Georgia CommonsSenate · Introduced · 2025-2026 Regular Session
SB 484: Certificated Professional Personnel; pathway to certification by the Professional Standards Commission for experienced teachers; provide
Last action February 11, 2026 · Senate Read and Referred
A Georgia Senate bill would create a new certification path letting experienced classroom teachers earn a professional teaching certificate through a shorter training program instead of a traditional education degree.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the bill and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Introduced version, the latest the General Assembly's website lists.
In plain language
Currently, teachers in Georgia typically earn certification through college teacher preparation programs. This bill adds a new option to Georgia law (O.C.G.A. Title 20) for people who already have years of teaching experience but lack a formal education credential. Under the bill, someone with a bachelor's degree and at least four years of verifiable teaching experience (in kindergarten through 5th grade for elementary candidates, or grades 6-12 or relevant college teaching for secondary candidates) could qualify for a professional certificate. They would need to complete a shorter 'experience based teacher preparation program' of either six semester hours of coursework or 80 hours of professional development covering pedagogy, reading instruction, child development, special education, and related topics. They would also need to pass the ethics and content portions of the Georgia Assessments for Certification of Educators (GACE). The Professional Standards Commission could not add extra requirements beyond these, and schools could not treat teachers certified this way differently, including barring them from job fairs or recruitment events.
What the bill does
- Creates a new certification pathway allowing teachers with at least four years of verifiable experience and a bachelor's degree to become certified without a traditional teacher preparation degree.
- Defines an 'experience based teacher preparation program' as either six semester hours of specific coursework or 80 hours of professional development on the same topics.
- Requires candidates to pass the ethics assessment and the content assessment portions of the GACE for their teaching field.
- Bars the Professional Standards Commission from adding requirements beyond those listed in the bill for this certification pathway.
- Prohibits local school systems and public schools from discriminating against or treating differently teachers certified through this new pathway, including denying them access to job fairs or recruitment events.
Who it affects
Experienced teachers who lack a traditional education degree, local school systems and public schools that hire and recruit teachers, the Professional Standards Commission which issues certificates, and postsecondary institutions that may offer the new preparation programs.
Why it matters
Teachers with years of classroom experience but no formal education degree could become certified faster, potentially easing staffing shortages. Schools would have to treat these certificate holders the same as traditionally certified teachers, which could change hiring and recruitment practices statewide.
Key provisions
- New Code section 20-2-206.1(a) defines an 'experience based teacher preparation program' as six semester hours of coursework or 80 hours of professional development covering pedagogy, reading science, evaluation, ethics, classroom management, child and adolescent development, and special education.
- Subsection (b) requires a bachelor's degree, at least four years of verifiable teaching experience (specific grade ranges for elementary versus secondary candidates), completion of the preparation program, and passing scores on the GACE ethics and content assessments.
- Subsection (c) prohibits the Professional Standards Commission from imposing additional or substitute requirements for this certification pathway.
- Subsection (d) prohibits local school systems and public schools from discriminating against or treating differently teachers certified under this pathway, including denying access to job fairs or recruitment activities.
- Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.
From the bill
“the commission shall issue a professional certificate to a teacher candidate who meets the following requirements”
“The commission shall not impose requirements in addition to or in lieu of the requirements provided for in this Code section for a teacher candidate to receive a professional certificate pursuant to this Code section.”
“A local school system or public school shall not discriminate or treat differently in any manner a teacher possessing a professional certificate pursuant to this Code section”
Discussed in meetings (1)
The House and Senate meetings that took this bill up, from their machine transcripts. Each account was written by Georgia Commons with AI and is not part of the record; the video is what was said.
Senate Education and Youth Committee, February 24, 2026
From 0:54:04 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor proposed an experience-based certification pathway for private-school and college teachers seeking public-school jobs. The sponsor said applicants would need a bachelor’s degree or higher, four years of verifiable teaching, required ethics and subject tests, a job offer, and six college credit hours or 80 professional training hours. Elementary applicants would need elementary experience; secondary applicants could use secondary or higher-education experience. The sponsor argued that experience should replace student teaching and much of the additional coursework otherwise required. Asked whether a practicing lawyer without teaching experience would qualify, the sponsor said no. One member questioned the narrow focus, stressed preparation for working with children and students with disabilities, and asked about consultation with the Professional Standards Commission and university education departments. The sponsor said the six-credit-hour core covered teaching methods, reading instruction, classroom management, child development and special education. Another member asked about the existing provisional period, which speakers clarified was three years. The chair said more work was needed and encouraged continued discussions with the Professional Standards Commission. No vote was taken.
Status timeline
- Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
- Senate Hopper (Senate)
Sponsors
- Ed Setzler (R, SD-37)
- Kay Kirkpatrick (R, SD-32)
- Chuck Hufstetler (R, SD-52)
- Ben Watson (R, SD-1)
- Mike Hodges (R, SD-3)
Topics
- teacher certification
- education policy
- teacher shortages
- Professional Standards Commission
- school hiring