Georgia Principal Certification: Educational Leadership Requirements
Georgia principal certification runs through a two-tier Educational Leadership Certificate issued by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC). Candidates must already hold a Level 5 or higher Georgia educator certificate, complete a GaPSC-approved Tier I program, and pass the required GACE Educational Leadership assessments before advancing to Tier II, the certification level required to serve as a head principal.
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Georgia doesn’t hand out principal certification in one step. Anyone who wants to lead a school or district in the state moves through a two-tier Educational Leadership Certificate system set by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC), and each tier unlocks a different scope of leadership work.
Use the links below to jump to the tier structure, exam requirements, application process, and renewal details.
- How Georgia’s Tier I and Tier II certificates work
- Education requirements for each tier
- GACE exams and assessments required
- How to apply through MyPSC
- Background check requirements
- Certificate validity and renewal
How Georgia’s Tier I and Tier II Certificates Work
Before starting an educational leadership program, you must already hold a Level 5 or higher Georgia teaching certificate. From there, Georgia splits leadership certification into two tiers.
A Tier I Educational Leadership Certificate qualifies you for leadership positions below the level of principal, such as assistant principal or vice principal, and for district-level roles that don’t involve supervising principals. A Tier II certificate is the credential required to serve as a head principal at the building level or in most district-level leadership roles, including most superintendent positions, subject to applicable Georgia employment and certification requirements. You must hold Tier I certification before you can move into a Tier II program.
Tier I: Entry-Level Educational Leadership Certification
Tier I prepares you for leadership roles that support a principal without replacing one. To earn it, you’ll complete a GaPSC-approved Tier I educator preparation program at the master’s, educational specialist, or doctoral degree level. If you already hold a master’s degree or higher, a Tier I certification-only program (typically an 18-hour graduate certificate) can satisfy the requirement without a full second degree.
Tier II: Head Principal and Superintendent Certification
Tier II is the certificate you need to run a school or district. You’ll complete a GaPSC-approved Tier II preparation program, offered as certification-only, specialist-level, or doctoral-level, and pass the assessments tied to that tier. Georgia treats district-level supervisory roles, including most superintendent positions, as Tier II certifications, subject to applicable Georgia employment and certification requirements.
Education Requirements
Both tiers require a graduate-level program approved by GaPSC, and both are built on top of an existing Georgia educator certificate rather than a stand-alone degree path. If you already hold a master’s degree in a field other than educational leadership, GaPSC-approved programs still require you to complete leadership-specific coursework, including school law and ethics, organizational leadership, and using data in the school improvement process, before you can move forward in the tier system.
Candidates must complete a GaPSC-approved educator preparation program. Many Georgia programs are CAEP accredited, and CAEP succeeded NCATE, so older references to NCATE-approved programs point to the same accreditation standard under a different name today.
GACE Exams and Assessments
Georgia ties each tier to its own set of Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators (GACE) exams, plus a special education preparation requirement.
- GACE Ethics for Educational Leadership – Program Entry: must be completed before enrolling in a GaPSC-approved leadership program.
- GACE Educational Leadership assessment: required to earn Tier I certification.
- GACE Ethics for Educational Leadership – Program Exit: required before completing the program.
- GACE Educational Leadership – Tier II assessment: required for Tier II certification, effective for candidates completing programs on or after July 1, 2025.
- Special education preparation requirement: candidates must satisfy GaPSC’s special education preparation requirement, typically met through approved coursework or program requirements.
Current testing locations and delivery options are available through the GACE testing program.
How to Apply
Once you’ve completed a GaPSC-approved program and the required assessments, you’ll apply for certification through your MyPSC account, the Georgia Professional Standards Commission’s online portal for educators. Submit your official transcripts and program completion documentation through the portal rather than by mail. Because processing steps and required forms can change between application cycles, check your MyPSC account or GaPSC’s certification pages directly for the current application checklist rather than relying on a fixed list of documents.
If you already hold educational leadership certification from another state, you may be eligible through Georgia’s reciprocity process, subject to GaPSC evaluation, using either an approved program completion form or a valid out-of-state professional certificate as the basis for review.
Background Check Requirements
Georgia doesn’t require a criminal history background check as part of the certification application itself, unless you’ve been convicted of a misdemeanor or felony involving moral turpitude in another state, in which case an FBI criminal history report is required with your application. Once a Georgia school system hires you, though, you’ll go through that system’s standard employment background check, and the district typically covers the cost.
Certificate Validity and Renewal
Renewal requirements depend on which certificate type you hold and whether it’s a standard or non-renewable certificate, and those specifics can shift between GaPSC rule updates. Rather than relying on a fixed renewal timeline, check your MyPSC account directly for your certificate’s expiration date and the renewal requirements tied to it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a doctorate to become a principal in Georgia?
No. A master’s degree combined with a GaPSC-approved Tier II educational leadership program satisfies the education requirement. Educational specialist and doctoral-level programs are also accepted, but they aren’t mandatory for Tier II certification.
What’s the difference between Tier I and Tier II certification?
Tier I qualifies you for leadership roles below the level of principal, such as assistant principal or district roles that don’t supervise principals. Tier II is required to serve as a head principal or in most district-level leadership roles, including most superintendent positions, subject to applicable Georgia employment and certification requirements.
Do I need to already be a certified teacher before pursuing principal certification?
Yes. GaPSC requires that you already hold a Level 5 or higher Georgia educator certificate before entering an educational leadership program.
What exams do I need to pass?
You’ll complete the GACE Ethics for Educational Leadership assessment at program entry and exit, the GACE Educational Leadership assessment for Tier I, and the GACE Educational Leadership – Tier II assessment for Tier II, along with GaPSC’s special education preparation requirement.
How long is a Georgia educational leadership certificate valid?
Certificate validity periods depend on which certificate type you hold and whether it’s a standard or non-renewable certificate. Check your MyPSC account for your specific renewal date and requirements.
- Certification runs through two tiers — Tier I covers assistant-level leadership roles, and Tier II is required to serve as a head principal or superintendent.
- You need an existing Georgia educator certificate first — Level 5 or higher- before entering a GaPSC-approved leadership program.
- GACE exams gate every stage — Ethics assessments at program entry and exit, plus tier-specific Educational Leadership assessments.
- GaPSC program approval is what matters, not accreditation body name — candidates need a GaPSC-approved program, and many of those programs are CAEP accredited, since CAEP succeeded NCATE.
- Applications run through MyPSC — check your account directly for current forms and processing steps rather than relying on a fixed checklist.
Find accredited educational leadership programs in Georgia that align with GaPSC’s Tier I and Tier II certification requirements.
