Welcome! GaPSC Updates

GASPA Conference

November 20, 2013

What HR Needs to Know: Tiered

Certification & Ed Leadership

GASPA Conference

November 20, 2013

Provide an overview of

– the proposed tiered certification system

emphasizing those parts that most directly

impact Human Resources staff in school

districts and

– proposed changes to Educational Leadership

rules

Presentation Objective

• Georgia – one of only 10 states using a

single tier system

• 21 states use a two-tier system – include

initial & professional (clear renewable)

• Other states use systems with three or

more tiers

• A sound concept that focuses on raising

standards & empowering teachers

Tiered Certification Around the U.S.

• Brings education candidates under the

Georgia Code of Ethics

• Addresses the need to focus attention and

resources on early career teachers

• Assures advancement is based on

teaching effectiveness, rather than just

hanging on

• Creates a pathway for teachers to

advance in the profession while remaining

in the classroom

Why Move to a Tiered Cert System?

Four Cert Tiers in the Georgia System

Induction

Pre-Service

• Professional certificate – July 1, 2014

• Pre-Service certificate as early as August

2014 & as late as spring 2015

• Induction certificate – July 1, 2015

• Lead Professional certificate – July 1,

2015

• Advanced Professional certificate - TBD

Implementation Timeline

• EPP requests the certificate for candidates

(can’t participate in field & clinical

experiences without holding the pre-

service certificate);

• Admission to candidacy is point at which

certificate is issued;

• Have a successful state/federal

background check; and

• Take the GaPSC ethics assessment

(passing score not required)

Pre-Service – What You Need to Know

• Validity period is five years, but

– Expires upon program completion &

recommendation;

– Invalidated if individual withdraws or is

removed from program;

– May be extended upon request of EPP;

– Certificate is non-transferable;

– Withdrawal/dismissal/graduation results in

end of certificate validity

Pre-Service – What You Need to Know

• Early career teacher focus

• Valid for three years; non-renewable, but

can be issued a second time (after

remediation support)

• If entry is with Induction level GACE score,

must retake or demo high performance

• Enter profession with edTPA road map –

15 rubric scores across five dimensions

• Opportunity to differentiate induction

Induction – What You Need to Know

• Five-year validity period – performance-

based or standard

• Professional learning requirements must be

met

• Performance is demonstrated in one field;

all fields on certificate are renewed

• Can’t be renewed if two unremediated

needs development, unacceptable, or

unsatisfactory

Professional – What You Need to Know

• Performance-based certificate

• Important Requirement: must hold

certification in Teacher Leadership

(degree or certificate only program) OR

certain advanced degrees with an

endorsement in Coaching, Teacher

Leadership, or Teacher Support Specialist

(TSS)

• If endorsement, must pass teacher leader

GACE

Lead Professional

• Performance-based certificate

• Must hold advanced degree in teaching

field, curriculum & instruction, or

instructional technology OR National

Board Certification

• Renewal: if performance is below required

number of exemplary ratings, then renews

at Professional level (same is true for Lead

Professional)

Advanced Professional

• Beyond Induction, all validity periods are

five years; if job responsibilities change,

the certificate doesn’t until renewal

• Lead Professional & Induction certificates

must be implemented together; may have

to phase in requirements for Lead

Professional so support system is in place

for early career teachers

Additional Information

Questions about Tiered

Certification?

• Task force at work began during summer

to revise leadership rules

• Initial plan was to make relatively minor

revisions related to program entry

• Plan now to make major revisions to the

cert and prep rules

• Current proposal is to create an entry level

leadership tier & an advanced leadership

tier

Educational Leadership

• Level 5 – M.Ed. or certificate only program

• Prepares candidate for leadership

positions

– Below level of principal or superintendent

– District positions that don’t supervise

principals

• Preparation focus is on instructional

leadership

Educational Leadership – Entry Tier

• Level 6 or 7 – Ed.S., doctorate, or

certificate only program

• Prepares candidate for leadership position

– Principal or superintendent

– District positions that supervise principals

• Preparation focus is on development of

executive leadership skills

• Preparation is mostly performances in

school or district work

Ed Leadership – Advanced Tier

• Entry Tier

– Performances make-up about 1/3 of program

– End of program assessment is similar to current

GACE

• Advanced Tier

– Performances make-up about 75% of program

– End of program assessment is a performance

assessment (Missouri has recently developed

this instrument)

Educational Leadership

Questions?

Educational Leadership

David M. Hill, Ph.D.

Director, Educator Preparation &

Certification

Georgia Professional Standards

Commission

david.hill@gapsc.com

Contact Information