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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 educator preparation; amending s. 2
1004.04, F.S.; providing for the future repeal of 3
provisions relating to the uniform core curricula for 4
certain teacher preparation programs; revising 5
requirements for certain teacher preparation program s; 6
revising the criteria for continued approval of such 7
programs; revising the term "field experience" to 8
"clinical experience"; revising the requirements for 9
such experience; revising the requirements certain 10
personnel must meet; amending s. 1004.85, F.S. ; 11
revising the purpose of postsecondary educator 12
preparation institutes; revising requirements for such 13
institutes; revising requirements for the continued 14
approval of such programs; amending s. 1012.39, F.S.; 15
providing requirements for the hiring of certa in 16
nondegreed teachers of fine and performing arts; 17
creating s. 1012.551, F.S.; providing for the uniform 18
core curricula for certain teacher preparation 19
programs; providing requirements for such curricula; 20
providing requirements for teacher candidates 21
beginning in a specified school year; providing 22
reporting requirements for certain teacher preparation 23
programs; requiring the State Board of Education to 24
approve or reject certain courses for such programs; 25
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prohibiting such programs from requiring students to 26
take a specified additional course; creating s. 27
1012.552, F.S.; establishing the Coaching for Educator 28
Readiness and Teaching Certification Program; 29
providing the intent for the program; providing 30
program requirements; providing requirements for 31
approval and continued approval of such programs; 32
requiring the state board to adopt rules; amending s. 33
1012.555, F.S.; revising the requirements for teachers 34
serving as mentors through a teacher apprenticeship 35
program; amending s. 1012.56, F.S.; providing for the 36
future repeal of professional learning certification 37
programs and professional education competency 38
programs; revising requirements relating to meeting 39
the mastery of general knowledge and mastery of 40
professional preparation and education competence for 41
certification as an educator; removing a requirement 42
for a passing score on a specified examination for 43
certain candidates for certification as an educator 44
beginning on a certain date; revising requirements for 45
a professional and temporary educator certifica tes; 46
amending s. 1012.585, F.S.; revising requirements for 47
the renewal of a professional certificate; amending s. 48
1012.98, F.S.; revising and providing additional 49
requirements for certain professional learning 50
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activities; creating s. 1012.981, F.S.; establ ishing 51
the Florida Institute for Teaching Excellence at Miami 52
Dade College, subject to an appropriation; providing 53
the purpose and duties of the institute; authorizing 54
the institute to submit a professional learning system 55
for approval and seek specified f unding; providing for 56
the supervision, administration, and governance of the 57
institute; amending ss. 1012.55, 1012.57, and 1012.98, 58
F.S.; conforming cross -references to changes made by 59
the act; providing effective dates. 60
61
Be It Enacted by the Legislatu re of the State of Florida: 62
63
Section 1. Effective July 1, 2028, paragraphs (c), (d), 64
and (e) of subsection (2) of section 1004.04, Florida Statutes, 65
are redesignated as subsections (a), (b), and (c), respectively, 66
and present paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (2) and 67
paragraph (a) of subsection (3) are amended, to read: 68
1004.04 Public accountability and state approval for 69
teacher preparation programs. — 70
(2) UNIFORM CORE CURRICULA AND CANDIDATE ASSESSMENT. — 71
(a) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules 72
pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 which establish uniform 73
core curricula for each state -approved teacher preparation 74
program. 75
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(b) The rules to establish uniform core curricula for each 76
state-approved teacher preparation program must inclu de, but are 77
not limited to, the following: 78
1. Candidate instruction and assessment in the Florida 79
Educator Accomplished Practices across content areas. 80
2. The use of state -adopted content standards to guide 81
curricula and instruction. 82
3. Scientifically researched and evidence -based reading 83
instructional strategies grounded in the science of reading 84
which improve reading performance for all students, including 85
explicit, systematic, and sequential approaches to teaching 86
phonemic awareness, phonics, vocab ulary, fluency, and text 87
comprehension and multisensory intervention strategies. The 88
primary instructional strategy for teaching word reading is 89
phonics instruction for decoding and encoding. Instructional 90
strategies for foundational skills may not employ the three-91
cueing system model of reading or visual memory as a basis for 92
teaching word reading. Instructional strategies may include 93
visual information and strategies that improve background and 94
experiential knowledge, add context, and increase oral langua ge 95
and vocabulary to support comprehension, but may not be used to 96
teach word reading. 97
4. Content literacy and mathematics practices. 98
5. Strategies appropriate for the instruction of English 99
language learners. 100
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6. Strategies appropriate for the instru ction of students 101
with disabilities. 102
7. Strategies to differentiate instruction based on 103
student needs. 104
8. Strategies and practices to support evidence -based 105
content aligned to state standards and grading practices. 106
9. Strategies appropriate for the early identification of 107
a student in crisis or experiencing a mental health challenge 108
and the referral of such student to a mental health professional 109
for support. 110
10. Strategies to support the use of technology in 111
education and distance learning. 112
11. Strategies and practices to support effective, 113
research-based assessment and grading practices aligned to the 114
state's academic standards. 115
(3) INITIAL STATE PROGRAM APPROVAL. — 116
(a) A program approval process based on standards adopted 117
pursuant to this subsection and subsection (2) must be 118
established for postsecondary teacher preparation programs. Each 119
program shall be approved by the department, consistent with the 120
intent set forth in subsection (1) and based upon evidence of 121
the institution's and the pr ogram's capacity to meet the 122
requirements for continued approval as provided in subsection 123
(4) and by the rules of the State Board of Education. 124
Section 2. Paragraphs (c), (d), and (e) of subsection (2), 125
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paragraph (a) of subsection (4), and subsection (5) of section 126
1004.04, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 127
1004.04 Public accountability and state approval for 128
teacher preparation programs. — 129
(2) UNIFORM CORE CURRICULA AND CANDIDATE ASSESSMENT. — 130
(c) Each candidate must receive instruction and b e 131
assessed on the uniform core curricula , approved pursuant to s. 132
1012.551, in the candidate's area or areas of program 133
concentration during course work and clinical field experiences. 134
Beginning with candidates entering a teacher preparation program 135
in the 2022-2023 school year, a candidate for certification in a 136
coverage area identified pursuant to s. 1012.585(3)(f) must 137
successfully complete all competencies for a reading 138
endorsement, including completion of the endorsement practicum 139
through the candidate 's clinical field experience under 140
subsection (5), in order to graduate from the program. 141
(d) Before program completion, each candidate must 142
demonstrate his or her ability to positively impact student 143
learning growth in the candidate's area or areas of p rogram 144
concentration during a prekindergarten through grade 12 clinical 145
field experience and must pass each portion of the Florida 146
Teacher Certification Examination required for a professional 147
certificate in the area or areas of program concentration. 148
(e) Teacher preparation program courses: 149
1. May not distort significant historical events or 150
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include a curriculum or instruction that teaches identity 151
politics, violates s. 1000.05, or is based on theories that 152
systemic racism, sexism, oppression, and priv ilege are inherent 153
in the institutions of the United States and were created to 154
maintain social, political, and economic inequities. 155
2. Must afford candidates the opportunity to think 156
critically, achieve mastery of academic program content, learn 157
instructional strategies, and demonstrate mastery of the 158
cognitive science of learning and its application in high -impact 159
teaching strategies, and the crucial role of background 160
knowledge in developing high -level literacy competence. 161
(4) CONTINUED PROGRAM APPRO VAL.—Continued approval of a 162
teacher preparation program shall be based upon evidence that 163
the program continues to implement the requirements for initial 164
approval and upon significant, objective, and quantifiable 165
measures of the program and the performanc e of the program 166
completers. 167
(a) The criteria for continued approval must include each 168
of the following: 169
1. Candidate readiness based on passage rates on educator 170
certification examinations under s. 1012.56, as applicable. 171
2. Evidence of performance in each of the following areas: 172
a. Performance of students in prekindergarten through 173
grade 12 who are assigned to in -field program completers on 174
statewide assessments using the results of the student learning 175
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growth formula adopted under s. 1012.34. 176
b. Results of program completers' annual evaluations in 177
accordance with the timeline as set forth in s. 1012.34. 178
c. Workforce contributions, including placement of program 179
completers in instructional positions in Florida public and 180
private schools, with a dditional weight given to production of 181
program completers in statewide critical teacher shortage areas 182
as identified in s. 1012.07. 183
3. Beginning July 1, 2028, candidate readiness based on 184
scores on the Florida Teacher Excellence Examination developed 185
pursuant to s. 1012.56(10) and administered before program 186
completion. 187
3. Results of the program completers' survey measuring 188
their satisfaction with preparation for the realities of the 189
classroom. 190
4. Results of the employers' survey measuring satisfacti on 191
with the program and the program's responsiveness to local 192
school districts. 193
(5) PRESERVICE CLINICAL FIELD EXPERIENCE.—All 194
postsecondary instructors, school district personnel and 195
instructional personnel, and school sites preparing 196
instructional personnel through preservice clinical field 197
experience courses and internships shall meet special 198
requirements. District school boards may pay student teachers 199
during their internships. 200
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(a) All individuals in postsecondary teacher preparation 201
programs who instruct or supervise preservice clinical field 202
experience courses or internships in which a candidate 203
demonstrates his or her impact on student learning growth shall 204
meet the requirements of a clinical educator established under 205
s. 1012.56(7) have the following: specialized training in 206
clinical supervision; at least 3 years of successful, relevant 207
prekindergarten through grade 12 teaching, student services, or 208
school administration expe rience; and an annual demonstration of 209
experience in a relevant prekindergarten through grade 12 school 210
setting as defined by State Board of Education rule . 211
(b)1. All school district personnel and instructional 212
personnel who supervise or direct teacher p reparation students 213
during clinical field experience courses or internships taking 214
place in this state in which candidates demonstrate an impact on 215
student learning growth must meet the requirements of a clinical 216
educator established under s. 1012.56(7). have: 217
a. Evidence of "clinical educator" training; 218
b. A valid professional certificate issued pursuant to s. 219
1012.56; 220
c. At least 3 years of teaching experience in 221
prekindergarten through grade 12; 222
d. Earned an effective or highly effective rating on the 223
prior year's performance evaluation under s. 1012.34 or be a 224
peer evaluator under the district's evaluation system approved 225
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under s. 1012.34; and 226
e. Beginning with the 2022 -2023 school year, for a ll such 227
personnel who supervise or direct teacher preparation students 228
during internships in kindergarten through grade 3 or who are 229
enrolled in a teacher preparation program for a certificate area 230
identified pursuant to s. 1012.585(3)(f), a certificate or 231
endorsement in reading. 232
233
The State Board of Education shall approve the training 234
requirements. 235
2. All instructional personnel who supervise or direct 236
teacher preparation students during clinical field experience 237
courses or internships in another state, in which a candidate 238
demonstrates his or her impact on student learning growth, 239
through a Florida online or distance program must have received 240
"clinical educator" training pursuant to s. 1012.98 or its 241
equivalent in that state, hold a valid professional c ertificate 242
issued by the state in which the clinical field experience takes 243
place, and have at least 3 years of teaching experience in 244
prekindergarten through grade 12. 245
3. All instructional personnel who supervise or direct 246
teacher preparation students d uring clinical field experience 247
courses or internships, in which a candidate demonstrates his or 248
her impact on student learning growth, on a United States 249
military base in another country through a Florida online or 250
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distance program must have received "cli nical educator" training 251
pursuant to s. 1012.98 or its equivalent, hold a valid 252
professional certificate issued by the United States Department 253
of Defense or a state or territory of the United States, and 254
have at least 3 years teaching experience in prekin dergarten 255
through grade 12. 256
(c) Preservice clinical field experience must fully 257
prepare a candidate to manage a classroom by requiring the 258
candidate to practice and demonstrate the uniform core curricula 259
specific to the candidate's area or areas of progr am 260
concentration with a diverse population of students in a variety 261
of challenging environments, including, but not limited to, 262
high-poverty schools, urban schools, and rural schools. 263
Beginning with candidates entering a program in the 2023 -2024 264
school year, a minimum of 60 hours of preservice clinical field 265
experience must be completed before the culminating clinical 266
field experience, which must include a minimum of 12 weeks of 267
student teaching. 268
(d) Postsecondary teacher preparation programs in 269
cooperation with district school boards and approved private 270
school associations shall select the school sites for preservice 271
clinical field experience activities based upon the 272
qualifications of the supervising personnel as described in this 273
subsection and the nee ds of the candidates. These sites must 274
represent the full spectrum of school communities, including, 275
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but not limited to, schools serving low -achieving students. In 276
order to be selected, school sites must demonstrate commitment 277
to the education of public sc hool students and to the 278
preparation of future teachers. 279
Section 3. Subsections (5) through (8) of section 1004.85, 280
Florida Statutes, are renumbered as subsections (4) through (7), 281
respectively, and paragraph (a) of subsection (2), paragraph (a) 282
of subsection (3), subsection (4), and present subsections (5) 283
and (6) are amended, to read: 284
1004.85 Postsecondary educator preparation institutes. — 285
(2)(a) Postsecondary institutions that are accredited or 286
approved as described in State Board of Education ru le may seek 287
approval from the Department of Education to create educator 288
preparation institutes for the purpose of providing any or all 289
of the following: 290
1. Professional learning instruction to assist teachers in 291
improving classroom instruction and in me eting certification or 292
recertification requirements. 293
2. Instruction to assist potential and existing substitute 294
teachers in performing their duties. 295
3. Instruction to assist paraprofessionals in meeting 296
education and training requirements. 297
4. Instruction for baccalaureate degree holders to become 298
certified teachers as provided in this section in order to 299
increase routes to the classroom for professionals who hold a 300
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baccalaureate degree and college graduates who were not 301
education majors. 302
5. Instruction and professional learning for part -time and 303
full-time nondegreed teachers of career programs under s. 304
1012.39(1)(c). 305
6. Instruction that does not distort significant 306
historical events or include a curriculum or instruction that 307
teaches identity poli tics, violates s. 1000.05, or is based on 308
theories that systemic racism, sexism, oppression, and privilege 309
are inherent in the institutions of the United States and were 310
created to maintain social, political, and economic inequities. 311
Courses and instructio n within the educator preparation 312
institute must afford candidates the opportunity to think 313
critically, achieve mastery of academic program content, learn 314
instructional strategies, and demonstrate competence. 315
(3) Educator preparation institutes approved pursuant to 316
this section may offer competency -based certification programs 317
specifically designed for noneducation major baccalaureate 318
degree holders to enable program participants to meet the 319
educator certification requirements of s. 1012.56. An educator 320
preparation institute choosing to offer a competency -based 321
certification program pursuant to the provisions of this section 322
must implement a program developed by the institute and approved 323
by the department for this purpose. Approved programs shall be 324
available for use by other approved educator preparation 325
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institutes. 326
(a) Within 90 days after receipt of a request for 327
approval, the Department of Education shall approve a 328
preparation program pursuant to the requirements of this 329
subsection or issue a stateme nt of the deficiencies in the 330
request for approval. The department shall approve a 331
certification program if the institute provides evidence of the 332
institute's capacity to implement a competency -based program 333
that: 334
1. Instructs and assesses each candidat e in the uniform 335
core curricula approved under s. 1012.551 and following: 336
1.a. the Florida Educator Accomplished Practices approved 337
by the state board. 338
b. The state academic standards provided under s. 1003.41, 339
including scientifically based reading in struction, content 340
literacy, and mathematical practices, for each subject 341
identified on the statement of status of eligibility or the 342
temporary certificate. 343
c. Scientifically researched and evidence -based reading 344
instructional strategies grounded in the science of reading 345
which improve reading performance for all students, including 346
explicit, systematic, and sequential approaches to teaching 347
phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and text 348
comprehension and multisensory intervention strategies. The 349
primary instructional strategy for teaching word reading is 350
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phonics instruction for decoding and encoding. Instructional 351
strategies for foundational skill s may not employ the three -352
cueing system model of reading or visual memory as a basis for 353
teaching word reading. Instructional strategies may include 354
visual information and strategies which improve background and 355
experiential knowledge, add context, and in crease oral language 356
and vocabulary to support comprehension, but may not be used to 357
teach word reading. 358
2. An educational plan for each participant to meet 359
certification requirements and demonstrate his or her ability to 360
teach the subject area for which the participant is seeking 361
certification, which is based on an assessment of his or her 362
competency in the areas listed in subparagraph 1. 363
2.3. Provides clinical Field experiences appropriate to 364
the certification subject area specified in the educational plan 365
under the supervision of clinical educators who meet the 366
