HB 735 2023
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to temporary teacher certifications; 2
amending s. 1012.55, F.S.; conforming provisions to 3
changes made by the act; amending s. 1012.56, F.S.; 4
authorizing certain education paraprofessionals to be 5
issued a temporary teaching certificate for a 6
specified time period; requiring such 7
paraprofessionals to be assigned a teacher mentor for 8
a minimum number of school years; revising the number 9
of school fiscal years a temporary teaching 10
certificate is valid; providing an effective date. 11
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 13
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Section 1. Paragraph (e) of subsection (1) of section 15
1012.55, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 16
1012.55 Positions for which certificates required. — 17
(1) 18
(e)1. The department shall issue a 5-year 3-year temporary 19
certificate in educational leadership under s. 1012.56(7) to an 20
individual who: 21
a. Earned a passing score on the Florida Educational 22
Leadership Examination. 23
b. Served as a commissioned or noncommissioned military 24
officer in the United States Armed Forces for at least 3 years. 25
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c. Was honorably discharged or has retired from the United 26
States Armed Forces. 27
d. Is employed full time in a position for which an 28
educator certificate is required in a Florida public school, 29
state-supported school, or nonpublic school that has a Level II 30
program under s. 1012.562. 31
2. A Level II program under s. 1012.562 must accept an 32
applicant who holds a te mporary certificate under subparagraph 33
1. The department shall issue a permanent certification as a 34
school principal to an individual who holds a temporary 35
certificate under subparagraph 1. and successfully completes the 36
Level II program. 37
Section 2. Paragraphs (b), (d), and (e) of subsection (7) 38
of section 1012.56, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 39
1012.56 Educator certification requirements. — 40
(7) TYPES AND TERMS OF CERTIFICATION. — 41
(b) The department shall issue a temporary certificate to 42
any applicant who: 43
1. Completes the requirements outlined in paragraphs 44
(2)(a)-(f) and completes the subject area content requirements 45
specified in state board rule or demonstrates mastery of subject 46
area knowledge pursuant to subsection (5) and holds an 47
accredited degree or a degree approved by the Department of 48
Education at the level required for the subject area 49
specialization in state board rule; or 50
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2. For a subject area specialization for which the state 51
board otherwise requires a bachelor's degree, documents 48 52
months of active-duty military service with an honorable 53
discharge or a medical separation; completes the requirements 54
outlined in paragraphs (2)(a), (b), and (d) -(f); completes the 55
subject area content requirements specified in state board rule 56
or demonstrates mastery of subject area knowledge pursuant to 57
subsection (5); and documents completion of 60 college credits 58
with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 59
scale, as provided by one or more accredited institutions of 60
higher learning or a no naccredited institution of higher 61
learning identified by the Department of Education as having a 62
quality program resulting in a bachelor's degree or higher ; or 63
3. For a subject area specialization for which the state 64
board otherwise requires a bachelor's degree, is employed by a 65
school district as an education paraprofessional, as defined in 66
s. 1012.01(2)(e); completes the subject area content 67
requirements specified in state board rule or demonstrates 68
mastery of subject area knowledge pursuant to subsecti on (5); 69
and documents completion of 60 college credits with a minimum 70
cumulative grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale with a 71
declared major or minor in education, as provided by one or more 72
accredited institutions of higher learning or a nonaccredited 73
institution of higher learning identified by the Department of 74
Education as having a quality program resulting in a bachelor's 75
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degree or higher. 76
(d) A person who is issued a temporary certificate under 77
subparagraph (b)2. or subparagraph (b)3. must be assigned a 78
teacher mentor for a minimum of 2 school years after commencing 79
employment. Each teacher mentor selected by the school district, 80
charter school, or charter management organization must: 81
1. Hold a valid professional certificate issued pursuant 82
to this section; 83
2. Have earned at least 3 years of teaching experience in 84
prekindergarten through grade 12; and 85
3. Have earned an effective or highly effective rating on 86
the prior year's performance evaluation under s. 1012.34. 87
(e)1. A temporary certi ficate issued under subparagraph 88
(b)1. is valid for 3 school fiscal years and is nonrenewable. 89
2. A temporary certificate issued under paragraph (b) 90
subparagraph (b)2. is valid for 5 school fiscal years, is 91
limited to a one-time issuance, and is nonrenew able. 92
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At least 1 year before an individual's temporary certificate is 94
set to expire, the department shall electronically notify the 95
individual of the date on which his or her certificate will 96
expire and provide a list of each method by which the 97
qualifications for a professional certificate can be completed. 98
The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to allow the 99
department to extend the validity period of a temporary 100
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certificate for 2 years when the requirements for the 101
professional certificate were n ot completed due to the serious 102
illness or injury of the applicant, the military service of an 103
applicant's spouse, other extraordinary extenuating 104
circumstances, or if the certificateholder is rated highly 105
effective in the immediate prior year's performanc e evaluation 106
pursuant to s. 1012.34 or has completed a 2 -year mentorship 107
program pursuant to subsection (8). The department shall extend 108
the temporary certificate upon approval by the Commissioner of 109
Education. A written request for extension of the certif icate 110
shall be submitted by the district school superintendent, the 111
governing authority of a university lab school, the governing 112
authority of a state -supported school, or the governing 113
authority of a private school. 114
Section 3. This act shall take effe ct July 1, 2023. 115