Rule 505-2-.46 - Military Support Certificate(1)Summary: The Military Support certificate identifies and supports transitioning military veterans and their spouses, allowing completion of certification requirements on a modified timeline. Once requirements are met, the appropriate certification will be issued to the individual.(2)Definitions.(a) The term veteran(s) is used to describe active, retired, and transitioning service members.(b) A Military spouse is an individual married to an active or transitioning service member.(3)Induction Requirements (See GaPSC Rule 505-2-.04 INDUCTION CERTIFICATE). (a) Military Support Induction certificates are not issued. Military members and military spouses must meet the requirements for issuance of an Induction certificate as outlined in the Induction Certificate rule.(4)Provisional Certificate Requirements (See GaPSC Rule 505-2-.08 PROVISIONAL CERTIFICATE). Individuals submitting documentation of meeting the veteran and military family member definition or those enrolled in the Troops to Teachers program have a modified timeline for completion of requirements: (a) Initial Issuance. 1. Hold a bachelor's degree or higher from a GaPSC-accepted accredited institution, unless Georgia does not require a bachelor's degree for the specific field. Minimum degree requirements are defined in the applicable teaching or service rule.2. Pass the GACE Educator Ethics Assessment.3. Individuals seeking certification in Career and Technical Specializations must meet eligibility criteria outlined in GaPSC Rule 505-2-.90 CAREER AND TECHNICAL SPECIALIZATIONS. 4. Individuals seeking certification in Healthcare Science must meet eligibility criteria outlined in GaPSC Rule 505-2-.87 HEALTHCARE SCIENCE.(b) Year Two Issuance. 1. Attain a passing score on the GACE content assessment. If no GACE or other GaPSC-approved content assessment is available for the certification field requested, the individual is exempt from this requirement.(i) For Special Education certificates, the pre-requisite requirement is the special education academic content concentration(s), which must be verified through an academic degree major or the appropriate GACE content assessment(s). The appropriate Special Education GACE content assessment must then be passed before conversion to a Professional certificate.2. Verify enrollment in a GaPSC-approved or GaPSC-accepted educator preparation program leading to certification in the Provisional field held by the educator.(c) Year Three Issuance. 1. Continued enrollment in a GaPSC-approved or GaPSC-accepted educator preparation program leading to certification in the Provisional field held by the educator.(d) Completion Requirements. 1. Verify completion of a GaPSC-approved or GaPSC-accepted, state-approved educator preparation program in the field.2. Have passed the GACE Educator Ethics assessment.3. Complete any outstanding industry testing/licensure requirements for Career and Technical Specializations or Healthcare Science as outlined in the appropriate rules.(5)Professional Requirements (See GaPSC Rule 505-2-.05 PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATE). (a) The Standard Professional Military Support certificate is issued to individuals meeting the requirements outlined in (13)(b) below.(6)Non-Renewable Requirements (See GaPSC Rule 505-2-.09 NON-RENEWABLE PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATE).(a) The Non-Renewable Professional Military Support certificate is not issued. Military members and military spouses may be issued a Non-Renewable Professional certificate at the request of an employing LUA to individuals meeting the eligibility criteria outlined in GaPSC Rule 505-2-.09 NON-RENEWABLE PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATE.(7)Implementation.(a) Teachers currently enrolled in the Troops to Teachers program and employed by a Georgia LUA must be issued a Military Support Induction certificate beginning October 15, 2018.(8)Certificate Upgrade.(a) Individuals holding Military Support certificates are eligible to upgrade their certificate with the exception of the Provisional certificate by meeting the requirements outlined in GaPSC Rule 505-2-.33 CERTIFICATE UPGRADE. Individuals holding a Provisional certificate are not eligible to upgrade to a higher certificate level until conversion to the Induction or professional certificate and meeting requirements outlined in GaPSC Rule 505-2-.33 CERTIFICATE UPGRADE. Initial issuance of the Induction certificate level will be determined as outlined in GaPSC Rule 505-2-.02 CLASSIFICATION.(9)Conversion.(a) Individuals holding the Military Support certificate may apply to convert the certificate to the professional certificate upon meeting all certification requirements. (10)Validity.(a) The Military Support Provisional certificate is issued with one (1)-year validity periods for completion of requirements.(b) The Military Support Professional certificate is valid for five (5) years.(11)Renewal.(a) The Military Support certificate is non-renewable.(12)Assessments.(a) The assessments required for the Military Support certification fields are outlined in GaPSC Rule 505-2-.26 CERTIFICATION AND LICENSURE ASSESSMENTS.(13)Call to Active Duty.(a) Any Georgia educator who holds a Military Support, Provisional, Induction, Non-Renewable Professional, Permit, or Waiver and is called to active duty while that certificate is valid shall have that previous certificate re-issued with new, full validity dates under the following conditions:1. The educator was employed by a local unit of administration (LUA) when called to active duty.2. The educator is employed by a Georgia LUA within the same year or the year following active military duty.3. The certificate is requested by a Georgia LUA.(b) Any Georgia educator who holds a renewable professional certificate and is called to active military duty while that certificate is valid shall have that previous certificate renewed for the full five (5)-year validity, even if renewal requirements have not otherwise been met, under the following conditions:1. The educator was employed by a Georgia LUA when called to active duty.2. The educator or an employing Georgia LUA applies for the renewal. The application packet must include a copy of the military orders showing start and end dates of the active duty period.3. If the certificate expired during the period of active duty, the new validity date shall be the first day of the month following the end of active duty, provided receipt of the renewal application and the end of active duty are within the same fiscal year (July 1 - June 30). If the renewal application is received after the end of the fiscal year in which active military duty ended, the renewed certificate will have a beginning validity date of July 1 of the fiscal year in which the application was received. If the certificate did not expire during the period of active duty, the new validity date shall be July 1 following the expiration date.(14)In-Field Statement (See GaPSC Rule 505-2-.40 IN-FIELD ASSIGNMENT). (a) An individual holding the Military Support certificate is in-field to serve in positions as indicated by the certificate or license type and teach specified Georgia curriculum courses aligned to the field of certification. Each state-approved curriculum course, with specified certificate fields that are designated as in-field, may be found under Certification/Curriculum Assignment Policies (CAPs) on the GaPSC web site at www.gapsc.com.Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 505-2-.46
O.C.G.A. § 20-2-200.
Original Rule entitled "Military Support Certificate" adopted. F. Oct. 3, 2018; eff. Oct. 15, 2018, as specified by the Agency.Amended: F. Sep. 24, 2019; eff. Oct. 15, 2019, as specified by the Agency.Repealed: New Rule of same title adopted. F. Dec. 13, 2019; eff. Jan. 1, 2020, as specified by the Agency.Amended: F. June 11, 2020; eff. July 1, 2020, as specified by the Agency.Amended: F. June 10, 2022; eff. July 1, 2022, as specified by the Agency.