Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education (Parapro-to-Teacher Track)

The Parapro-to-Teacher track leads to a Bachelor’s of Science in Elementary Education. With this degree, graduates are able to complete the GACE test in Elementary Education/Special Education General Curriculum to gain initial certification from the Georgia Professional Standards Commissions (teacher licensing body in Georgia). This will result in the student earning a bachelor's degree in elementary education and being a licensed teacher in the state of Georgia. With this, a graduate can be hired to teach in a public or private school. You may review our certification status on the PSC website here (search for Gordon State College) here.

Gordon State has two tracks for the Bachelor degree in Elementary Education. The traditional program is on-campus (in Barnesville) and the parapro-to-teacher track is online. Students are required to be hired as paraprofessionals in a public school system during their time in the program. They must also sign an agreement with their principal agreeing to field experiences in the grade bands of:

• 1st Fall Semester in the Program: Kindergarten or 1st grade, 100 hours
• 1st Spring Semester in the Program: 2nd or 3rd grade, 100 hours
• Summer Semester: No field experiences
• 2nd Fall Semester in the Program: 4th or 5th grade, 100 hours
• 2nd Spring Semester in the Program: Choice of K-5 grade, 600 hours (student teaching)

Interested individuals will first need to apply to Gordon State College and send their official transcripts (from every college they have attended) to admissions@gordonstate.edu. Upon acceptance, an advisor will contact the student with a list of pre-courses needed to start the program. It may be that the student is transferring in some of those pre-courses. Once the pre-courses are complete, the student will be encouraged to apply to the elementary education program.

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges