Become a Teacher
in Georgia
Certification Roadmap
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Prerequisite Coursework
Teacher Preparation
Certification Reciprocity
Teacher Salary
Required Tests
Teacher Certification Information & Links
Georgia Highlights
To become a certified teacher in Georgia, you will need to fulfill all prerequisite coursework, teacher preparation, and testing requirements.
Our goal is to make this process as easy as possible, and we are dedicated to updating the site with new information on a regular basis. To stay up-to-date with the latest in teacher certification, please complete the form in the right sidebar.
Teacher Preparation
Teacher preparation includes the completion of an accredited teacher education program.
Alternative Certification
Graduates of accredited colleges or universities whose bachelor’s degree was not in education, and who have not yet earned a traditional teaching certificate, can still receive an alternative teaching certificate by satisfying certain requirements. Information about alternative certification in Georgia can be found here.
Typically teacher education programs consist of a combination of curricula and fieldwork. The curricula often includes instruction on foundational knowledge and skills, pedagogy (or the art and science of teaching), and preparing students to research, design and implement learning experiences in their field of study. The fieldwork component can include field observations, student teaching, and an internship.
The Georgia Professional Standards Commission publishes a list of state-approved teacher preparation courses in Georgia.
Certification Reciprocity
Georgia will accept some teaching credentials from the following states. Contact the Georgia Professional Standards Commission to inquire about your specific situation. Please see our interstate reciprocity disclaimer for more information.
| Alabama | Arizona | Arkansas | California |
| Colorado | Connecticut | Delaware | Florida |
| Hawaii | Idaho | Illinois | Indiana |
| Kansas | Kentucky | Louisiana | Maine |
| Maryland | Massachusetts | Michigan | Mississippi |
| Missouri | Montana | Nebraska | Nevada |
| New Hampshire | New Jersey | New Mexico | New York |
| North Carolina | North Dakota | Ohio | Oklahoma |
| Oregon | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | South Carolina |
| South Dakota | Tennessee | Texas | Utah |
| Vermont | Virginia | Washington | West Virginia |
| Wisconsin | Wyoming |
Teacher Salary
- Incentives to teach in high-needs schools or shortage subject areas: Georgia provides differential pay for teachers teaching in high needs schools and for teachers teaching in shortage subject areas
- Policies in place that articulate elements of effective induction: Georgia has no induction policies in place
- Average Elementary Teacher Salary: The average elementary school teacher in Georgia makes $48,000
- Average Secondary Teacher Salary: The average secondary teacher in Georgia makes$48,630
- Teacher Salary vs. State Average Salary: The average teacher in Georgia makes 144% of the salary of the average worker in Georgia
- Number of Vacation Weeks Per Year: The average teacher in Georgia receives 15 weeks of vacation per year
- Number of Years to Tenure: Georgia requires 3 years of teaching before a teacher is eligible for tenure
Required Tests
In order to become a certified teacher, you must satisfactorily complete the Basic Skill Test requirement and any Subject Area Competence assessments needed for your desired area of instruction. Some other states' Basic Skills tests have been "approved" to meet the requirement IF the candidate provides a copy of the test score report: The Georgia Professional Standards Commission reserves the right NOT to accept scores from other states.
These states and tests are:
- CBEST- Passing scores indicated on score report (California and Oregon)
- CLAST -Passing scores indicated on the score report (Florida)
- CMME- Applied Math - Minimum score of 4 of possible 7; Reading - Minimum score of 4 of possible 7; Writing - Minimum score of 3 of possible 5 (Alabama)
- FTCE - General Knowledge - Passing score indicated on score report. Subtests must all be passed in one assessment. Candidates cannot combine parts of CLAST and FTCE to achieve a pass. (Florida)
- ICTS - Has Reading, Language Arts, Math, and Writing subareas with scoring done as one test with 4 subareas; Must have a 240 score to pass and must score at or above each of the minimum allowable test subarea scores (Illinois)
- LAST - Passing score is 220 (New York)
- MTTC - MTTC has subtests in Reading, Math, and Writing. Must pass (score of 220) on each section (Michigan)
