Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) Professional Growth

 

            Columbia County School System is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).  In order to maintain the accreditation, all professional personnel are required by the contract of employment to meet professional growth standards mandated by SACS as outlined.

  

A.  Secondary School Requirements (Persons Employed in a School) operating under the

      High School Standards, as well as Central Office Administrators.

The superintendent of schools, central office administrators/supervisory personnel, school administrators, teachers, media specialists and guidance counselors shall earn at least ten quarter hours (six semester hours) of credit or the equivalency as approved by the State Committee, during each five-year period of employment.  The ten quarter hours of credit shall be designed to increase the competency of the teachers in the subjects which they teach or to increase the competency of the staff in the areas of service rendered.  (Revised effective July 1984)

The current five-year cycle for all persons employed in Columbia County when the system received accreditation in 1975 is 2001-2002 through 2005-2006.

The five-year cycle shall be established by the professional educator by selecting one of the following options:

            a.   The five-year cycle may correspond with the five year renewable Georgia certificate cycle; or                                         b.   The five-year cycle will start with the initial year of employment in a SACS accredited school/system; or                         c.   If an educator does not meet the statements of A or B, the initial year of is/her cycle shall be Fall, 1984, (cycle:  1999-2000 through 2003-2004) for secondary schools.

NOTE:  The record of professional growth credits shall follow the

   educator from accredited school to accredited school.

  Any uncertainties about exemptions or questions regarding compliance should be directed to Connie Davis, Executive Director of Human Resources, 855-2503, or directly to the Office of the Georgia Committee, Executive Director, Commission on Secondary Schools, 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, (404) 679-4500, or email sacs@mail.sacs.org                               

 

B.  Elementary and Middle School Requirements  (Persons employed in Schools Operating 

     Under Middle School or Elementary School standards)

 

School administrators and each member of the school’s instructional staff shall earn at least ten quarter hours (six semester hours) of credit or the equivalency as approved by the State Committee during each five-year period of employment.  These ten quarter hours or the equivalency shall be in areas of job responsibility.  (Revised effective 1989-90 school year)

The current five-year cycle for all persons employed in Columbia County when the system received accreditation in 1975 is 2001-2002 through 2005-2006.             

 

The five-year cycle shall be established by the professional educator by selecting one of the following options:

 

            a   The five-year cycle may correspond with the five-year renewable Georgia certificate cycle; or

            b.  The five-year cycle will start with the initial year of employment in a SACS       

                  accredited school/system.

 

For questions related to the standards, contact Connie Davis, Executive Director of Human Resources, (706) 855-2503, or Executive Director, Commission on Elementary and Middle Schools, 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, (404) 679-4500, (800) 248-7701, or email sacs@mail.sacs.org.

 

EQUIVALENT CREDIT FOR PROFESSIONAL GROWTH

 

The required six semester hours of professional growth (10 quarter hours) may be satisfied either through regularly established college or university courses, through county approved staff development activities or through equivalent activities such as workshops, seminars, professional meetings, travel, publications, presentation of professional papers, self-study activities, and similar professional experiences.  The following policies apply to equivalent activities.

 

1.     Workshop, seminars, and meetings that are sponsored by the school or school system  and directed by a professionally competent individual may be considered as an equivalent activity.  Such seminars, workshops, and meetings must have a clearly defined purpose and must be designed to improve the professional competency of the participants.  For each eight contact hours spent in such activities, one-half semester hour of credit may be awarded.        

  

2.     Professional meetings or conventions that are sponsored by a collegiate institution, or a professional association, that address topics of professional interest, and that are organized and directed by qualified professionals may be considered for equivalent credit.  One-half hour of semester credit may be awarded for each 12 hours of actual attendance at sessions of such meetings or conventions.

 

3.     To be accorded equivalent credit, travel shall include professional experiences designed to increase the competence or expertise of staff members in their respective fields of work.  One-half semester hour of credit may be granted for each two weeks (14 days) of travel or major portion thereof (8 days).  Credit shall not be awarded unless a diary of the trip is prepared by the staff members and filed with the respective personnel records.

 

4.     Publications on educational topics and papers presented at educational meetings may be considered for equivalent credit.  One-half semester hour of credit may be granted for each 2,000 written words or for each 25 minutes of oral presentation.

   

Each activity for equivalent credit shall be approved in advance by the school board and by the chief executive officer of the school or school system.  Individuals who participate in any of the above-listed activities with prior approval of the board of control and the chief executive officer of the school or school system shall be permitted to engage in such activities for equivalent credit without specific prior approval of the Georgia Committee.  However, participation in activities other than those listed above for equivalent credit must be approved in advance by the Georgia Committee. 

 

 

The school or school system shall maintain a complete record, in the personnel files of participating staff members, of any activities for which equivalent credit is awarded.  Such records should be made available to visiting committees during accreditation evaluations. 

 

All equivalencies shall be approved in advance by the principal and submitted in time for approval to be granted a month in advance of the date of the beginning of the activity to the chairman of the State Committee.