Compilation of Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia › Department 505 - PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS COMMISSION › Chapter 505-2 - CERTIFICATION › Rule 505-2-.21 - Certification by Interstate Reciprocity

Current through Rules and
			 Regulations filed through June 27, 2024
(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.