Rule 505-2-.06 - Advanced Professional Certificate(1)Purpose. The Advanced Professional certificate is a renewable certificate that is part of Georgia's tiered teacher certification system and provides a statewide structure to recognize expert classroom practice and professional growth resulting in higher levels of student learning.(2)Requirements. The Advanced Professional certificate is issued to educators holding a valid Georgia professional teaching certificate meeting the requirements outlined below. (a) Have earned a minimum of ten (10) years of successful educator experience, as defined in GaPSC Rule 505-2-.25 EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS, while holding a Georgia professional teaching certificate and/or out-of-state professional teaching certificate; 1. A maximum of three (3) years of successful experience on an Induction or Permit certificate may be used toward meeting the ten (10) year total;(b) Have earned three (3) years of successful experience in the state of Georgia within five (5) years preceding the date of application while holding a professional teaching certificate;(c) Meet Georgia's Standards of Conduct;(d) Hold one of the following: 1. Advanced degree in any teaching field held by the educator beyond an initial preparation program and reflected on the Georgia educator certificate as outlined in GaPSC Rule 505-2-.33 CERTIFICATE UPGRADE;2. Valid professional certificate in Curriculum and Instruction or Instructional Technology; or3. Valid National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification; and(e) Request the certificate according to procedures outlined in GaPSC Rule 505-2-.27 CERTIFICATION APPLICATION PROCEDURES.(3)Renewal.(a) The Advanced Professional certificate may be renewed by meeting the following requirements: 1. Satisfy professional learning requirements as outlined in GaPSC Rule 505-2-.36 RENEWAL REQUIREMENTS; or 2. Hold a valid National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification; and3. Have a minimum of one (1) year of successful teaching experience in Georgia earned within five (5) years of the date of renewal; while holding the Advanced Professional certificate and with a summative performance rating of proficient or exemplary on the Teacher Assessment on Performance Standards (TAPS) component of the statewide evaluation system, Teacher Keys Effectiveness System (TKES). If an educator is not evaluated on the statewide evaluation system, a satisfactory summative annual performance rating is required;4. Meet Georgia's Standards of Conduct; and5. Request renewal of the certificate according to procedures outlined in GaPSC Rule 505-2-27 CERTIFICATION APPLICATION PROCEDURES.(b) Educators who have received any combination of two (2) "Unsatisfactory," "Ineffective" or "Needs Development" annual performance evaluations in the preceding five (5)-year certificate validity period shall not be entitled to a renewable certificate prior to demonstrating such performance deficiency has been satisfactorily remediated but may apply to the GaPSC for the appropriate non-renewable certificate as defined by the GaPSC. (See GaPSC Rule 505-2-.43 ANNUAL PERFORMANCE EVALUATION):1. Upon successful remediation as outlined in GaPSC Rule 505-2-.43 ANNUAL PERFORMANCE EVALUATION, the educator may apply for the appropriate professional certificate if all other renewal requirements are met. The Advanced Professional certificate title will be lost. (i) In order to qualify for the Advanced Professional certificate after it is lost, an educator must earn a minimum of five (5) years of successful educator experience, as defined in GaPSC Rule 505-2-.25 EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS while holding a Georgia professional teaching certificate issued after the Advanced Professional title was lost and within five (5) years preceding the date of application to reinstate the Advanced Professional title.(c) If an educator has received one (1) "Unsatisfactory," "Ineffective" or "Needs Development" annual performance rating during the validity period of the certificate, he or she may apply for the appropriate professional certificate if all other renewal requirements are met. The Advanced Professional certificate title will be lost. (i) In order to qualify for the Advanced Professional certificate after it is lost, an educator must earn a minimum of five (5) years of successful educator experience, as defined in GaPSC Rule 505-2-.25 EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS while holding a Georgia professional teaching certificate issued after the Advanced Professional title was lost and within five (5) years preceding the date of application to reinstate the Advanced Professional title.(d) If an educator fails to meet one of the renewal requirements outlined in (4)(a)1, 2, 3 and 4 above, he or she may apply for a one (1)-year Non-Renewable Professional certificate (See GaPSC Rule 505-2-.09 NON-RENEWABLE PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATE). Upon completion of all renewal requirements, the educator may apply for the appropriate professional certificate.(4)Validity(a) The standard validity period of the Advanced Professional certificate is five (5) years, with the following exceptions:1. An Advanced Professional certificate issued to an educator holding a valid renewable professional certificate is only valid for the remaining validity period of the existing professional certificate; and2. The standard validity period may be decreased by the number of years for which the educator has held a Non-Renewable certificate, including a Waiver certificate, in the same field.Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 505-2-.06
O.C.G.A. § 20-2-200.
Original Rule entitled "Certification by Approved Programs" adopted. F. Dec. 18, 1991; eff. Jan. 7, 1992.Repealed: New Rule of same title adopted. F. Dec. 16, 1992; eff. July 1, 1993, as specified by the Agency.Amended: F. June 21, 1996; eff. July 11, 1996.Amended: F. Dec. 31, 1997; eff. July 1, 1998, as specified by the Agency.Amended: F. Apr. 11, 2003; eff. May 1, 2003.Repealed: New Rule entitled "Non-Renewal Professional Certificate" adopted. F. Feb. 20, 2004; eff. Mar. 15, 2004, as specified by the Agency.Amended: F. Oct. 22, 2004; eff. Nov. 15, 2004, as specified by the Agency.Amended: F. Dec. 14, 2004; eff. Jan. 15, 2005, as specified by the Agency.Amended: F. June 23, 2005; eff. July 15, 2005, as specified by the Agency.Amended: F. Feb. 10, 2006; eff. Mar. 15, 2006, as specified by the Agency.Amended: F. Nov. 9, 2006; eff. Dec. 15, 2006, as specified by the Agency.Amended: F. June 18, 2007; eff. July 15, 2007, as specified by the Agency.Amended: F. Apr. 20, 2009; eff. May 15, 2009, as specified by the Agency.Repealed: New Rule of same title adopted. F. June 7, 2010; eff. July 15, 2010, as specified by the Agency.Repealed: New Rule entitled "Advanced Professional Certificate" adopted. F. Jun. 11, 2014; eff. July 1, 2014, as specified by the Agency.Amended: F. June 8, 2017; eff. July 1, 2017, as specified by the Agency.