This document provides a summary of certification training for principals in the DeKalb County School District for the 2020-2021 school year. It introduces the certification team and outlines the requirements and types of certificates for general education, special education, out-of-state reciprocity, paraprofessionals, pre-service certificates, clearance certificates, and the CAPS system. It also reviews professional qualifications, parent right to know notifications, 20-day notifications, and the MY PSC account system. Contact information is provided for certification questions.

1. Principals’ Certification Training
School Year 2020-2021
DeKalb County School District
Division of Human Resources - Certification
Administrative and Instructional Complex
Dr. Angelica R. Collins, Director

2. Meet the Certification Team
• Serves 139 schools and centers for over 16,242 employees
Kimberly Cooper
Certification
Specialist
Beonka Anthony
Certification
Analyst
Yolanda Gibson
Certification
Secretary

3. Agenda
 General Education
 Special Education
 Out-of-State Reciprocity
 Paraprofessionals
 Valid TeachingCertificates
 Pre-Service Certificates
 ClearanceCertificates
 Professional Qualifications(PQ)
 Parent Right to Know (PRTK)
 20-Day Notification
 CAPS
 MY PSC ACCOUNT

4. Requirements to Obtain an Initial Certificate
General Education – In-Field
• Completea Bachelor’sDegree from an AccreditedCollege or University
• GPA = 2.5 - if below 2.5 and over 10 years or completeda masters degree or enrolled in certificationprogram, the
GPA is waived.
• Pass the GACEProgram AdmissionsAssessment or Qualifyfor an Exemption:
o SAT - 1000 –Verbal-CriticalReading & Math (1080 after 7-1-2019), or
o ACT – 43 Math & English, or
o GRE–Verbal & Quantitative-1030if tested before 8-1-2011 or 297 if testedafter 8-1-2011
• Pass the GACEContent Assessmentin the content area listedon the job posting
• Pass the GACEEducator EthicsExit Assessment
Requirements to Obtain an Initial Certificate
General Regular Education

5. Requirements to Obtain an Initial Certificate
Special Education Interrelated – Co-Teacher
• Completea Bachelor’sDegree from an AccreditedCollege or University
• GPA = 2.5 - if below 2.5 and over 10 years or completeda masters degree or enrolled in certificationprogram, the
GPA is waived.
• Pass the GACEProgram AdmissionsAssessment or Qualifyfor an Exemption:
o SAT - 1000 –Verbal-CriticalReading & Math (1080 after 7-1-2019), or
o ACT– 43 Math & English, or
o GRE–Verbal & Quantitative-1030if tested before 8-1-2011 or 297 if testedafter 8-1-2011
• Pass the SPED GACEConsultativeAssessment(required, but not up front)
• Pass the GACEEducator Ethics Exit Assessment
Requirements to Obtain an Initial Certificate
Special Education Interrelated – Co-Teach

6. Requirements to Obtain an Initial Certificate
Special Education – Resource –Teacher of Record –Issue Grades
• Completea Bachelor’sDegree from an AccreditedCollege or University
• GPA = 2.5 - if below 2.5 and over 10 years, or completeda masters degree or enrolled in certificationprogram, the
GPA is waived
• Pass the GACEProgram AdmissionsAssessmentor Qualify for an Exemption:
o SAT - 1000 –Verbal-CriticalReading & Math (1080 after 7-1-2019), or
o ACT– 43 Math & English, or
o GRE–Verbal & Quantitative-1030if tested before 8-1-2011 or 297 if testedafter 8-1-2011
• Pass the GACEContent AssessmentAligned with the Teaching Assignment(P-5), (4-8), (6-12) - cognitive
level is based on the informationcontained in the IEP.
• Pass the GACEEducator Ethics Exit Assessment
Requirements to Obtain Initial Certificate
Special Education – Resource – Teacher of Record – Issue Grades

7. Out-of-State Reciprocity
• Professional Out-of-State Certificate
• OfficialOut-of-StateContent Test Score Report in the content area listedon the certificate
• All officialtranscriptsfor every degree awarded
• OR
• Professional Out-of-State Certificate
• Any 5 years of successful teaching experience in the content area listedon the certificate
• Satisfactoryevaluations for all 5 years
• All officialtranscriptsfor every degree awarded
Out-of-State - Reciprocity Requirements

