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Catoosa County Public Schools

A Georgia Charter System

Certification

Certification

Certification for Teachers and Paraprofessionals

All Catoosa County School System teachers, administrators, service personnel, and paraprofessionals are required by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GAPSC) to hold an appropriate certificate for the field, subject, grade level, or assignment. The GAPSC establishes regulations and procedures to evaluate the credentials of prospective teachers, as well as other professional employees in the schools, to ensure they meet preparation standards and requirements.

State certification provides a standardized base-level of professional knowledge and skill for educators in public schools. Georgia has many individualized requirements and some common standards that are required for certification. The GAPSC outlines the state certification system in rules and procedures for the Certification of Education Personnel. For information on eligibility, reciprocity, testing requirements, and application procedures, please visit the GAPSC website at www.gapsc.com.

The CCPS Human Resources Office will assist in the process of initial certification, renewals, and upgrades but it is the individual's responsibility to meet state requirements for certification.  All certification renewals and conversions of certificates should be processed through CCPS Human Resources.  

Certification Information for Certified Employees

  • Certification Requirements for
    5 Year Induction Certificate (Initial Certification)

    Certified employees new to CCPS are required to file a certification application package upon hiring. The following items are required:

    • Register for a MyPSC account with the Georgia Professional Standards Commission here using your personal email address.

    • Complete an Initial Certificate and License Application (this can be done through your MyPSC account)

    • Complete the Verification of Lawful Presence form (must be notarized/complete at new hire appointment)

    • Copy of Driver’s License or federally issued picture ID.

    • Official transcripts from all colleges attended sent to mail@gapsc.com.

    • Copy of professional out of state certificate or Approved Program Completion Form. (if applicable)

    • Passing scores on appropriate GACE content assessments or exemption with copy of your official score report for content assessment.

    • Review the Code of Ethics for Educators

    • Complete the Educator Ethics GACE (test code 360)

    It is important to note that Georgia law requires that teachers in Georgia Public Schools have a certificate issued by the Professional Standards Commission.  State funds are provided to local systems based on the teaching certificate on file.  In view of legal and financial requirements, a teacher must have a valid teaching certificate no later than 60 calendar days following the effective date of employment.  In the event a teaching certificate is not verified within 60 calendar days, an appointment must be scheduled with the Director of Human Resources. 

    For more information about Initial Certification, please click here.

  • Certification Requirements for Educators Seeking Initial Georgia Certification with an Out-Of-State Certificate

     

    • Register for a MyPSC account at with the Georgia Professional Standards Commission at gapsc.com using your personal email address.

    • Complete an Initial Certificate and License Application (this can be done through your MyPSC account or at HR appointment with CCPS)

    • Complete the Verification of Lawful Presence form (must be notarized/complete at HR appointment)

    • Copy of Driver’s License or federally issued picture ID.

    • GaPSC Experience Verification Form

    • Previous 5 years of satisfactory performance evaluations (if not included on Experience Verification form)

    • Copy of professional out of state certificate or Approved Program Completion Form.

    • Copy of official score report(s) for any content/subject area assessments that you were required to take for your out of state certificate.

    • Official transcripts from all colleges attended sent to mail@gapsc.com.

    • Review the Code of Ethics for Educators here.

    • Complete the Educator Ethics GACE (test code 360) if less than 3 years of educator experience.

    For more information on reciprocating an out of state certificate, please click here.

  • Certification Requirements for
    a Provisional Certificate

    You must be Employed by an LUA to qualify for the Provisional Certificate and the employer has to make the request.

    • Register for a MyPSC account at with the Georgia Professional Standards Commission at gapsc.com using your personal email address.

    • Complete an Initial Certificate and License Application (complete at HR appointment with CCPS)

    • Complete the Verification of Lawful Presence form (must be notarized/complete at HR appointment)

    • Copy of Driver’s License or federally issued picture ID.

    • Official transcripts from all colleges attended sent electronically to jadkins@catoosa.k12.ga.us (bachelor’s degree or higher and minimum 2.5 GPA) 

    • Review the Code of Ethics for Educators here

    • Complete the Educator Ethics GACE (test code 360)

    • Passing scores on appropriate GACE content assessments. (Special Education is not required up front, but all other content exams are required for issuance of the provisional certificate)

    Registration for GACE exams are done through the "Assessments" tab of your MyPSC dashboard.

