Responsibility

 

Certification is the responsibility of each professional employee.  Each employee is expected to correspond with the Professional Standards Commission in Atlanta in order to determine the requirements for obtaining the appropriate teaching certificate.  The employee is also responsible for satisfying the requirements and for applying for the necessary certificate.

 

By signing a contract with the Columbia County School System, each employee accepts this responsibility for certification.  The following statements appear on the contract:

 

“The employee agrees to furnish to the Superintendent of Schools a valid Georgia certificate within the teaching field to which he/she is assigned.  This certificate must be valid from the first day of employment with the Columbia County School System.  The employee agrees that he/she will have completed all of the necessary requirements for additional coursework, as required by the standards of Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.”  These standards are stipulated in area G, Faculty Qualification in Policies, Principles, and Standards for Schools Accredited by the Commission on Elementary Schools for elementary and middle school teachers and Section 4.0.0, Personnel, in Standards of the Commission on Secondary Schools  for secondary teachers.

 

Each employee should request an evaluation in writing from the Professional Standards Commission in order to determine the requirements for certification, including coursework and Certification Assessment (examination) requirements.  The contact information is:

 

                                    Professional Standards Commission

                                    1452 Twin Towers East

                                    Atlanta, GA   30334-5030

                                    Rick Eiserman, Director of Certification

       (404) 657-9000

                                    (800) 869-7775

                                    Internet website: www.gapsc.com

                                    e-mail address:  mail@gapsc.com

                                    Fax:  (404) 651-9185

Questions regarding an individual’s requirements for certification should be directed to the evaluator assigned.               

Detailed information about educator certification, preparation, and assessment in Georgia (including rules, forms, and links to related topics) is available by accessing the Internet website at www.gapsc.com or e-mail address: mail@gapsc.com.

If you have further questions or need forms, you may contact the Professional Standards Commission office at (404) 657-9000, or (800) 869-7775.  If you wish to check the status of submitted application materials, you may call the Status Line at (404) 657-1313 or connect to the Internet website at www.gapsc.com.

     The Professional Standards Commission in Atlanta will accept phone inquiries regarding individual certification requirements Monday through Friday.  While the Professional Standards Commission should be contacted to determine which certification test you must pass, either of the following addresses may be contacted to request the Praxis Series Registration Bulletin and/or Tests at a Glance objectives (TAAG):    

(1)  Columbia County School System          (2)  Assessment Section                                                                                 Human Resources                                       Professional Standards Commission                                                   205 Johns Street                                         1454 Twin Towers East                                                               Grovetown, GA 30813                               Atlanta, GA 30334-4100                                                                (706) 855-2503                                         (404) 657-9000 or (800) 869-7775                                                                     www.gapsc.com                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Local system assistance is available through the Columbia County School System Personnel Department.  For questions related to teacher certification or to request application forms or Certification Assessment Registration Bulletins, contact Human Resources, at 855-2503.  For questions related to staff development courses/workshops, 0224 forms verifying Staff Development Units (SDUs), contact Carole Jean Carey, Executive Director of School Improvement, 541-0650.