Skip To Main Content

Become a DCS Teacher - Position Requirements

Current Teacher Requirements: Must have a bachelor-level or higher degree, hold a valid professional teaching  certificate issued by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC) in the assigned teaching field, and must  have met the content knowledge requirement (either through the appropriate content assessment or coursework). 

Out-of-state professional certificates are transferrable to Georgia through reciprocity. However, if you did not pass a  content assessment, or your state did not require a content assessment, you may be required to pass Georgia’s  assessment for the specific teaching field(s). Georgia currently uses Georgia Assessments for the Certification of  Educators (GACE) testing. It’s possible to exempt the assessment by submitting proof of recent out-of-state teaching  experience (successful in-field teaching for all of the last five-year period) as part of the Georgia teacher application,  which may be found at the following website: http://www.gapsc.com/Certification/FormsandApplications.aspx

In lieu of professional certification, applicants interested in seeking teaching positions may be interested in one  of the following alternate routes to certification (in summary). 

Georgia Teacher Academy for Preparation and Pedagogy (GaTAPP) Intern Program

  • Must hold a Bachelor’s Degree with a minimum 2.5 GPA (or higher Degree) from an accredited institution  recognized by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC). GaPSC accepts institutions listed on  the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) website: http://www.chea.org/search/default.asp. GPA  requirement may be waived if the degree was awarded more than 10 years prior, or if the applicant holds a  Masters or higher degree. 
  • Must have passed the GACE Program Admission Assessment (Test #’s 200, 201, & 202) OR hold exemption  scores (i.e., SAT, GRE, or ACT, if scores meet the minimum requirement). Complete list of exemptions may be  found at http://www.gapsc.com/EducatorPreparation/Assessment/BasicSkillsInfo.aspx
  • Must have passed the GACE Content Assessment in the subject area/field to be certified. If the degree major  matches the subject area/field to be taught, the assessment could be waived as an entrance requirement, then  taken during the first year of GaTAPP; however, it is preferred that the assessment be passed prior to  employment. Early Childhood candidates MUST pass the assessment prior to entering the program. 
  • Must complete the GACE Educator Ethics Entry Exam. 
  • Must be offered a full-time teaching position from an employing GA School System. 

The GaTAPP program is a two to three-year program that requires various coursework, seminars, and assessments  (tuition and fees are the responsibility of the candidate). Not all certification areas are provided through the GaTAPP  program. For further information, please contact our system’s provider, Middle GA RESA, at (478) 988-7170 or visit  

www.mgresa.org. RESA has a Screening Application process candidates should complete which will provide valuable  information regarding subject area eligibility. 

State-Approved College Program

  • Degree requirements (same as above). 
  • GACE Program Admission Assessment (same as above). 
  • GACE Content Assessment in the subject area/field to be certified is required prior to employment, regardless of  degree major (no exceptions). 
  • GACE Educator Ethics Entry Exam (same as above). 
  • Must be offered a full-time teaching position from an employing GA School System. 

If the above requirements are met, the candidate may be hired and a three-year non-professional non-renewable  certificate could be requested by the employing school system. Soon after employment (or before) the teacher candidate  would need to seek enrollment into a state-approved educator preparation program through the college/university of their  choice (tuition and fees are the responsibility of the candidate). 

Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators (GACE): http://www.gace.ets.org/ 

Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC): www.gapsc.com