§ 20-2-982 — Purpose

The following constitute the major purposes of this part: (1) To simplify and make more efficient the process of certifying educational personnel in Georgia; (2) To attract the highest possible number of qualified personnel to become educators in Georgia; (3) To promote the hiring of qualified educators from other states to work in Georgia schools; (4) To improve the level of preparation of educators, both pre-service and in-service, by requiring for purposes of certification those essential skills and that knowledge needed to deliver effective education; (5) To adopt standards of professional performance and a code of professional ethics for educators, both of which shall represent standards of performance and conduct which are generally accepted by educators of this state; (6) To investigate reports of specified criminal conduct, violations of professional or ethical codes of conduct, and violations of certain rules, regulations, and policies by school system educators; (7) To enforce the requirement that local school systems promptly report specified criminal conduct of school system educators to the commission; and (8) To impose disciplinary action or a denial of a certificate against an educator.