Case Study: Accelerated, Rigorous Certification Path for Georgia Teachers
| by Hannah Sparling
Effective teacher recruitment is essential to a district’s success. But finding, hiring, and retaining quality teachers requires a multi-pronged approach.
At Bibb County School District in Macon, Georgia, where Holly Huynh is the Director of Talent Management and Acquisitions, part of that strategy involves hiring career changers for the district’s 38 schools. Bibb County hires about 100 teachers every school year with emergency or provisional credentials. From there, Huynh helps the teachers find the right Educator Preparation Program and provides support for their certification exams and other licensure requirements.
“I love our career changers,” said Huynh, who started her own career in psychology before switching to education. “It’s never a turnoff to me, to have somebody with a degree in something other than education.”
About Bibb County SD:
- 23,000+ students
- 1,500 teachers
- 38 schools
- Graduation rate: 87%
- Students eligible for free/reduced meals: 98%
Source: Georgia Governor’s Office of Student Achievement, 2022-23 school year
Choosing the Right Program
When Huynh is helping teachers choose an EPP, she tells them to consider program cost, length, rigor, and support. With Moreland, she likes that it’s online and thus flexible for full-time teachers. But at the same time, she said, Moreland’s instructors are attentive and accessible.
“Moreland made it very clear that our teachers would have access to their professors,” she said, “that it wasn’t just 100% online and people have to fend for themselves.”
Huynh also likes that Moreland offers test prep for certification exams, something she focuses on in her role.
“The best partnerships are the ones that give teachers comprehensive support,” said Moreland University President Susanne H. Thompson, Ed.D. “Bibb County School District is doing a great job with provisionally certified teachers, giving them clear information and making sure they know their options. I’m thrilled Moreland can stand with BCSD to further strengthen their incredible work.”

Partnership Results
This promising partnership is already seeing success in its early stages, with 10 Bibb County teachers joining Moreland’s TEACH-NOW Teacher Preparation Certificate Program. One of those is English Language Arts teacher Terry Kendrick.
Kendrick was actually enrolled in a different EPP before he withdrew and switched to Moreland. TEACH-NOW is half the length of that initial program, Kendrick said, which is the main reason he switched. He was also drawn to TEACH-NOW’s flexibility, the discount he gets through Moreland’s partnership with Bibb County, and the option for monthly payments, which meant he didn’t have to take out a loan.
Kendrick is on track to graduate from TEACH-NOW in April 2025. He plans to earn his master’s degree through Moreland as well, since it will only take an additional 3 months and will help advance his career even more.
“If you want to get a certification,” he said, “if you want to get a good, quality education, my experience so far at Moreland has been beneficial. You learn a lot, especially being a [first-year] teacher.”

Partner with Moreland University to help your teachers earn professional certifications and master’s degrees. If more than 30 teachers in your district need a professional certification, Moreland can offer a discounted tuition rate.
Learn more at Moreland.edu/for-districts, or book a brief meeting with our team.