Teacher Guidelines
& Qualifications

The STAR teacher is selected by the declared high school STAR student as having made the most significant contribution to the STAR student's scholastic development.

    CRITERIA AND POINTS OF CLARIFICATION:

  1. The teacher must be a present or former classroom teacher (Pre K-12) of the STAR student and currently employed or retired from a professional position in a Georgia school system accredited by the Georgia Accrediting Commission (GAC), the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and/or the Georgia Private School Accreditation Council (GAPSAC).

  2. A teacher having taught a student in one school or system may be selected if the teacher currently is teaching in another Georgia school, including one in another Georgia school system.

  3. A teacher must have taught the student a classroom subject which appears in the curriculum and for which the student received credit (may include band, P.E.). It may not be an activity that is just posted as “having participated in” on the student’s academic record.

  4. An administrator, librarian/media specialist, counselor, etc. who has actually taught the student a classroom subject may be selected if the individual is currently employed by a Georgia school system in one of these positions or officially retired from same.

  5. A parent who meets all the criteria may be selected. The parent must have taught his or her child as a student in an accredited school.

  6. An advisor, coach or mentor to a group may not be selected unless the advisor, coach or mentor has actually taught the student a classroom subject.

  7. Military Science (ROTC) instructors who are contractual teaching faculty members holding at least a Bachelor’s degree and who actually teach in the classroom may be selected.

  8. Vocational-technical teachers may be selected if they are certified by the state and are contractually employed as a member of the teaching faculty.

  9. Paraprofessionals or tutors may not be selected.
    • Exception: A current paraprofessional who is a retired Georgia teacher who has previously taught the student as a contractual teaching member of a faculty may be selected.
      • Note: A currently employed contractual teacher who previously worked with a student as a paraprofessional but has not subsequently taught the student may not be selected.

  10. Former teachers, not officially retired (i.e., who have taught and left the teaching profession or left the state of Georgia, but have not retired) may not be selected.
    • Exception: A deceased teacher, who left the teaching profession because of illness and subsequent death, may be selected providing the teacher met the qualifications previously stated.

  11. A teacher who is on a written contractual professional or medical (including maternity) leave of absence may be selected.

  12. A former teacher who does not have a written contractual agreement (leave of absence) to return to the school or school system is not considered “on leave” and falls in the category of “not officially retired” and may not be selected.