SB484: SB484 Certificated Professional Personnel; pathway to certification by the Professional Standards Commission for experienced teachers; provide

26 LC 61 0298 Senate Bill 484 By: Senators Setzler of the 37th, Kirkpatrick of the 32nd, Hufstetler of the 52nd, Watson of the 1st and Hodges of the 3rd A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Subpart 1 of Part 6 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20, relating to certificated1 professional personnel, so as to provide a pathway to certifica tion by the Professional2 Standards Commission for experienced teachers; to provide requi rements for such3 certification; to prohibit discriminatory or disparate treatment of teachers and candidates for4 such certification; to provide a definition; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting5 laws; and for other purposes.6 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:7 SECTION 1.8 Subpart 1 of Part 6 of Article 6 of Chapter 2 of Title 20, relating to certificated professional9 personnel, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:10 "20-2-206.1.11 (a) As used in this Code section, the term:12 (1) 'Experience based teacher preparation program' means a program of study approved13 by the commission that consists of:14 (A) Six semester hours of coursework, which shall include:15 S. B. 484 - 1 - 26 LC 61 0298 (i) A course of three semester hours that includes information on pedagogy, the16 science of reading, evaluation, ethics, classroom management, a nd professional17 practice; and18 (ii) A course of three semester hours that includes information on child, adolescent,19 and young adult development and psychology, and special education; or20 (B) Eighty hours of professional development that includes ins truction on the21 information included in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph.22 (b) Upon an offer of employment by a local school system or pu blic school, the23 commission shall issue a professional certificate to a teacher candidate who meets the24 following requirements:25 (1) Holds a bachelor's degree or higher from a postsecondary ed ucational institution26 accredited by a regional accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department27 of Education or its successor;28 (2) Has:29 (A) Not less than four years of verifiable teaching experience in kindergarten through30 grade five in a public or private school for an elementary school teacher candidate; or31 (B) Not less than four years of verifiable teaching experience in grades six through 1232 in a public or private school or not less than 72 semester hours, or the equivalent quarter33 hours, of verifiable teaching experience at a postsecondary edu cational institution34 accredited by a regional accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department35 of Education or its successor for a secondary school teacher candidate;36 (3) Completes an experience based teacher preparation program;37 (4) Attains a passing score on the Georgia educator ethics ass essment portion of the38 Georgia Assessments for Certification of Educators (GACE); and39 (5) Attains a passing score on the content assessment portion of the GACE for the40 teaching field for which such candidate seeks certification.41 S. B. 484 - 2 - 26 LC 61 0298 (c) The commission shall not impose requirements in addition t o or in lieu of the42 requirements provided for in this Code section for a teacher ca ndidate to receive a43 professional certificate pursuant to this Code section.44 (d) A local school system or public school shall not discriminate or treat differently in any45 manner a teacher possessing a professional certificate pursuant to this Code section,46 including, but not limited to, refusal to admit such teacher to a job fair or other teacher47 recruitment activity."48 SECTION 2.49 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.50 S. B. 484 - 3 -