Become a Teacher in Georgia

The Georgia Teacher Alternative Preparation Program (GaTAPP) helps would-be teachers who did not complete a teacher certification program to join the profession. Each candidate receives the support of a group of mentors and coaches who help train them over a one- to three-year internship. A list of more alternate routes to certification in Georgia can be found at the Georgia Professional Standards Commission website. Members of the military may be eligible for Georgia’s Troops to Teachers Program.

The Georgia Public School System runs Teach Georgia, a site where teachers can search for employment by school district and job title. Learn more about finding a teaching job.

According to 2018 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average teacher in Georgia makes around $58,000 per year. A 2018 Georgia Department of Education study reported that teacher salaries ranged from $35,217 for first-year teachers with just a Bachelor’s degree to $76,980 for teachers with at least 21 years of experience and the highest level of Georgia teacher certification. Georgia provides additional pay incentives for those willing to teach in high needs school districts, or in shortage subjects. Learn more about teacher salaries at Teach.com.

Georgia teachers can retire at age 60 with 10 years of service, or at any age after 30 years of service. The Teachers Retirement System of Georgia (TRSG) serves teachers in Georgia looking for assistance with their retirement. There are multiple plans available depending on the coverage you’re looking for. Georgia also offers additional benefits to teachers, such as health care plans and an annual number of sick days. Learn more about benefits for teachers at Teach.com.

The United States Department of Education defines a Teacher Shortage Area (TSA) as a subject matter or grade level within a state in which there is an inadequate supply of elementary or secondary teachers. The shortage may be caused by teaching positions that are unfilled or are filled by teachers who have temporary certification or teach in an academic subject other than their area of preparation. According to a report by the US Department of Education, Georgia has the following Teacher Shortage Areas:

Georgia residents are eligible for the Applegate/Jackson/Parks Future Teacher Scholarship, as well as the TEACH Grant, which gives financial aid to students in return for an agreement to teach in a high-need school.

Learn more about how to finance your Master’s degree on Teach.com.

In 2017 Georgia adopted a professional learning system called Professional Learning Communities (PLC). A PLC consists of members of a school who follow agreed upon norms to focus collaborative work on teaching and learning. The cycle of work is described as,

More information on Professional Learning can be found at Georgia Professional Standards Commision.

Georgia also follows the Learning Forward standards for staff development. This Professional Learning Association council is widely recognized as a leader in the field of professional development. The standards are based on three questions: What are the students expected to know and be able to do? What are teachers expected to know and be able to do to ensure student success? Where must staff development focus to meet both of these goals? Teachers work in a cohort style method based on their subject areas and grade levels. Upon completion a Mentor Teacher distinction from the Department of Education.

It is no longer enough to just have years of experience for teaching. After No Child Left Behind and other academic quantification measures, the careers of teachers increasingly depend on their results in the classroom. A master’s degree in the field of education will give you more educational theory and classroom skills, as well as more hands-on student teaching experience with a mentor. After a Master’s program, you have the potential to achieve better results in the classroom and have more job security and higher pay.

Learn more about the benefits of a Master of Arts in Teaching vs. Master of Education on Teach.com.