GA Code of Ethics

Legal Compliance- Standard 1

Conduct with Students- Standard 2

Alcohol or Drugs-Standard 3

Honesty-Standard 4

Public Funds and Property- Standard 5

Remunerative Conduct- Standard 6

Confidential Information-Standard 7

Abandonment of Contract-Standard 8

Required Reports-Standard 9

Professional Conduct-Standard 10

Testing- Standard 11

Includes but is not limited to the commission or conviction of a felony or of any crime involving moral turpitude; of any other criminal offense involving the manufacture, distribution, trafficking, sale, or possession of a controlled substance or marijuana as provided for in Chapter 13 of Title 16.

Includes but is not limited to: 1. Committing any act of child abuse, including physical and verbal abuse. 2. Committing any act of cruelty to children or any act of child endangerment; 3. Committing any sexual act with a student of soliciting such from a student; 4. Engaging in or permitting harassment of or misconduct toward a student that would violate state or federal law. 5. Soliciting, encouraging, or consummating an inappropriate written, verbal, electronic, or physical relationship with a student; 6. Furnishing tabacco, alcohol, or illegal/unauthorized drugs to any student; 7. Failing to prevent the use of alcohol or illegal or unauthorized drugs by students who are under the educator's supervision.

Includes but not limited to: 1. being on school or Local Unit of Administration (LUA/ school district premises or at a school or a LUA/school-district related activity involving students while under the influence, possessing, or consuming illegal or unauthorized drugs. 2. being on school or LUA/ school district premises or a t a school-related activity involving students while under the influence of, possessing, or consuming alcohol,

Unethical conduct includes but is not limited to, falsifying, misrepresenting or omitting: 1. professional qualifications, criminal history, college or staff development credit and/or degrees, academic award, and employment history; 2. information submitted to federal, state, local school districts and other governmental agencies; 3. information regarding the evaluation of students and/or personnel; 4. reasons for absences or leaves; 5. information submitted in the course of an official inquiry/investigation; and 6. information submitted in the course of professional practice.

Unethical conduct includes but is not limited to: 1. misusing public or school-related funds; 2. failing to account for funds collected from students or parents; 3. submitting fraudulent requests or documentation for reimbursement of expenses or for pay (including fraudulent or purchased degrees, documents, or coursework); 4. co-mingling public or school-related funds with personal funds or checking accounts; and 5. using school or school district property without the approval of the local board of education/governing board or authorized designee.

Unethical conduct includes but is not limited to: 1. soliciting students or parents of students, or school and/or LUA/school district personnel, to purchase equipment, supplies, or services from the educator or to participate in activities that financially benefit the educator unless approved by the local board of education/governing board or authorized designee; 2. accepting gifts from vendors or potential vendors for personal use or gain where there may be the appearance of a conflict of interest; 3. tutoring students assigned to the educator for remuneration unless approved by the local board of education/governing board or authorized designee; and 4. coaching, instructing, promoting athletic camps, summer leagues, etc. that involves students in an educator's school system and from whom the educator receives remuneration unless approved by the local board of education/governing board or authorized designee. These types of activities must be in compliance with all rules and regulations of the Georgia High School Association.

Unethical conduct includes but is not limited to: 1. sharing of confidential information concerning student academic and disciplinary records, health and medical information, family status and/or income, and assessment/testing results unless disclosure is required or permitted by law; 2. sharing of confidential information restricted by state or federal law; 3. violation of confidentiality agreements related to standardized testing including copying or teaching identified test items, publishing or distributing test items or answers, discussing test items, violating local school system or state directions for the use of tests or test items, etc.; and 4. violation of other confidentiality agreements required by state or local policy.

Unethical conduct includes but is not limited to: 1. abandoning the contract for professional services without prior release from the contract by the employer, and 2. willfully refusing to perform the services required by a contract.

Unethical conduct includes but is not limited to: 1. failure to report all requested information on documents required by the Commission when applying for or renewing any certificate with the Commission; 2. failure to make a required report of a violation of one or more standards of the Code of Ethics for educators of which they have personal knowledge as soon as possible but no later than ninety (90) days from the date the educator became aware of an alleged breach unless the law or local procedures require reporting sooner; and 3. failure to make a required report of any violation of state or federal law soon as possible but no later than ninety (90) days from the date the educator became aware of an alleged breach unless the law or local procedures require reporting sooner. These reports include but are not limited to: murder, voluntary manslaughter, aggravated assault, aggravated battery, kidnapping, any sexual offense, any sexual exploitation of a minor, any offense involving a controlled substance and any abuse of a child if an educator has reasonable cause to believe that a child has been abused.

Unethical conduct includes but is not limited to any conduct that impairs and/or diminishes the certificate holder's ability to function professionally in his or her employment position, or behavior or conduct that is detrimental to the health, welfare, discipline, or morals of students.

Unethical conduct includes but is not limited to: 1. committing any act that breaches Test Security; and 2. compromising the integrity of the assessment.