requirements of s. 1012.56(7) qualified educators. The state 367
board shall determine in rule the amount of field experience 368
necessary to serve as the teacher of record, beginning with 369
candidates entering a program in the 2023 -2024 school year. 370
3.4. Provides a certification ombudsman to facilitate the 371
process and procedures required for participants who complete 372
the program to meet any requirements related to the background 373
screening pursuant to s. 1012.32 and educator professional or 374
temporary certification pursuant to s. 1012.56. 375
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(4) The state board shall adopt rules for the continued 376
approval of each program approved pursuant to this section. 377
(4)(5) Each institute approved pursuant to this section 378
shall submit to the Department of Education annual performance 379
evaluations that measure the effectiveness of the programs. 380
(a) Beginning July 1, 2028, continued approval criteria 381
for educator preparation programs must include candidate 382
readiness based on scores on the Florida Teacher Excellence 383
Examination developed pursuant to s. 1012.56(10) and 384
administered before program completion. 385
(5)(6) Instructors and supervisors of clinical field 386
experiences in which participants demonstrate an impact on 387
student learning growth for a certification program approved 388
pursuant to this section must meet the same qualifications as 389
those required in s. 1004.04(5). 390
Section 4. Paragraph (d) is added to subsection (1) of 391
section 1012.39, Florida Statutes, to re ad: 392
1012.39 Employment of substitute teachers, teachers of 393
adult education, nondegreed teachers of career education, and 394
career specialists, and nondegreed teachers of fine and 395
performing arts; students performing clinical field experience. — 396
(1) Notwithstanding ss. 1012.32, 1012.55, 1012.56, and 397
1012.57, or any other provision of law or rule to the contrary, 398
each district school board shall establish the minimal 399
qualifications for: 400
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(d) Part-time, nondegreed teachers of fine and performing 401
arts. Qualifications must be established for nondegreed teachers 402
of fine and performing arts courses in the course code 403
directory. The qualifications for such teachers must require: 404
1. The filing of a complete set of fingerprints in the 405
same manner as required by s. 1012.32. 406
2. Documentation of education and successful experience, 407
including documentation of: 408
a. A high school diploma or the equivalent. 409
b. Completion of 3 years of full -time successful 410
experience or the equivalent of part -time experience in the 411
teaching specialization area. 412
Section 5. Section 1012.551, Florida Statutes, is created 413
to read: 414
1012.551 Teacher preparation core principles, standards, 415
and content.– 416
(1) Each teacher preparation program approved pursuant to 417
ss. 1004.04, 1004.85, a nd 1012.552 must provide uniform core 418
curricula courses aligned with the Florida Educator Accomplished 419
Practices that are grounded in the principles of cognitive 420
science and establish the foundational standards and 421
expectations for quality instruction and professional 422
responsibility. The State Board of Education shall establish in 423
rule the uniform core curricula. 424
(a) The uniform core curricula for each state -approved 425
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teacher preparation program must meet, at a minimum, the 426
following standards: 427
1. May not distort significant historical events or 428
include curriculum or instruction that teaches identity 429
politics, violates s. 1000.05, or is based on theories that 430
systemic racism, sexism, oppression, and privilege are inherent 431
in the institutions of the Unit ed States and were created to 432
maintain social, political, and economic inequities. 433
2. Must afford candidates the opportunity to think 434
critically, achieve mastery of academic program content, learn 435
instructional strategies, and demonstrate competence. 436
3. Must use state-approved academic standards to guide 437
instruction. 438
4. Must provide training on the use of high -quality 439
instructional materials included on the state -adopted 440
instructional materials list pursuant to s. 1006.28, materials 441
evaluated and identified pursuant to s. 1001.215(4), and 442
materials developed pursuant to s. 1006.39, including when and 443
how to use intervention materials. 444
5. Must include scientifically researched and evidence -445
based reading instructional strategies grounded in the science 446
of reading which improve reading performance for all students, 447
including explicit, systematic, and sequential a pproaches to 448
teaching phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and 449
text comprehension and multisensory intervention strategies. The 450
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primary instructional strategy for teaching word reading is 451
phonics instruction for decoding and encoding. Instruct ional 452
strategies for foundational skills may not employ the three -453
cueing system model of reading or visual memory as a basis for 454
teaching word reading. Instructional strategies may include 455
visual information and strategies that improve background and 456
experiential knowledge, add context, and increase oral language 457
and vocabulary to support comprehension, but may not be used to 458
teach word reading. 459
6. Must include content literacy and mathematics 460
practices. 461
7. Must include strategies for differentiated ins truction 462
to meet student needs, including English language learners and 463
students with disabilities, while maintaining grade -level 464
expectations. 465
8. Must include strategies and practices to support 466
effective, evidence-based assessment and grading practices 467
aligned to the state's academic standards. 468
9. Must require the completion of a mastery -based clinical 469
experience in classroom settings to provide direct application 470
of program content and instruction and mastery of the components 471
of teaching as outlined in the Florida Educator Accomplished 472
Practices. These clinical experiences must allow candidates to 473
demonstrate mastery of curriculum and pedagogy through 474
observable performance evaluations aligned with instructional 475
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personnel evaluation systems approved pursuant to s. 1012.34. 476
Mastery must be asses sed through in-classroom performance, with 477
candidate feedback provided for growth and refinement, rather 478
than solely through written assignments or project -based 479
assessments. Clinical experience may only be provided by 480
individuals who meet the requirements of s. 1012.56(7). 481
(b) Beginning with teacher candidates initially entering a 482
state-approved teacher preparation program in the 2026 -2027 483
school year and thereafter, each teacher candidate must 484
complete: 485
1. One introduction to education course that all ows 486
