Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 505-2-.21 - Certification by Interstate Reciprocity
(1)
Summary: Reciprocity is a
term commonly used when individuals certified in one state or jurisdiction seek
certification in another. Unfortunately, many individuals assume the term
guarantees that they will automatically receive a professional certificate in
the new state without having to satisfy any additional requirements. This is
not always the case, since each receiving state may impose special state
requirements, which must be met within a specified period of time.
(2)
NASDTEC Interstate
Agreement. The National Association of State Directors of Teacher
Education and Certification (NASDTEC) offers member states the
opportunity to participate in the Interstate Agreement, which governs the
details of interstate reciprocity. This agreement enables a state to review the
preparation and certification standards of all other states and jurisdictions
for specific certificate types (teacher, administrator, support and CTAE). Each
state may then sign the agreement with other state certificate types that meet
its own minimum standards for preparation and certification. Some states may
choose not to sign with another state because of significant differences in
standards. Others may sign with another state to accept their teaching
certificates, but to not accept their leadership or support certificates.
Specific information on the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement, including which
states have signed with other states and in what certificate areas, may be
found on the NASDTEC website at www.nasdtec.org.
(3)
Requirements. An
out-of-state educator meeting the requirements outlined below may qualify for a
Georgia educator certificate. An out-of-state educator is defined as an
individual who holds or has held a professional certificate issued by another
state, country or jurisdiction that has signed the NASDTEC Interstate
Agreement. An out-of-state educator is not an individual who has completed
clinical practice in a Georgia school as part of a state-approved educator
preparation program or used experience on a Georgia non-professional
certificate to obtain professional certification in another state. An
out-of-state professional certificate is defined as an educator certificate for
which the individual has met all requirements in the state or jurisdiction of
issuance. If employment or experience is required for issuance of an
out-of-state professional certificate, a letter of eligibility for a
professional certificate will be accepted as long as the only outstanding
requirements are employment and/or experience.
(a) An out-of-state educator who meets the
following conditions will be eligible for a Georgia professional certificate:
1. Hold a valid or expired professional
certificate issued based on completion of a state-approved educator preparation
program to include pedagogy and clinical practice in the base field of
certification.
2. Hold a bachelor's
degree or higher from a GaPSC-accepted accredited institution, unless Georgia
requires a differed degree level for the comparable certificate type.
3. Have a minimum of three (3) years of
successful full-time out-of-state experience (See GaPSC Rule
505-2-.25 EXPERIENCE
REQUIREMENTS).
4. Meet or exempt
all applicable Special Georgia Requirements, as outlined in GaPSC Rule
505-2-.24 SPECIAL GEORGIA
REQUIREMENTS:
(i) An out-of-state educator
who does not meet the Special Education requirement may still qualify for an
initial Georgia Professional certificate. This requirement must be completed as
part of professional learning requirements before the educator may renew the
initial Georgia certificate.
(ii)
An out-of-state educator who does not meet the content assessment may still
qualify for an initial Georgia one (1)-year Non-Renewable certificate. This
requirement must be completed during the validity of the certificate before the
educator may extend the Non-Renewable certificate for an additional four (4)
years.
5. Apply for the
certificate following procedures outlined in GaPSC Rule
505-2-.27 CERTIFICATION AND
APPLICATION PROCEDURES.
(b) An out-of-state educator who meets the
following conditions will be eligible for a Georgia Induction certificate:
1. Hold a valid or expired professional
certificate issued based on completion of a state-approved educator preparation
program to include pedagogy and clinical practice in the base field of
certification.
2. Hold a bachelor's
degree or higher from a GaPSC-accepted accredited institution, unless Georgia
requires a different degree level for the comparable certificate
type.
3. Meet or exempt all
applicable Special Georgia Requirements, as outlined in GaPSC Rule
505-2-.24 SPECIAL GEORGIA
REQUIREMENTS.
(i) An out-of-state educator
who does not meet the Special Education requirement may still qualify for an
initial Georgia five (5)-year Induction certificate. This requirement must be
completed as part of professional learning requirements before the educator may
convert the certificate.
(ii) An
out-of-state educator who does not meet the content assessment may still
qualify for an initial Georgia one (1)-year Induction certificate. This
requirement must be completed during the validity of the certificate before the
educator may extend the Induction certificate for an additional four (4)
years.
4. Apply for the
certificate following procedures outlined in GaPSC Rule
505-2-.27 CERTIFICATION AND
APPLICATION PROCEDURES.
(4)
Comparability. The Georgia
certificate to be issued must be comparable to the certificate held in the
other state or jurisdiction.
(a) Individuals
holding certification in fields not recognized as comparable for certification
in Georgia must meet minimum standards for a recognized Georgia field. For
example, while some states certify individuals in "Journalism", Georgia has no
comparable educator certificate. Out-of-state journalism teachers may apply for
a Georgia Non-Renewable Professional certificate in English and must satisfy
all requirements for that field. During that time period, they are in-field to
teach Journalism as well as English.
(b) Individuals holding out-of-state
certification in areas recognized as endorsements in Georgia will be issued an
endorsement if all requirements are met.
(5)
Certification Level. The
level assigned to a certificate indicates the highest degree level recognized
by the GaPSC that has been awarded to the certificate holder. Georgia does not
issue a certificate level based on college hours beyond a degree. Example: A
Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study or Masters + does not lead to a higher
certificate level. Certificate levels seldom mean the same among different
states; therefore, the level is not considered part of the Interstate
Agreement. Information on initial Georgia certificate levels is found in GaPSC
Rule 505-2-.02
CLASSIFICATION.
(6)
Educational Leadership. Georgia has modified portions of the
Interstate Agreement (Reciprocity) procedures for the field of Educational
Leadership. Please see GaPSC Rule
505-2-.153 EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP.
Educators working in Georgia schools who choose to attend non-GaPSC-approved
leadership programs will not be processed under full reciprocity procedures.
Georgia educators who attend non-GaPSC-approved leadership programs will not be
eligible for Professional Educational Leadership certificates.
(7)
Restrictions.
(a) Educators applying by reciprocity do not
qualify for Provisional certification in their field of certification or in a
new field of certification.
(b)
Educators who complete clinical practice in a Georgia school as part of a
state-approved educator preparation program without satisfying all special
Georgia requirements may not apply for Georgia certification based on
reciprocity unless three or more years of successful experience is earned out
of state while holding a Professional certificate in the state.
Notes
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