Business Education Teacher Certification in Georgia
Business teachers prepare students for college or university and to work in the business world. Read on for a job description and for an overview of the education required and the assessments that must be passed in order to become a certified business education teacher in Georgia.
Becoming a Certified Business Education Teacher in Georgia: Education and Certification Requirements
Aspiring business teachers will need to earn the Business Education (6-12) certification. The state of Georgia has a 4-tiered teacher certification system. This article will focus upon certifying at the second tier: the Induction tier.
<table border="1"><tr><td> Education/Experience Required </td><td> Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution <br/> Completion of educator preparation program <br/> Completion of course on identifying and educating exceptional children</td></tr>
<tr><td> Exams Required </td><td> GACE Program Admission Assessment <br/> Educator Ethics Assessment - Program Entry <br/> GACE Content Assessment: Business Education <br/> Educator Ethics Assessment - Program Exit <br/> Content Pedagogy Assessment: edTPA</td></tr>
<tr><td> License Validity Period </td><td> Induction Certificate: 3 years</td></tr>
<tr><td> Mean Salary for High School Teachers in Georgia (2018) </td><td> $58,050 (General); $64,420 (Career/Technical Education Teachers)*</td></tr>
<tr><td> Estimated Job Growth for High School Teachers (2016-2026, nationwide) </td><td> 8%*</td></tr>
</table><p><i>Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i>
</p><h3 id="section---JobDescription">Job Description</h3><p>Business teachers in Georgia can instruct courses from grades 6-12. They instruct students in topics such as finance, management, business law, and entrepreneurship. They prepare lessons, assign projects and assignments, and assess student progress. Students will be assigned to do individual, small group, and team projects. Business teachers will also meet with parents to report on student progress and may also advise after-school clubs, such as the Future Business Leaders of America.
</p><h3 id="section---Education">Education</h3><p>Certifying as a teacher in Georgia requires the completion of a bachelor's degree program at an accredited institution and the completion of a Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC)-approved educator preparation program. In order to be admitted into an educator preparation program in Georgia, candidates must pass:
</p><ul><li>GACE Program Admission Assessment
</li><li>GACE Educator Ethics Assessment - Program Entry
</li></ul><p>The educator preparation program will include field work and clinical practice (internship/residency). In order to complete this portion of the educator preparation program, candidates must certify at the first tier of the 4-tiered teacher certification system:
</p><ul><li>Pre-Service Certification: Will be requested on behalf of the candidate by the institution where he or she is completing the educator preparation program.
</li></ul><p>Candidates for Business Education (6-12) certification will do their fieldwork and clinical practice with grades 6-8 and 9-12.
</p><h3 id="section---InductionTierCertification">Induction Tier Certification</h3><p>The requirements for Induction certification will depend upon where the student completed the education preparation program and student teaching and if the student did the educator preparation program in conjunction with the bachelor's degree. The GaPSC has defined four different pathways. The following requirements comprise Pathway 1, which is the pathway for students who completed their educator preparation program at a Georgia institution and who completed their educator preparation program in conjunction with their bachelor's degree. Candidates must complete a course on identifying and educating exceptional children. Candidates must also pass several assessments:
</p><ul><li>GACE Content Assessment: Business Education
</li><li>Educator Ethics Assessment - Program Exit Assessment
</li><li>Content Pedagogy Assessment: Education Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA)
</li></ul><h3 id="section---AdvancingToTheProfessionalTier">Advancing to the Professional Tier</h3><p>Educators can advance to the Professional tier after three years of teaching in a Georgia institution. There are four different certificates at this level, and the certificate earned will depend upon the requirements the educator has fulfilled. Three years' teaching is sufficient for the Standard Professional Certificate, unless the educator wants a service certificate. Educators who want the Standard Professional Educational Leadership Certificate must also complete a GaPSC-approved Tier I Educational Leadership program. Educators who have earned a 'Proficient' or 'Exemplary' rating all three years on the TAPS component of the statewide Teacher Keys Effectiveness System evaluation will earn the Performance-Based Professional Certificate. Educators who want the Performance-Based Professional Educational Leadership Certificate must, in addition to meeting the evaluation standards, complete a GaPSC-approved Performance-Based Educational Leadership program, pass the GACE Educational Leadership content assessment, and pass the Performance Assessment for School Leaders.</p>