teacher candidates to demonstrate competency in the cognitive 487
science of learning principles, including cognitive load theory, 488
working memory, and long -term memory; retrieval practice; 489
attention and selective attention; social science of motivation 490
and persistence; background knowledge; and production effect. 491
2. One classroom management and high -impact teaching 492
strategies course that allows teacher candidates to demonstrate 493
competency of instructional strategies based on Florida Educator 494
Accomplished Practices. 495
(2) Each state-approved teacher preparation program must 496
annually report all teacher preparation core courses to the 497
department by each course's statewide course number. 498
(3) By December 1, 2025, and each December 1 thereafter, 499
the State Board of Education must approve or reject the list of 500
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courses for each state -approved teacher preparation program. 501
(4) A teacher preparation program may not require a 502
student to take an additional course to meet a program 503
requirement that was completed by th e student with a course that 504
has since been removed as a teacher preparation program core 505
course. 506
Section 6. Section 1012.552, Florida Statutes, is created 507
to read: 508
1012.552 The Coaching for Educator Readiness and Teaching 509
Certification (CERT) Program.— 510
(1) INTENT.—The Coaching for Educator Readiness and 511
Teaching (CERT) Certification Program is established to create 512
an alternative pathway for teachers to enter the teaching 513
profession. School districts, charter schools, and charter 514
management organizations may implement the CERT program to 515
provide a cohesive, competency -based training and certification 516
pathway for teachers who have a state -issued temporary 517
certificate to earn their professional certificate through an 518
on-the-job mentorship and le arning program. 519
(2) PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS. —A CERT program must include all 520
of the following: 521
(a) A teacher mentorship and induction component. Mentors 522
must meet the requirements of s. 1012.56(7). 523
(b) An assessment of teaching performance aligned to t he 524
district, charter school, or charter management organization 525
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system for personnel evaluation under s. 1012.34 which provides 526
for: 527
1. An initial evaluation of each educator's competencies 528
to determine an appropriate individualized professional learning 529
plan. 530
2. A summative evaluation to assure successful completion 531
of the program. 532
(c) Professional learning, in accordance with s. 1012.98, 533
tailored to each educator's growth and learning needs according 534
to observational data and feedback. 535
(d) Required achievement of passing scores on the subject 536
area examination required by State Board of Education rule. 537
(e) Required successful completion of all competencies for 538
a reading endorsement, including completion of the endorsement 539
practicum, for a candid ate certification in a coverage area 540
identified pursuant to s. 1012.585(3)(f). 541
(f) Provide guidance and on -the-job training in the 542
classroom on mastering Florida Educator Accomplished Practices. 543
(3) APPROVAL AND CONTINUED APPROVAL. —CERT programs are 544
approved for a period of 5 years in a format to be established 545
by the department. A teacher may not satisfy requir ements for a 546
professional certificate through a CERT program unless the 547
program has been approved by the department pursuant to this 548
section. Continued approval of CERT programs must include a 549
criteria for candidate readiness based on scores on the Florida 550
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Teacher Excellence Examination developed pursuant to s. 551
1012.56(10) and administered before program completion. 552
(4) RULEMAKING.—The State Board of Education shall adopt 553
rules to administer this section. 554
Section 7. Subsection (3) of section 1012.555, Florida 555
Statutes, is amended to read: 556
1012.555 Teacher Apprenticeship Program. — 557
(3) A teacher who serves as a mentor in the apprenticeship 558
program shall mentor his or her apprentice teacher using team 559
teaching strategies and must, at a minimum, meet all of the 560
following requirements of s. 1012.56(7): 561
(a) Have at least 5 years of teaching experience in this 562
state. 563
(b) Have received an aggregate score of highly effective 564
on the three most recent available value -added model (VAM) 565
scores, as used by th e department, or have received an aggregate 566
score of highly effective on the three most recent available 567
performance evaluations if the teacher does not generate a state 568
VAM score. 569
(c) Satisfy any other requirements established by the 570
department. 571
Section 8. Effective July 1, 2028, subsections (10) 572
through (17) of section 1012.56, Florida Statutes, are 573
renumbered as subsections (8) through (15), respectively, and 574
paragraph (b) of subsection (1), paragraph (d) of subsection 575
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(2), paragraphs (f) and (g) o f subsection (6), paragraph (a) of 576
subsection (7), and present subsections (8) and (9) are amended, 577
to read: 578
1012.56 Educator certification requirements. — 579
(1) APPLICATION.—Each person seeking certification 580
pursuant to this chapter shall submit a comple ted application 581
containing the applicant's social security number to the 582
Department of Education and remit the fee required pursuant to 583
s. 1012.59 and rules of the State Board of Education. Pursuant 584
to the federal Personal Responsibility and Work Opportuni ty 585
Reconciliation Act of 1996, each party is required to provide 586
his or her social security number in accordance with this 587
section. Disclosure of social security numbers obtained through 588
this requirement is limited to the purpose of administration of 589
the Title IV-D program of the Social Security Act for child 590
support enforcement. 591
(b) The department shall issue a temporary certificate to 592
a qualifying applicant within 14 calendar days after receipt of 593
a request from an employer with a professional education 594
competence demonstration program pursuant to paragraph (6)(f) 595
and subsection (9). The temporary certificate must cover the 596
classification, level, and area for which the applicant is 597
deemed qualified. The department shall electronically notify the 598
applicant's employer that the temporary certificate has been 599
issued and provide the applicant an official statement of status 600
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of eligibility at the time the certificate is issued. 601
602
The statement of status of eligibility must be provided 603
electronically and must adv ise the applicant of any 604
qualifications that must be completed to qualify for 605
certification. Each method by which an applicant can complete 606
the qualifications for a professional certificate must be 607
included in the statement of status of eligibility. Each 608