8. Paraprofessional
• Associatesdegree or higher – 2.0 GPA
• OR
• 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours (Grade C or better - 2.0 GPA)
• OR
• High School Diploma and Pass the GACEPara Test
Paraprofessional Requirements

9. Valid Teaching Certificate Types
• PRT or SRT – Professional Teaching Certificate
• SRS – Professional Counselor,Media Specialist,Social Work, Speech Language
• SRL or PRL – Professional Educational Leadership
• IN1T – Induction Certificate- completedprogram in GA
• IN2T – Induction Certificate– completedprogram in another state,but student taught in GA
• IN3T – Induction Certificate- completedall requirementsin another state
• IN4T- Induction firsttime provisional certificateholder – check end validitydate
• IN5T – Replacing the IN1T and IN2T and IN3T certificates
• NPL – Provisional leadershipcertificate –check end validitydate
• BT – Provisional first - time provisional certificateholder – check end validitydate
• Permit – ROTC,World Language, CTAE
• Para – Paraprofessional Certificate
Valid Teaching Certificates

10. Pre-Service Certificate
• A Pre-Service Certificateis not a teaching certificate.
• A Pre-Service Certificateindicates that the educator is in a certificationprogram, or
• The educator is completing student teaching.
Pre-Service Certificate

11. Clearance Certificate
• A Clearance Certificateis not a teaching certificate.
• The ClearanceCertificateverifiesthat the educator passed the background check.
• Validityend date of the ClearanceCertificatemay be differentfrom the end validitydate of the teaching
certificate.
Clearance Certificate

12. • Federal law requires states and school districtsto ensure ALLteachers meet state certificationrequirements..
• Teachers MUST be assigned according to their teaching certificate.
• The teaching certificate MUST match the assignment.
Professional Qualifications (PQ)

13. Parents’ Right to Know (PRTK)
• Principals are required to notify all parents at the beginning of the school year of their ‘right to know’ the
professionalqualificationsof the student’s classroom teacher(s)and paraprofessional(s)
• Principals must notify all parents within30 calendar days of the start of school.
Parent Right to Know (PRTK) Notification

14. 20-Day Notification
• Principals are required to provide timelynotice to parents when students have been assigned or taught four or
more consecutive weeks by a teacher who does not meet applicable state certificationor licensurerequirementsat
the grade level and subject area in which the teacher has been assigned.
• The notificationmust be made within10 business days followingthe four consecutive weeks.
20-Day Notification

15. CAPS
• CertificationCurriculumAssignmentPolicies System, (CAPS) The system allows a user to find a course and its
appropriatecertificate(s)by choosing a subject area, entering a course number, entering an exact titleor partial
title,and/or choosing a grade level. CAPS also allows a user to choose a certificatefieldand display the courses
for which that specificcertificateis in-field.
• To verify if an educator is in-fieldto teach a specificsubject area, log on to the CAPS website
• CAPS Website - https://www.gapsc.org/portal/CAPS.asp
• **The course number & course title MUST match the Phrase/Certificate**
Certification Curriculum Assignment Policies System
(CAPS)

16. CAPS EXAMPLECAPS Search (Sample)

17. CAPS Search (cont.)

18. • MY PSC ACCOUNTis a secure website for Georgia educators and applicants for educator certification.Here
you can view or print your certificate,read correspondence sent to you, update your personal informationon file
with the Georgia ProfessionalStandards Commission(GaPSC) and access other GaPSC resources.
• Please encourage all educators to register at: https://mypsc.gapsc.org/
MY PSC ACCOUNT

19. • Copies of all teachers’ teaching certificatesshould be
kept on file in a binder and available upon request for
monitoring and for teaching assignments.
Teaching Certificates

20. • DCSD Human Resources– Certification678-676-0349or email
• Kimberly Cooper, Beonka Anthony, Yolanda Gibson
• Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC)
• 404-232-2500or www.gapsc.com
• Georgia Assessments for the Certification ofEducators (GACE)
• 1-855-225-7178or www.gace.ets.org

21. • This training conforms to and complies with the Georgia
Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC).
• The information contained in this presentation is subject to
change, at any given time, without notice.
Disclaimer