Preparation and Certification

The Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC) is the teacher certification agency for the Georgia. Library media specialists (LMSs) are certified at the master degree level. An undergraduate educational degree or prior teaching certification or experience in another academic discipline is not required. Thus, a master’s degree in library information science from an approved teacher education program is required for Georgia certification as a library media specialist. A successful score on the PRAXIS I and II exams (for LMSs) is also required.

Specific Teacher Certification Rules may be found at the GaPSC Web site at http://www.gapsc.org/.

The rules governing LMS certification are

505-2-.116 Media Specialist

505-2-.06 Certification by Approved Programs

505-2-.08 Special Georgia Requirements

505-2-.13 Standard Renewal Requirements

505-2-.15 Certification by Reciprocity

National Board Certification

National Board Certification is a symbol of professional teaching excellence. A National Board certificate will attest that a teacher was judged by his or her peers as one who is accomplished, makes sound professional judgments about students' best interests, and acts effectively on those judgments. Offered on a voluntary basis, National Board Certification complements, but does not replace, state licensing. While state licensing systems set requirements to teach in each state, National Board Certification establishes high and rigorous advanced standards for experienced teachers to demonstrate accomplished practice.

The LMS standards and assessment are under development. Dr. David Loertscher, author of Taxonomies of the School Media Center Program and other noted works, and Mrs. Sharon Coatney,1998 AASL president, are co-chairing the national committee. During the 2000-2001 school year, a pilot study will be conducted in selected areas for the newly written standards for National Board Certification for the LMS position. Watch the National Board of Professional Teaching Standard (NBPTS) Web site at www.nbpts.org. for the standards and certification information.

Cynthia Wilson, a member of the library media NBPTS standards committee and a National Board Certified Teacher, has created a Web site which will serve as a discussion and information area about the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and our upcoming board certification opportunity. The URL is http://geocities.com/educationplace/lmnbpts.htm

Anyone considering applying for board certification in library media in the 2001-2002 school year (the first year this will be available for library media specialists) should visit the site listed above and join the discussion.