College Graduate
Career changers offer students strong content knowledge and provide a unique perspective to the classroom. In this section, we will discuss routes to teaching for those who already hold undergraduate and/or graduate degrees in an area besides teaching.
Additional information is provided if you hold a baccalaureate degree and are also:
- A paraprofessional
- A member of the military
- The spouse of a member of the military
- A skilled tradesperson in trade and industrial fields
Choosing the Right Program
A high quality teacher preparation program is vital to your success as a teacher. The best programs, traditional and alternative, offer courses that emphasize a robust knowledge of your subject and of pedagogy (learning how to teach your subject), while providing numerous opportunities to learn to teach diverse students in varying school settings. Once you have determined your subject area and grade level, you must choose the route that works best for you.
College Graduate Route—Master’s Degree and Clear Renewable Certificate
TCC Tidbit: College graduates who earn a Master’s degree--such as an M.A.T.-- along with a recommendation for Clear Renewable Certification, can begin their teaching careers at a T-5 certification level, which provides higher salary on the state teaching salary scale (PDF). Remember that many school systems provide a supplement over and beyond the state teaching salary scale.
Enroll in a state-approved Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) program of your choice offered by a University System college or university or in a program offered by a private college or university.
TCC Tidbit: Many USG colleges and universities partner with school districts to provide candidates with opportunities to begin teaching while completing their program requirements.
Complete all program requirements.
Graduate with a recommendation for certification.
Pass the appropriate GACE (Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators) content assessment.
Earn certification from the Georgia Professional Standards Commission.
Begin your teaching career.
College Graduate Route—Clear Renewable Certificate Only
Enroll in a state-approved post-baccalaureate (post-bac) program of your choice offered by a University System college or university or in a state-approved program offered by a private college or university.
TCC Tidbit: Many colleges and universities partner with school districts to provide candidates with opportunities to begin teaching while completing their program requirements.
Complete all program requirements.
Earn a recommendation for certification.
Pass the appropriate GACE (Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators) content assessment.
Earn certification from the Georgia Professional Standards Commission.
Begin your teaching career.
College Graduate Route—Intern Certificate through Georgia TAPP (Georgia Teacher Alternative Preparation Program)
Seek and obtain an offer of employment from a participating school.
Pass TAPP requirements and complete TAPP procedures for an Intern Certificate. These include a bachelor’s degree, a minimum grade point average, passing scores on the appropriate GACE assessments, and a satisfactory criminal background check. PSC TAPP
Begin teaching.
Complete a two-year internship/induction period and Special Georgia Requirements.
Pass the appropriate GACE (Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators) content assessment.
Obtain recommendation for Clear Renewable Certification from your employing school system.
Earn Clear Renewable Certification from the Georgia Professional Standards Commission.
College Graduate Route—Non-Renewable Certificate, Test-Based Option
Pass the appropriate GACE (Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators) assessments and meet other requirements. Other requirements include a PSC-accepted college degree, an appropriate grade point average, and a satisfactory criminal background check.
Seek and obtain an offer of employment from a participating school and request for Non-Renewable Certification from employing school system.
Obtain Non-Renewable Certificate and affiliate with a state-approved program.
Begin teaching.
Complete program requirements during validity period of Certificate.
Obtain recommendation for Clear Renewable Certification.
Earn Clear Renewable Certification from the Georgia Professional Standards Commission.
Additional Information
Paraprofessional
As a paraprofessional, making the transition to teaching will enrich your professional life and your school through your extensive knowledge of your students and their community. It will also be a step up for you financially. In addition to the salary boost from paraprofessional to professional teacher, you may be able to increase your retirement benefits. You may want to learn more about the state salary schedule. You will also want to investigate retirement options through the Teacher Retirement System of Georgia.
Many school districts and University System of Georgia teacher preparation programs will work with paraprofessionals to help them complete programs while continuing to work. School systems have developed various approaches to enable paraprofessionals to complete student teaching requirements without leaving their jobs. You should consult your employing school system about its willingness to work with you. In addition, some USG teacher preparation programs may assess your skills and experience and allow you some credit toward completion of your field experience requirements.
Member of the Military
Military retirees who need financial support to begin their teaching career can take part in Georgia’s Troops to Teachers Program. The Troops to Teachers Program is a joint effort between the U.S. Department of Education and the Department of Defense. The purpose of the program is to assist men and women who have served the Nation as members of the Armed Forces and are now seeking a second career as teachers in America's public schools. Eligible service members may receive federal funding to help them meet state certification requirements as teachers and for agreeing to teach in high needs schools. The Troops to Teachers Program is administered through the Georgia Professional Standards Commission.
Spouse of a Member of the Military
Spouses to Teachers (STT) is a Department of Defense program designed to provide military spouses an opportunity to obtain information regarding teaching credentials and careers in public education. This initiative recognizes that teaching is a professional career field of great interest to military spouses. However, the key to becoming a teacher is obtaining teacher credentials accepted by the states in which military families are likely to be stationed.
The Spouses to Teachers Program provides funds (up to $600) to reimburse eligible spouses for costs related to teacher certification testing. Although STT itself will not provide other financial assistance, the Georgia STT state office can provide helpful information on other funding sources at both the state and federal levels.
The goals of STT are to bring together the various elements that are critical to entry into the teaching profession and to provide a reliable source of information and guidance to military spouses. The Spouses to Teachers Program provides military spouses with information about teacher credentialing requirements, advises spouses about available options for achieving certification, and provides other materials to guide them through the process.
The Spouses to Teachers Program in Georgia is administered by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission.
Skilled Tradesperson in Trade and Industrial fields
Trade and Industrial teachers are one of the highest need content areas in schools through out the United States. There is also a growing critical shortage of skilled tradespersons in these fields themselves. As a teacher, you could have a huge effect on filling this important need, while sharing your valuable skills with the next generation of tradespeople.
Trade and Industrial (T&I) teachers instruct students in a range of content areas, including Construction (electrician, carpenter, masonry, plumbing), Cosmetology, Public Safety (law enforcement, emergency medical technician, fire), Automotive Technology, Information Technology and Technology (Computer networking and repair), Healthcare Science and Technology, Graphic Arts (computer graphics and press operation), Drafting, Electronics Occupations, Radio/TV/Mass Communications (Video Editing), and Manufacturing.
The T&I curriculum varies in schools, and is normally a combination of the above content areas. Local resources also influence T&I curriculum; for example, granite cutting is taught in Elberton, Georgia due to the surrounding granite industry. When looking for a T&I position, find out what is taught in local schools and see if your skills match those needs.
Education Levels
Professional and education requirements for certification are different for each content area in T&I fields. Four-year degrees are required in some, while a combination of education and documented professional experience is required for others:
- Individuals seeking certification in agricultural education, business education, family and consumer sciences education, marketing education, and technology education must hold an appropriate undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university
- Individuals seeking certification in health occupations and trade and industrial education must have appropriate occupational experience in the field they are seeking certification and the minimum education level required for the field.