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First District RESA

Georgia’s largest RESA by area

First in ServiceFirst in LeadershipFirst in Collaboration

The shared-services agency for 19 school systems across 18 counties of Southeast and Coastal Georgia.

What we doBrowse events
What those three words mean

Next up

Training that sticks

Workshops, endorsement cohorts, and coaching sessions run throughout the year — pick a session and bring it back to your building.

Educators seated together during a training session
A cohort day at a recent session

  • Check and Connect Mentor Training (opens CourseConnect in a new tab)

    GLRSSingle day · Free

    This is a First District RESA regional event, open to first come, first served. Check & Connect is an intervention used with K-12 students who show early warning signs of disengagement with school and who are at risk of dropping out. At the core of Check & Connect is a trusting relationship between the student and a caring, trained mentor who both advocates for and challenges the student to keep education salient. Students are referred to Check & Connect when they show warning signs of disengaging from school, such as poor attendance, behavioral issues, and/or low grades. Please be prepared for a working lunch (bring from home or order-in from several local restuarants). GLRS are trained trainers. Training is FREE. GLRS provides ongoing support.

    8:30 AM – 3:30 PM

    First District RESA, MetterMetter

    9 seats left

All 41 upcoming sessions

What we do

Six divisions, one shared bench

A system of two thousand students gets the same specialists as a system of ten thousand — that's the point of a shared bench.

  • Comprehensive support services for students with diverse learning needs across Coastal and Southeast Georgia, and for the educators and families around them.

  • GATAPP, professional endorsements, and APEL leadership certification — routes into and up through the classroom for career changers and experienced educators alike.

  • Training, resources, and coaching within the GaMTSS framework — addressing academics, wellbeing, and behavior so schools can build a climate that lasts.

  • Hands-on technology training, artificial intelligence guidance, and consulting on the projects your team does not have the capacity to take on alone.

  • Professional development, curriculum resources, and coaching that help educators put evidence-based literacy practices to work in every grade.

  • Math consultants who bring the resources, strategies, and professional learning teams need — including classroom observations and targeted feedback.

Salt marsh and live oaks at golden hour in coastal Georgia

The region

From the Ogeechee to the Florida line, one agency stands behind every classroom.

Rural, coastal, and everything between — different places, the same standard of support.

Alternative certification

Already have a degree? You can teach.

From a first thought about teaching to leading a school — start at the stop that matches where you're standing today.

  1. Teach in the Peach

    Thinking about teaching? (opens in a new tab)

    The Georgia Department of Education's hub for becoming a teacher: certification pathways, job openings, salary and benefits.

  2. GATAPP

    Have a degree, but no certificate?

    Earn your initial teaching certification while you work, alongside experienced educators from day one.

  3. Endorsements

    Certified, and want to grow your range?

    Add specialized endorsements to the certificate you already hold — new subject areas, new grade levels.

  4. APEL

    Ready to lead a school?

    Advance Professional Educational Leadership — preparation for leadership roles and the impact that comes with them.

Whichever route you take, you won't walk it alone. Coaching, cohorts, and certification guidance from the RESA team, start to finish.

Explore the program

Who we serve

Nineteen systems, one agency

19 school districts and 2 GNETS programs across 18 counties of Southeast and Coastal Georgia.

Also serving

  • Cedarwood GNETS
  • Coastal Academy GNETS

How is the region doing? See its Georgia Milestones results, CCRPI scores and early literacy report.

Contacts for every system

Not sure where to start?

Tell us what your district needs and we will point you at the person who handles it — or browse the directory and go straight to them.
Get in touchStaff directory