Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 505-3-.05 - Georgia Teacher Academy for Preparation and Pedagogy (GaTAPP)

(1) Purpose. This rule states specific content standards and requirements for approving non-traditional preparation programs designed for the initial preparation of transition teachers and supplements requirements in GaPSC Rules 505-3-.01 REQUIREMENTS AND STANDARDS FOR APPROVING EDUCATOR PREPARATION PROVIDERS AND EDUCATOR PREPARATION PROGRAMS, GaPSC Rule 505-3-.02 EDUCATOR PREPARATION PROVIDER ANNUAL REPORTING AND EVALUATION, and GaPSC Certification Rules 505-2-.01 GEORGIA EDUCATOR CERTIFICATION, 505-2-.08 PROVISIONAL CERTIFICATE, and 505-2-.05 PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATE. This rule also states specific content standards and requirements for approving non-traditional preparation programs that prepare professionally certified teachers to teach any subject in grades P-5. Field-Specific requirements for the Elementary Education Certification-Only Program through GaTAPP (grades P-5) are described at www.gapsc.com FIELD-SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS. This extension to the GaTAPP rule supplements the requirements in GaPSC Rule 505-3-.14 ELEMENTARY EDUCATION (P-5) PROGRAM.

(2) Definitions.

(a) Academic Year (AY): Consists of two (2) full semesters, one (1) of which must include the beginning of a school year.

(b) Candidate Support Team (CST): A team of school-based leaders, mentors, Educator Preparation Provider (EPP) supervisors, and content specialists who monitor, assess, and coach candidates using performance assessment data to improve teaching performance in order to improve student learning.

(c) Coaching: Assisting candidates in transferring knowledge, skills, and understandings in the GaTAPP program into professional practice.

(d) Clinical Practice/Field Experiences:

1. Clinical Practice: Candidates are immersed in the learning community and provided opportunities to develop and demonstrate competence in the professional roles for which they are preparing while supported by the Candidate Support Team. The job-embedded, hands-on experiences provide candidates with an intensive and extensive opportunity to be monitored, assessed, and coached. Performance assessment data from these experiences inform the Individualized Induction Plan/ Professional Learning Plan.

2. Field Experiences: Various early and ongoing field-based opportunities, in which candidates may observe, assist, tutor, instruct, and/or conduct research. Field experiences occur outside the candidate's classroom in settings such as schools, community centers, or homeless shelters.

(e) Dispositions: Moral commitments and professional attitudes, values, and beliefs that underlie educator performance and are demonstrated through both verbal and non-verbal behaviors as educators interact with students, families, colleagues, and communities.

(f) Elementary Education Certification-Only Program: A one (1) year supervised program administered through GaTAPP to prepare teachers with Professional teaching certification in any field issued by the GaPSC with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to teach all subjects in grades P-5. This program requires an induction component that includes coaching and elementary pedagogical and content instruction for one (1) full academic year. This program does not lead to a degree or college credit.

(g) Highly Qualified Status: Although no longer a federal mandate, candidates admitted into GaTAPP programs have a minimum of a bachelor's degree, Georgia Provisional teacher certification, and verified content knowledge in the subjects they teach. Candidates seeking certification in non-core academic teaching fields are not required to meet "highly qualified requirements" and must complete the program to receive an Induction or Professional certificate by the end of the Provisional certificate validity period.

(h) Individual Induction Plan (IIP): A dynamic plan of action to improve candidate performance collaboratively developed by the CST and the candidate based on performance assessment data. The IIP will be used by the mentor/supervisor to coach the candidate in the twenty-four (24) competencies and dispositions delineated in this rule (also known as a Professional Learning Plan).

(i) Induction: A period of time (frequently up to three (3) years) when educators are new to a teaching or leader position or new to the state, a school, or a school district. The State Induction Guidance Documents provide a framework for how school districts and their partners will structure a system of support for the novice teacher and new leader in their first years of service. In GaTAPP, Induction is the first three (3) years as a newly employed classroom teacher who must receive mentoring/coaching from the Candidate Support Team throughout the induction period.

(j) Non-traditional Preparation: Post-baccalaureate programs designed for individuals who did not prepare as educators during their undergraduate studies. These preparation programs, designed to lead to an Educator Preparation Provider's recommendation for certification but not a degree, often accommodate the schedules of adults and recognize their earlier academic preparation and life experiences. In most instances, candidates are employed as educators while enrolled. An example is the Georgia Teacher Academy for Preparation and Pedagogy (GaTAPP) where employment is required for enrollment.