    For more information about the requirements of a Provisional Certificate, please click here.

  • Certification Requirements to Become a Paraprofessional

     

    Paraprofessionals new to CCPS are required to file a certification application package upon hiring. The following items are required:

    • Register for a MyPSC account at with the Georgia Professional Standards Commission at gapsc.com using your personal email address.

    • Complete Initial Certificate and License Application (complete at HR appointment with CCPS)

    • Complete the Verification of Lawful Presence form (must be notarized/complete at HR appointment with CCPS)

    • Copy of Driver’s License or federally issued picture ID.

    • Meet one of the following qualifications:

      • Copy of high school diploma or GED equivalent and pass the GACE Paraprofessional Assessment. (register for Parapro GACE here)

      • OR

      • Official College Transcripts reflecting 2 years (60 semester hours) of college coursework above the remedial level at a GaPSC-accepted accredited institution with a grade of “C” or better;
        OR

      • Hold an Associate's Degree or higher in any subject from a GaPSC accepted-accredited institution.

    • Review the Code of Ethics for Educators here.

    Please have official transcripts sent electronically to haphillips@catoosa.k12.ga.us.

    Georgia law requires that paraprofessionals in Georgia Public Schools have a certificate issued by the Professional Standards Commission.  In view of legal and financial requirements, a paraprofessional must have a valid certificate no later than 60 calendar days following the effective date of employment.  In the event a certificate is not verified within 60 calendar days, an appointment must be scheduled with the Director of Human Resources.

     

    For more information about the requirements to become a paraprofessional, please click here.

  • Certification Renewal

    PERSONAL AFFIRMATIONS

    Personal Affirmation Questions must be answered each fiscal year.  If you have not updated your PAQs since July 1, 2025 you will need to log in to your MyPSC account here. 

     

    BACKGROUND CHECK

    Educators are required to complete a background check for certificate renewal.  We are pleased to add an additional option for those who are residents of Catoosa County. Please choose the appropriate option based on your legal residence.

    Option 1:  Catoosa County Residents Only

                        Appear in person to: Catoosa County Sheriff’s Office

                                                               5842 Highway 41
                                                               Ringgold, GA 30736
                                                               Mon-Fri    8:30am - 5:00 pm

    Please bring: 

    • This completed form, please complete highlighted fields (you will not need to sign section 3)
    • Valid Catoosa County Driver’s License (proof of residency is required if DL does not show Catoosa County)
    • $10 cash (exact change only)
    • Fingerprints are not required with this option

    Please inform the clerk you are with Catoosa County Public Schools.  CCSO will release results to Human Resources.  In the event your background check returns with a criminal history, CCSO will contact you directly.  You will be required to sign for your results and it is your responsibility to deliver the original form to the Human Resources Department.  

     

    Option 2:  Non-Catoosa County Residents

    Schedule your background check with CCPS Human Resources. Appointments are available 12/01/2026 through 3/28/2026.  Schedule an appointment here.

    Please bring:

    Please allot 30 minutes for the fingerprinting process.

     

    ***Be advised that you MUST have an appointment to be fingerprinted.  Human Resources will not fingerprint anyone without an appointment.***

     

    PROFESSIONAL LEARNING PLAN

    The rule requiring completion of a Professional Learning Plan (PLP) or Professional Learning Goals (PLG) for employed educators became effective July 1, 2017.  

    Human Resources will work with your administrator to confirm you have made adequate progress towards your PLP or PLG, eliminating the need to submit certificates and/or transcripts to the PSC for certificate renewal.  Please keep that information for your personal record.

    As our CCPS handbook states “Certification is the responsibility of the individual teacher. The Department of Human Resources will assist in the process of initial certification, renewals, and upgrades but it is the individual’s responsibility to meet state requirements for certification.”  The Human Resource office will offer as much assistance as needed, however we must have your willing cooperation for the renewal process to be successful!

     

    Please direct any questions to Haley Phillips, Certification Specialist, in Human Resources.