statement of status of eligibility is valid for 5 years after 609
its date of issuance, except as provided in paragraph (2)(d). 610
(2) ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA. —To be eligible to seek 611
certification, a person must: 612
(d) Submit to background screening in accordance w ith 613
subsection (9) (11). If the background screening indicates a 614
criminal history or if the applicant acknowledges a criminal 615
history, the applicant's records shall be referred to the 616
investigative section in the Department of Education for review 617
and determination of eligibility for certification. If the 618
applicant fails to provide the necessary documentation requested 619
by the department within 90 days after the date of the receipt 620
of the certified mail request, the statement of eligibility and 621
pending application shall become invalid. 622
(6) MASTERY OF PROFESSIONAL PREPARATION AND EDUCATION 623
COMPETENCE.—Acceptable means of demonstrating mastery of 624
professional preparation and education competence are: 625
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(f) Successful completion of professional preparation 626
courses as specified in state board rule , successful completion 627
of a professional education competence program pursuant to 628
subsection (9), and documentation of 3 years of being rated 629
effective or highly effective under s. 1012.34 while holding a 630
temporary certificate; 631
(g) Successful completion of a professional learning 632
certification program, outlined in subsection (8); 633
634
The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to implement this 635
subsection, including rules to approve specific teacher 636
preparation programs that are not identified in this subsection 637
which may be used to meet requirements for mastery of 638
professional preparation and education competence. A passing 639
score on the professional education competency examination shall 640
not be required of candidates who have successfully completed a 641
teacher preparation program approved, after July 1, 2027, 642
pursuant to s. 1004.04, s. 1004.85, or s. 1012.551. 643
(7) TYPES AND TERMS OF CERTIFICATION. — 644
(a) The Department of Education shall issue a professional 645
certificate for a period not to exceed 5 years to any applicant 646
who fulfills one of the following: 647
1. Meets all the applicable requirements outlined in 648
subsection (2). 649
2. For a professional certificate covering grades 6 650
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through 12: 651
a. Meets the applicable requirements of paragraphs (2)(a) -652
(h). 653
b. Holds a master's or higher degree in the area of 654
science, technology, engineering, or mathematics. 655
c. Teaches a high school course in the subject of the 656
advanced degree. 657
d. Is rated highly effective as determined by the 658
teacher's performance evaluation under s. 1012.34, based in part 659
on student performance as measured by a statewide, standardized 660
assessment or an Advanced Placement, Advanced International 661
Certificate of Education, or International Bacca laureate 662
examination. 663
e. Achieves a passing score on the Florida professional 664
education competency examination required by state board rule. 665
3. Meets the applicable requirements of paragraphs (2)(a) -666
(h) and completes a Coaching for Educator Readiness a nd Teaching 667
Certification Program pursuant to s. 1012.551 , a professional 668
learning certification program approved by the department 669
pursuant to paragraph (8)(c) or an educator preparation 670
institute approved by the department pursuant to s. 1004.85. 671
672
At least 1 year before an individual's temporary certificate is 673
set to expire, the department shall electronically notify the 674
individual of the date on which his or her certificate will 675
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expire and provide a list of each method by which the 676
qualifications for a p rofessional certificate can be completed. 677
(8) PROFESSIONAL LEARNING CERTIFICATION PROGRAM. — 678
(a) The Department of Education shall develop and each 679
school district, charter school, and charter management 680
organization may provide a cohesive competency -based 681
professional learning certification program by which 682
instructional staff may satisfy the mastery of professional 683
preparation and education competence requirements specified in 684
subsection (6) and rules of the State Board of Education. 685
Participants must hold a state-issued temporary certificate. A 686
school district, charter school, or charter management 687
organization that implements the program shall provide a 688
competency-based certification program developed by the 689
Department of Education or developed by the district, charter 690
school, or charter management organization and approved by the 691
Department of Education. These entities may collaborate with 692
other supporting agencies or educational entities for 693
implementation. The program shall include the following: 694
1. A teacher mentorship and induction component. 695
a. Each individual selected by the district, charter 696
school, or charter management organization as a mentor: 697
(I) Must hold a valid professional certificate issued 698
pursuant to this section; 699
(II) Must have earned at least 3 years of teaching 700
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experience in prekindergarten through grade 12; 701
(III) Must have completed training in clinical supervision 702
and participate in ongoing mentor training provided through the 703
coordinated system of professional learning under s. 1012.98(4); 704
(IV) Must have earned an effective or highly effective 705
rating on the prior year's performance evaluation; and 706
(V) May be a peer evaluator under the district's 707
evaluation system approved under s. 1012.34. 708
b. The teacher mentorship and induction component must, at 709
a minimum, provide routine opportunities for mentoring and 710
induction activities, including ongoing professional learning as 711
described in s. 1012.98 targeted to a teacher's needs, 712
opportunities for a teacher to observe othe r teachers, co-713
teaching experiences, and reflection and followup discussions. 714
Professional learning must meet the criteria established in s. 715
1012.98(3). Mentorship and induction activities must be provided 716
for an applicant's first year in the program and m ay be provided 717
until the applicant attains his or her professional certificate 718
in accordance with this section. 719
2. An assessment of teaching performance aligned to the 720
district's, charter school's, or charter management 721
organization's system for personne l evaluation under s. 1012.34 722
which provides for: 723
a. An initial evaluation of each educator's competencies 724
to determine an appropriate individualized professional learning 725
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plan. 726
b. A summative evaluation to assure successful completion 727
of the program. 728
3. Professional education preparation content knowledge, 729
which must be included in the mentoring and induction activities 730