(k) Regionally Accredited: A process for assessing and enhancing academic and educational quality through voluntary peer review by a regionally accepted accrediting body to ensure the school district is meeting its standards of educational quality.

(l) Special Education Consultative Teacher: A Special Education teacher who works collaboratively with a content area teacher of record in all content and is not responsible for final scores for students. Candidates in the GaTAPP program are required to develop unit and/or lesson plans based on the Georgia state-approved P-12 performance standards in an academic content area(s) of concentration and to implement those plans in the classroom.

(m) Special Education Teacher of Record: A Special Education teacher who is responsible for the curriculum, instruction, assessment, and record maintenance for the P-12 learner in any of the five (5) academic content concentrations, regular or remedial.

(n) Transition teachers: Individuals who wish to transition into teaching from another career path, did not complete a teacher education program, and who have never held a professional teaching certificate in any state or country.

(3) General Requirements.

(a) Educator Preparation Provider Requirements.

1. Eligible Program Providers: GaTAPP programs may be proposed by any GaPSC-approved EPP that can verify, through the program approval process, the ability to provide non-traditional preparation that complies with the definition of GaTAPP and to provide programs that meet all requirements and standards delineated in this rule. GaPSC-approved EPPs at local education agencies shall offer GaTAPP only to those candidates employed by that school system.

2. GaTAPP programs shall prepare individuals with the appropriate degree for the certificate sought in a Professional Teaching field issued by the GaPSC. GaTAPP programs have the following characteristics:

(i) Feature a flexible timeframe of one (1) to three (3) years for completion based on individualized performance assessment data;

(ii) Do not lead to a degree or college credit;

(iii) Are job-embedded allowing candidates to complete non-traditional preparation path requirements while employed by a regionally accredited local unit of administration (school district or private school), a charter school approved by the Georgia State Charter School Commission, or a charter school approved by the Georgia Department of Education as a classroom teacher full-time or part-time for at least a half day;

(iv) Require that candidates are supported by a Candidate Support Team (CST);

(v) Require an induction component that includes coaching and induction for a minimum of one (1) academic year and continuing until completion of the program;

(vi) Provide curriculum, performance-based instruction, and assessment focused on the pedagogical knowledge and skills necessary for the candidate to teach his/her validated academic content knowledge;

(vii) Are individualized based on the needs of each candidate with respect to content knowledge, pedagogical skills, and readiness to teach; and

(viii) Use candidate and non-traditional preparation performance data to inform decision-making regarding continuous improvement of candidate performance, program effectiveness, and provider effectiveness in the non-traditional preparation path.

3. Eligible Certification Fields.

(i) Non-traditional preparation paths are available for all teaching fields. FIELD-SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS for GaTAPP fields are found at www.gapsc.com; and

(ii) As the purpose of GaTAPP is to prepare classroom teachers, service, leadership, and endorsement certifications are not available through GaTAPP. See GaPSC Rule 505-3-.76 ALTERNATIVE PREPARATION FOR EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP PROGRAM for information on alternative certification in the field of Educational Leadership.

(4) Program Approval Requirements.

(a) Annual Reporting and Evaluation Requirements are described in GaPSC Rule 505-3-.02 EDUCATOR PREPARATION PROVIDER ANNUAL REPORTING AND EVALUATION.

(b) Program Admission Requirements.

1. Field-specific admission requirements are described at www.gapsc.com FIELD-SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS.

2. All admitted candidates shall meet the following requirements:

(i) Hold a minimum of a bachelor's degree from a GaPSC accepted, accredited institution of higher education; See FIELD-SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS at www.gapsc.com for the CTAE exception;

(ii) Have verification of passing the Georgia Educator Ethics Assessment;

(iii) Never held a professional teaching certificate in Georgia or any other state or any country; See FIELD-SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS at www.gapsc.com for the Elementary Education Certification-Only Program exception;

(iv) Hold a valid Georgia Provisional teaching certificate or Permit. Candidates accepted into the Elementary Education Certification-Only program must hold a valid Non-Renewable Professional Certificate in Elementary Education as requested by the employing LUA;

(v) Employed by a regionally accredited local unit of administration (school district or private school), a charter school approved by the Georgia State Charter School Commission, or a charter school approved by the Georgia Department of Education as full-time teachers or as part-time teachers who teach at least a half day;

(vi) Provide evidence of subject matter competence in the subjects they teach;

(vii) Have a teaching assignment that is appropriate for the field listed on the Georgia teaching certificate; and

(viii) Upon admission, have an Individualized Induction Plan (IIP)/ Professional Learning Plan.

