	Alternative, not IHE-based	136	43
Clark Atlanta University	Traditional	113	16
Clayton County Public Schools	Alternative, not IHE-based	153	39
Clayton State University	Traditional	100	36
College of Coastal Georgia	Traditional	136	33
Columbus State University	Traditional	485	147
Covenant College	Traditional	56	18
Dalton State College	Traditional	280	101
Dekalb County	Alternative, not IHE-based	52	17
Emmanuel College	Traditional	57	17
First District RESA	Alternative, not IHE-based	145	53
Forsyth County Schools	Alternative, not IHE-based	26	23
Fort Valley State University	Traditional	31	11
Fulton County Schools	Alternative, not IHE-based	15	0
Georgia College and State University	Traditional	773	229
Georgia Gwinnett College	Traditional	341	130
Georgia Southern University	Traditional	1,710	412
Georgia Southwestern State University	Traditional	324	76
Georgia State University	Traditional	1,128	236
Gordon State College	Traditional	243	58
Griffin RESA	Alternative, not IHE-based	213	74
Gwinnett County Public Schools	Alternative, not IHE-based	370	134
Kennesaw State University	Traditional	1,434	415
LaGrange College	Traditional	56	15
Mercer University	Traditional	1,041	228
Metro RESA	Alternative, not IHE-based	176	46
Middle Georgia RESA	Alternative, not IHE-based	160	57
Middle Georgia State University	Traditional	318	84
Muscogee County Schools	Alternative, not IHE-based	89	18
North Georgia RESA	Alternative, not IHE-based	44	17
Northeast Georgia RESA	Alternative, not IHE-based	118	54
Northwest Georgia RESA	Alternative, not IHE-based	174	73
Oconee RESA	Alternative, not IHE-based	50	0
Okefenokee RESA	Alternative, not IHE-based	12	6
Piedmont College	Traditional	418	136
Pioneer RESA	Alternative, not IHE-based	64	30
Point University	Traditional	27	7
Reinhardt University	Traditional	67	35
Savannah State University	Traditional	104	23
Savannah-Chatham County	Alternative, not IHE-based	101	37
Shorter University	Traditional	271	88
South Georgia State College	Traditional	138	41

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About teacher preparation in Georgia

The Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC) is responsible for establishing and upholding standards for the preparation of educators, providing a regulatory system of certification/licensure, and establishing and enforcing standards of professional conduct of certified personnel employed in Georgia public schools.

The Educator Preparation Division of the GaPSC approves preparation programs designed for educators who seek state certification. Georgia has public and private institutions of higher education that are approved to prepare educators in a wide variety of program areas. In addition, several local units of administration (LUAs) and Regional Education Service Agencies (RESAs) are approved to prepare teachers in non-traditional/alternative preparation programs. Georgia offers both traditional and non-traditional/alternative routes to teacher certification.

All educators who are certified in the state are required to have a major or equivalent and a passing score on the appropriate Georgia state-approved educator certification content assessment. Effective July 1, 2020, the content pedagogy assessment was removed as a state requirement.

Georgia's educator content assessment program is the Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators (GACE). The purpose of the GACE is to help the GaPSC ensure that candidates have the content knowledge of what is taught in Georgia's classrooms. All GACE assessments are aligned with the state standards for the P-12 curriculum, which are the Georgia Standards of Excellence, and with state and national content standards. Each GACE test was developed with diverse representation of Georgia educators from across the state, including the participation of individuals from school systems, local schools, institutions of higher education (public and private), and other stakeholders. For program admission, initial teaching candidates must complete the Georgia Educator Ethics Assessment.

Georgia's state-approved content pedagogy assessment is edTPA, yet the requirement was removed effective July 1, 2020.

The data in this report indicate the relationship between educator preparation and state certification.

More information about the Georgia Professional Standards Commission's Educator Preparation Division, Certification Division, and Assessment Program is available at www.gapsc.com.