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What is the Reading Endorsement? 
How do I add the Reading Endorsement to my Certificate? 

Application for the Reading Endorsement Program For PLU or SDU Credit
Application for Graduate School Credit/Graduate Admissions 

What is the Reading Endorsement?

The University System of Georgia Reading Consortium (USGRC) has designed a Reading Endorsement for Georgia's P-12 classroom teachers. The Georgia Reading Endorsement was officially approved by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission in the Fall 1998.

The USGRC identified three strands which should be addressed by programs offering an endorsement:

Consortium members also developed two models for delivering the endorsement content:

 NGCSU's approach to offering the Reading Endorsement:

North Georgia College & State University will offer the reading endorsement for attachment to an existing Georgia certificate. NGCSU offers a variety of tracks toward obtaining this endorsement.

Completely online courses:

The three graduate courses required for this endorsement include:

Contact Megan Nason for more information concerning this option.

Onsite school/district level program:

NGCSU will coordinate an onsite program or institute for schools or districts with a group of 20 or more participants. These programs may be run throughout a school year or as a summer institute with application of knowledge during the following school year.

Contact Megan Nason for more information concerning this option.

Each of the above options must include a field-based experience. Most endorsement level students are employed in P-12 schools, which provides direct contact with schools and students. Reading endorsement participants are expected to apply advanced knowledge and skills in their respective classrooms. Students completing the NGCSU Master's degree program will plan a capstone experience that has direct linkage to school improvement and/or action research in their schools or classrooms.

How do I add the Reading Endorsement to my Certificate?

You have to apply for it when you have completed the coursework. Grades and your degree (if applicable) have to be posted by the Registrar before anything can be processed.  Please follow the directions below.

NGCSU INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING THE CERTIFICATION PACKET
 READ INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE BEGINNING.  USE DARK OR BLACK INK.

Complete the entire Georgia PSC Certification Application, all three pages.  (This form is on the PSC website: www.gapsc.com )
 
Complete the PSC Approved Recommendation Form, first three lines only, stopping with your date of birth   (This form is on the PSC website: www.gapsc.com )
 
If you took the courses for college credit, complete the Transcript Request Form, marking the “delivery destination” as Teacher Certification. (This form is on the NGCSU website under Registrar’s Office.)  Place the Transcript Request form on the top of the packet before submitting to Registrar’s Office.  Send the entire packet to the Registrar’s Office, with the Transcript Request form on top of the packet.  They will issue an official transcript and forward your packet to the Teacher Education Department.
 
If you took the courses for Professional Learning Units (PLUs), complete the PSC Certification Application and the PSC Approved Recommendation form (stopping with date of birth), attach your PLU transcript(s) and mail your packet to NGCSU, Teacher Education, Attention Chris Parker, Dahlonega, GA  30597.
 
If you are applying for INITIAL certification, whether you took the courses for college credit or for PLU credit, you must attach copies of your PRAXIS 1/GACE basic and PRAXIS II/GACE Content test scores before submitting the packet UNLESS your scores are listed on the PSC website - www.gapsc.com.  Click the icon that reads “check certification status”,   enter your name and you will see the documentation the PSC has on file for you.  If your test scores appear there, you do not need to attach them to your packet.  If you exempted PRAXIS I or GACE basic but do not see it on the PSC website, you must attach evidence of any test scores used for exemption purposes.

If this is your first certificate, there will be no fee for processing your application.  If this is NOT your first certificate, the PSC will charge a $20.00 fee. If you hold or have held a non-renewable certificate, there will be a $20.00 fee to convert to a clear-renewable. If you are employed, you may submit the Georgia PSC Employer Assurance Form (found  on the PSC website) signed by the county superintendent or central office designee to exempt the fee.  This form may be sent directly to the PSC via mail or filed electronically by the county office.

We will mail your packet to the PSC UNLESS your school system wants to mail the paperwork in for you. If this is the case, YOU MUST FOLLOW ALL OF THE ABOVE STEPS.   Include a self-addressed envelope (postage is not necessary) and we will mail it to you to submit to your county office.  We cannot mail your packet to the county office.  We mail it to you and you submit it to them.  If your packet does not include the self-addressed envelope, we mail it directly to the PSC.  After about three weeks, you can track the status of your certification on the PSC website.
If you have questions, contact Chris Parker, Certification Officer, at 706-864-1852.