(c) Supervision of Candidate Performance: GaPSC approved EPPs shall provide supervision and assessment of the candidate's performance and coordinate results with observations and assessments by the other CST members.

(d) Assessment of Candidate Performance: GaPSC approved GaTAPP EPPs shall utilize common state-approved assessments and multiple program EPP specific assessments to make decisions regarding candidate program status.

(e) Candidate Support Team (CST): For a minimum of one (1) academic year and continuing throughout the program, all candidates must receive intensive support through a CST meeting the following requirements:

1. Team Composition: all CSTs must be comprised of:

(i) A school-based administrator;

(ii) A GaPSC certified school-based mentor or teaching coach;

(iii) A supervisor employed by the EPP; and

(iv) If not represented by one of the previously described team members, a content specialist who holds certification and expertise in the candidate's teaching field.

2. Team Member Criteria: CST members must hold valid teaching certificates at either the Professional, Lead Professional, or Advanced Professional level and must demonstrate effective teaching performance on the appropriate state or local evaluation system. Educators holding valid Life, Service, or Leadership certificates may serve on CSTs as long as a teaching field certificate is also held or was previously held.

3. Training: Coaches/Mentors and Supervisors of the CST shall be trained in the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that meet the standards and requirements delineated in GaPSC Educator Preparation Rule 505-3-.105 TEACHER SUPPORT AND COACHING ENDORSEMENT PROGRAM or 505-3-.85 COACHING ENDORSEMENT PROGRAM. School-based administrators receive an orientation regarding program expectations linking the leadership practices to the program.

(f) Serving Professionally Certified Educators: To receive approval to offer a non-traditional path for Professionally certified educators to earn certification in Elementary Education, a GaPSC-approved educator preparation provider must ensure candidates meet the field-specific content requirements in Rule 505-3-.14 ELEMENTARY EDUCATION (P-5) PROGRAM. This extension of the initial teacher preparation program features a one-year (minimum) supervised program for completion based on individualized performance assessment data and does not lead to a degree or college credit.

(5) Candidate Performance Requirements.

(a) Prior to program completion and through the use of performance-based assessments, candidates must demonstrate proficiency in the following professional dispositions:

1. Dispositions:

(i) The candidate demonstrates an appreciation of all students, the staff, and the community and capitalizes on their differences;

(ii) Candidate/student interactions and student/student interactions are friendly, warm, caring, polite, respectful, and developmentally and culturally appropriate;

(iii) The candidate establishes a culture of learning where students are committed to the value of the subject, accept the candidate's high expectations, and take pride in quality work and conduct;

(iv) The candidate responds appropriately, respectfully, and successfully to student behavior;

(v) The candidate's directions, procedures, and oral and written language are communicated clearly and accurately;

(vi) The candidate demonstrates flexibility and responsiveness by adjusting lessons, responding to students, and being persistent;

(vii) The candidate maintains accurate, complete records of student assignments and learning and of non-instructional activities;

(viii) The candidate frequently and successfully provides instructional information and student progress information to parents and engages families in the school program;

(ix) The candidate is supportive of and cooperative with colleagues and volunteers and makes substantial contributions to school and district projects;

(x) The candidate actively seeks professional development to enhance content and pedagogical skills and actively assists other educators;

(xi) The candidate proactively serves all students, challenges negative attitudes, and takes a leadership role in high quality decision-making; and

(xii) The candidate understands and actively participates in the school's School Improvement process.

(b) Prior to program completion and through the use of performance-based assessments, candidates must demonstrate proficiency in the following professional competencies:

1. Competencies:

(i) Planning and Preparation

(I) The teacher demonstrates solid knowledge of content structure of the discipline, of connections and prerequisite relationships, of content-related pedagogy and of connections with technology;

(II) The teacher demonstrates a working knowledge of age-group characteristics, of different students' approaches to learning, of students' skills and knowledge levels and language proficiency, and of students' interests and cultural heritage, and knowledge of students' special needs;

(III) The teacher demonstrates an appreciation of all students, the staff, and the community and capitalizes on their differences;

(IV) The teacher selects instructional goals that are valuable, sequential, clear, aligned with state and national standards, suitable for all students, and balanced among types of learning;

(V) The teacher actively seeks and utilizes varied instructional materials and community resources, including technology, to extend content knowledge, pedagogy, and student learning;

(VI) The teacher's instructional plans are coherent and structured in that learning activities (learning units and lessons), resources, groupings, and time allocations are varied and suitable to the developmental level of the students, to individual students, and to the instructional goals; and

(VII) The teacher utilizes varied assessment methods, including those through technology, that are congruent with the instructional goals for student learning; students' understanding of the criteria and standards; and the teacher designs and utilizes formative results to plan for and differentiate instruction.

