GATAPP: Alternative Teacher Certification in Southeast Georgia

GATAPP stands for the Georgia Teacher Academy for Preparation and Pedagogy. It is a state-approved alternative certification route that lets someone who already holds a bachelor's degree earn a Clear Renewable Teaching Certificate while working as the teacher of record. First District RESA runs the programme for the 19 school systems of Southeast and Coastal Georgia.

You must have secured a job offer for a teaching position in a school system in the First District RESA area, hold a bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university in a related field, pass the content-area GACE for the certification field you want, complete the Georgia Educator Ethics 360 assessment, provide official transcripts from every college attended, and obtain a Georgia Criminal History Report with fingerprinting through your employing school system.

You are not eligible if you completed student teaching as part of undergraduate or graduate work, or if you have already held a Clear Renewable Teaching Certificate or a Technical Specialist certificate. GATAPP is an initial certification route, so candidates who have already certified through another pathway are directed elsewhere.

Yes. GATAPP is job-embedded, so you certify while teaching in your own classroom. You must have a job offer from a school system in the First District RESA region before you can be admitted, and the employing system takes part in your application through a partnership agreement and an administrator assurance form.

There are two cohorts a year. The summer cohort begins in June with the two-week Essentials of Effective Teaching course and closes to applications in early June — it suits teachers starting in the fall semester. The winter cohort begins with orientation in January, closes to applications in early December, and takes the Essentials of Effective Teaching course the following summer.

The application fee is $55.00 and is non-refundable. It can be paid online or by money order — please do not mail cash. The fee is separate from programme costs and is submitted with the application packet.

A complete packet includes the non-refundable application fee, the candidate assurance form, the administrator assurance form, the school system assurance form and partnership agreement, the participant/mentor/administrator data summary form, transcripts from every college or university attended, your teaching certificate documentation, two letters of recommendation from a former employer, supervisor or principal, proof of completing the Georgia Educator Ethics 360 assessment, and proof of passing the appropriate GACE content-area assessment.

You need the content-area GACE that matches the certification field and the teaching position you have been hired for. Special education candidates must pass the appropriate GACE before completing the programme rather than before starting it.

Email the Alternative Certification division at altcert@fdresa.org or call (912) 685-7372. First District RESA is at 149 South Register Street, Metter, GA 30439.