under subparagraph 1., that includes, but is not limited to, the 731
following: 732
a. The state academic standards provided under s. 1003 .41, 733
including scientifically researched and evidence -based reading 734
instructional strategies grounded in the science of reading, 735
content literacy, and mathematical practices, for each subject 736
identified on the temporary certificate. Reading instructional 737
strategies for foundational skills shall include phonics 738
instruction for decoding and encoding as the primary 739
instructional strategy for word reading. Instructional 740
strategies may not employ the three -cueing system model of 741
reading or visual memory as a bas is for teaching word reading. 742
Instructional strategies may include visual information and 743
strategies which improve background and experiential knowledge, 744
add context, and increase oral language and vocabulary to 745
support comprehension, but may not be used t o teach word 746
reading. 747
b. The educator-accomplished practices approved by the 748
state board. 749
4. Required achievement of passing scores on the subject 750
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area and professional education competency examination required 751
by State Board of Education rule. Mastery of general knowledge 752
must be demonstrated as described in subsection (3). 753
5. Beginning with candidates entering a program in the 754
2022-2023 school year, a candidate for certification in a 755
coverage area identified pursuant to s. 1012.585(3)(f) must 756
successfully complete all competencies for a reading 757
endorsement, including completion of the endorsement practicum. 758
(b) Professional learning certification program courses: 759
1. May not distort significant historical events or 760
include curriculum or instructio n that teaches identity 761
politics, violates s. 1000.05, or is based on theories that 762
systemic racism, sexism, oppression, and privilege are inherent 763
in the institutions of the United States and were created to 764
maintain social, political, and economic inequi ties. 765
2. Must afford candidates the opportunity to think 766
critically, achieve mastery of academic program content, learn 767
instructional strategies, and demonstrate competence. 768
(c) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules for the 769
approval and continued approval of professional learning 770
certification programs aligned to paragraph (a). A teacher may 771
not satisfy requirements for a professional certificate through 772
a professional learning certification program unless the program 773
has been approved by the d epartment pursuant to this paragraph. 774
(9) PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION COMPETENCY PROGRAM. — 775
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(a) Each school district must and a private school or 776
state-supported public school, including a charter school, may 777
develop and maintain a system by which members of the 778
instructional staff may demonstrate mastery of professional 779
preparation and education competence as required by law. Each 780
program must be based on classroom application of the Florida 781
Educator Accomplished Practices and instructional performance 782
and, for public schools, must be aligned with the district's or 783
state-supported public school's evaluation system established 784
under s. 1012.34, as applicable. 785
(b) The Commissioner of Education shall determine the 786
continued approval of programs implemented und er this paragraph, 787
based upon the department's review of performance data. The 788
department shall review the performance data as a part of the 789
periodic review of each school district's professional learning 790
system required under s. 1012.98. 791
Section 9. Paragraphs (e) and (f) of subsection (3), 792
subsection (6), and paragraphs (a), (b), and (e) of subsection 793
(7) of section 1012.56, Florida Statutes, are amended, and 794
paragraph (g) is added to subsection (3) of that section, to 795
read: 796
1012.56 Educator certific ation requirements.— 797
(3) MASTERY OF GENERAL KNOWLEDGE. —Acceptable means of 798
demonstrating mastery of general knowledge are: 799
(e) Achievement of passing scores, identified in state 800
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board rule, on national or international examinations that test 801
comparable content and relevant standards in verbal, analytical 802
writing, and quantitative reasoning skills, including, but not 803
limited to, the verbal, analytical writing, and quantitative 804
reasoning portions of the Graduate Record Examination and the 805
SAT, ACT, and Classic Learning Test. Passing scores identified 806
in state board rule must be at approximately the same level of 807
rigor as is required to pass the general knowledge examinations; 808
or 809
(f) Documentation of receipt of a master's or higher 810
degree from an accredit ed postsecondary educational institution 811
that the Department of Education has identified as having a 812
quality program resulting in a baccalaureate degree or higher ; 813
or 814
(g) Successful completion of an introduction to education 815
course and a classroom manage ment and high-impact teaching 816
strategies course approved pursuant to s. 1012.551 . 817
818
A school district that employs an individual who does not 819
achieve passing scores on any subtest of the general knowledge 820
examination must provide information regarding the a vailability 821
of state-level and district-level supports and instruction to 822
assist him or her in achieving a passing score. Such information 823
must include, but need not be limited to, state -level test 824
information guides, school district test preparation resou rces, 825
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and preparation courses offered by state universities and 826
Florida College System institutions. The requirement of mastery 827
of general knowledge shall be waived for an individual who has 828
been provided 3 years of supports and instruction and who has 829
been rated effective or highly effective under s. 1012.34 for 830
each of the last 3 years. 831
(6) MASTERY OF PROFESSIONAL PREPARATION AND EDUCATION 832
COMPETENCE.—Acceptable means of demonstrating mastery of 833
professional preparation and education competence are: 834
(a) Successful completion of a state-approved an approved 835
teacher preparation program at a postsecondary educational 836
institution within this state and achievement of a passing score 837
on the professional education competency examination required by 838
state board rule; 839
(b) Successful completion of a teacher preparation program 840
at a postsecondary educational institution outside Florida and 841
achievement of a passing score on the professional education 842
competency examination required by state board rule; 843
(c) Documentation of a valid professional standard 844
teaching certificate issued by another state; 845
(d) Documentation of a valid certificate issued by the 846
National Board for Professional Teaching Standards or a national 847