(ii) The Classroom Environment

(I) Teacher/student interactions and student/student interactions are friendly, warm, caring, polite, respectful, and developmentally and culturally appropriate;

(II) The teacher establishes a culture of learning where students are committed to the value of the subject, accept the teacher's high expectations, and take pride in quality work and conduct;

(III) The teacher effectively manages instructional groups, transitions, materials, supplies, non-instructional duties, and supervision of volunteers and paraprofessionals;

(IV) The teacher makes standards of conduct clear, is consistently alert to student behavior, and responds appropriately, respectfully, and successfully to student behavior; and

(V) The teacher arranges the classroom and organizes physical space and materials skillfully, resourcefully, and with safety and accessibility components in place.

(iii) Instruction

(I) The teacher's expectations for student learning and classroom procedures are clearly articulated in directions, and both oral language and written language are communicated clearly and accurately modeling standard grammar;

(II) The teacher's questions and discussion techniques are of high quality and engage all students;

(III) The teacher utilizes engaging and varied representations of content, instructional strategies, assessment techniques, activities, assignments, technology, grouping configurations, materials and resources, structure and pacing;

(IV) The teacher develops relevant assessment criteria, monitors student learning, and gives meaningful and timely feedback to students and teaches students to self-assess and monitor their own progress;

(V) The teacher demonstrates flexibility and responsiveness by adjusting lessons, responding to students' needs, and being persistent in searches for varied approaches for students who have difficulty learning; and

(VI) The teacher accurately assesses lessons' effectiveness and demonstrates an understanding of how to modify subsequent lessons.

(iv) Professional Responsibilities

(I) The teacher maintains accurate, complete records of student assignments and learning and of non-instructional activities;

(II) The teacher frequently and successfully provides instructional information and student progress information to parents and engages families in the instructional non-traditional preparation path;

(III) The teacher is supportive of and cooperative with colleagues, is involved in a culture of professional inquiry, and makes substantial contributions to school and district projects;

(IV) The teacher actively seeks professional development to enhance content, pedagogical skills and dispositions, accepts feedback from colleagues, and actively assists other educators;

(V) The teacher demonstrates integrity and ethical conduct; and

(VI) The teacher proactively serves all students, challenges negative attitudes, takes a leadership role in high quality decision-making, and understands and actively participates in the school's School Improvement process.

(c) The GaPSC-approved provider shall assure that all non-traditional preparation path participants meet the applicable standards for each field of certification as specified in GaPSC Rule 505-3-.03 FOUNDATIONS OF READING, LITERACY, AND LANGUAGE, and meet the twenty-four (24) competencies at the proficient level by path completion, by providing preparation (curriculum, instruction, and assessment) in the following pedagogical content standards:

1. Essential Preparation

(i) The non-traditional preparation path shall prepare candidates who demonstrate knowledge, skills, and dispositions in unpacking state and/or national standards for the purpose of teaching all students in the content field in which the candidate is seeking Professional Certification;

(ii) The non-traditional preparation path shall prepare candidates who demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary in developing pre- and post- assessments that are aligned with state and/or national content standards that clearly demonstrate the students' knowledge and skills as delineated in the state and/or national standards requirements; and

(iii) The non-traditional preparation path shall prepare candidates who demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to establish benchmarks for monitoring student progress toward meeting state/national content standards.

2. Evidence

(i) The non-traditional preparation path shall prepare candidates who demonstrate knowledge, skills, and dispositions in planning, implementing, and using multiple assessments to determine the level of student learning based on the academic content standards of the teaching field to include the:

(I) Development of various types of assessments;

(II) Development of scoring guides for the assessments;

(III) Analysis of student work to assess achievement and gains; and

(IV) Analysis of assessment data to determine instruction to meet individual student needs.

3. Engagement

(i) The non-traditional preparation path shall prepare candidates who demonstrate knowledge, skills, and dispositions of planning, implementing, and assessing classroom instruction engaging all students in active learning to include the:

(I) Establishment of a standards-based classroom;

(II) Use of research based exemplary practices;

(III) Use of activating strategies;

(IV) Use of cognitive strategies;

(V) Use of summarizing strategies;

(VI) Use of questioning strategies;

(VII) Use of Bloom's Taxonomy;

(VIII) Use of cooperative learning strategies;

(IX) Demonstration of the understanding of relationship between engagement and achievement;

(X) Demonstration of the understanding of how to align research-based strategies with Georgia Standards of Excellence;

(XI) Demonstration of the understanding of the role of effective questioning and critical thinking;

(XII) Demonstration of the skills to create acquisition and extending/refining lessons based on research-based strategies;

(XIII) Demonstration of the understanding of how to use strategies and graphic organizers to increase engagement;

(XIV) Demonstration of the understanding of how to write content questions according to Bloom's Taxonomy; and

(XV) Demonstration of the understanding of how to differentiate instruction by content and by learner.

4. Environment

(i) The non-traditional preparation path shall prepare candidates who demonstrate knowledge, skills, and dispositions to develop and implement effective classroom management plans that include the:

(I) Appropriate arrangement of classroom that supports student learning; and

(II) Planning and implementation of strategies that produce a learning environment that provides the best opportunity for student learning.

5. Ethics

(i) The non-traditional preparation path shall prepare candidates who demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to model ethical practices of the education profession. (GaPSC Rule 505-6-.01 THE CODE OF ETHICS FOR EDUCATORS).

(d) Program Completion Requirements. Non-traditional EPPs shall require candidates to:

1. Obtain a passing score on the state-approved content assessment in the field of certification sought, unless a passing score is required for program admission in that field (see www.gapsc.com FIELD-SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS);

2. Meet the twelve (12) dispositions, twenty-four (24) competencies, and pedagogical content standards delineated in this rule;

3. Complete an Individual Induction Plan (IIP)/Professional Learning Plan that includes the requirements described in paragraph (2) (h);

4. Meet all of the elements in Standard 6: Requirements and Standards of the Georgia Standards for the Approval of Educator Preparation Providers and Educator Preparation Programs (Georgia Standards); and

5. Meet individual requirements resulting from the analysis of candidate assessment data.

(6) Field-Specific Requirements. To receive approval to offer non-traditional paths to Professional teacher certification in eligible fields, a GaPSC-approved educator preparation provider must ensure candidates meet all FIELD-SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS found at www.gapsc.com.

(7) Field-Specific Exemptions for the Elementary Education Certification-Only Program Through GaTAPP. Since candidates in this program have completed an initial teacher preparation program, they are exempt from the Georgia Educator Ethics Assessment.

(8) Military Exemption for Assessment Requirements. Military retirees or spouses of active-duty military personnel who enter a GaTAPP program without a related degree in the field of certification sought must attempt the content assessment by the end of the first semester in the program and must pass the assessment by the end of the first year.

Notes

Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 505-3-.05

O.C.G.A. § 20-2-200.

Original Rule entitled "Georgia Teacher Academy for Preparation and Pedagogy (GaTAPP)" adopted. F. Apr. 24, 2014; eff. May 15, 2014, as specified by the Agency. Amended: F. Jun. 13, 2014; eff. July 3, 2014. Note: Correction of non-substantive typographical error in, original Rule title "Educator Preparation Provider Annual Reporting and Evaluation" corrected to "Georgia Teacher Academy for Preparation and Pedagogy (GaTAPP)." Effective Oct. 15, 2016. Repealed: New Rule of same title adopted. F. Sep. 26, 2016; eff. Oct. 15, 2016, as specified by the Agency. Amended: F. Dec. 20, 2017; eff. Jan. 15, 2018, as specified by the Agency. Amended: F. Oct. 11, 2018; eff. Oct. 15, 2018, as specified by the Agency. Amended: F. June 26, 2019; eff. July 1, 2019, as specified by the Agency. Amended: F. Apr. 7, 2020; eff. Apr. 15, 2020, as specified by the Agency. Amended: F. June 11, 2020; eff. July 1, 2020, as specified by the Agency. Amended: F. Dec. 11, 2020; eff. Jan. 1, 2021, as specified by the Agency. Amended: F. June 10, 2022; eff. July 1, 2022, as specified by the Agency. Amended: F. May 30, 2023; eff. June 15, 2023, as specified by the Agency. Amended: F. Aug. 10, 2023; eff. Aug. 15, 2023, as specified by the Agency.