educator credentialing board approved by the State Board of 848
Education; 849
(e) Documentation of two semesters of successful, full -850
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time or part-time teaching in a Florida College System 851
institution, state university, or private college or university 852
that awards an associate or higher degree and is an ac credited 853
institution or an institution of higher education identified by 854
the Department of Education as having a quality program and 855
achievement of a passing score on the professional education 856
competency examination required by state board rule; 857
(f) Successful completion of professional preparation 858
courses as specified in state board rule, successful completion 859
of a professional education competence program pursuant to 860
subsection (9), and documentation of 3 years of being rated 861
effective or highly effect ive under s. 1012.34 while holding a 862
temporary certificate; 863
(g) Successful completion of a professional learning 864
certification program, outlined in subsection (8); or 865
(h) Successful completion of a competency -based 866
certification program pursuant to s. 1004.85 and achievement of 867
a passing score on the professional education competency 868
examination required by rule of the State Board of Education ; or 869
(i) Successful completion of a Coaching for Educator 870
Readiness and Teaching Certification Program as established in 871
s. 1012.552. 872
873
The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to implement this 874
subsection, including rules to approve specific teacher 875
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preparation programs that are not identified in this subsection 876
which may be used to meet requirements for mastery of 877
professional preparation and education competence. A passing 878
score on the professional education competency examination shall 879
not be required of candidates who have successfully completed a 880
teacher preparation program approved, after July 1, 2027, 881
pursuant to s. 1004.04, s. 1004.85, or s. 1012.551. 882
(7) TYPES AND TERMS OF CERTIFICATION. — 883
(a) The Department of Education shall issue a pro fessional 884
certificate for a period not to exceed 5 years to any applicant 885
who fulfills one of the following: 886
1. Meets all the applicable requirements outlined in 887
subsection (2). 888
2. For a professional certificate covering grades 6 889
through 12: 890
a. Meets the applicable requirements of paragraphs (2)(a) -891
(h). 892
b. Holds a master's or higher degree in the area of 893
science, technology, engineering, or mathematics. 894
c. Teaches a high school course in the subject of the 895
advanced degree. 896
d. Is rated highly eff ective as determined by the 897
teacher's performance evaluation under s. 1012.34, based in part 898
on student performance as measured by a statewide, standardized 899
assessment or an Advanced Placement, Advanced International 900
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Certificate of Education, or Internatio nal Baccalaureate 901
examination. 902
e. Achieves a passing score on the Florida professional 903
education competency examination required by state board rule. 904
3. Meets the applicable requirements of paragraphs (2)(a) -905
(h) and completes a Coaching for Educator Re adiness and Teaching 906
Certification Program pursuant to s. 1012.551, professional 907
learning certification program approved by the department 908
pursuant to paragraph (8)(c) , or an educator preparation 909
institute approved by the department pursuant to s. 1004.85. An 910
applicant who completes one of these programs and is rated 911
highly effective as determined by his or her performance 912
evaluation under s. 1012.34 is not required to take or achieve a 913
passing score on the professional education competency 914
examination in order to be awarded a professional certificate. 915
(b) The department shall issue a temporary certificate to 916
any applicant who: 917
1. Completes the requirements outlined in paragraphs 918
(2)(a)-(f) and completes the subject area content requirements 919
specified in state board rule or demonstrates mastery of subject 920
area knowledge pursuant to subsection (5) and holds an 921
accredited degree or a degree approved by the Department of 922
Education at the level required for the subject area 923
specialization in state board rule ; 924
2. For a subject area specialization for which the state 925
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board otherwise requires a bachelor's degree, documents 48 926
months of active-duty military service with an honorable 927
discharge or a medical separation; completes the requirements 928
outlined in paragraphs (2)(a), (b), and (d) -(f); completes the 929
subject area content requirements specified in state board rule 930
or demonstrates mastery of subject area knowledge pursuant to 931
subsection (5); and documents completion of 60 college credits 932
with a minimum cumula tive grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 933
scale, as provided by one or more accredited institutions of 934
higher learning or a nonaccredited institution of higher 935
learning identified by the Department of Education as having a 936
quality program resulting in a bac helor's degree or higher; or 937
3. Is enrolled in a state -approved teacher preparation 938
program under s. 1004.04; is actively completing the final 939
semester of the clinical experience or required program field 940
experience or internship at a public school immediately 941
preceding graduation ; completes the requirements outlined in 942
paragraphs (2)(a), (b), and (d) -(f); completes the subject area 943
content requirements specified in state board rule or 944
demonstrates mastery of subject area knowledge pursuant to 945
subsection (5); and documents completion of 60 college credits 946
with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 947
scale, as provided by one or more accredited institutions of 948
higher learning or a nonaccredited institution of higher 949
learning identified by t he Department of Education as having a 950
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quality program resulting in a bachelor's degree or higher. 951
(e) A person who is issued a temporary certificate under 952
paragraph (b) must be assigned a teacher mentor or clinical 953
educator for a minimum of 2 school yea rs after commencing 954
employment. Each teacher mentor or clinical educator selected by 955
the school district, charter school, or charter management 956
organization must: 957
1. Hold a valid professional certificate issued pursuant 958
to this section; 959
2. Have earned at least 3 years of teaching experience in 960
prekindergarten through grade 12; and 961
3. Have earned an effective or highly effective rating on 962
the prior 3 year's performance evaluation under s. 1012.34. 963
4. Provide evidence of successful completion of clini cal 964
educator training pursuant to s. 1012.98. 965
5. Be certified or endorsed in reading when assigned to an 966
individual providing instruction to students in kindergarten 967
through grade 3. 968
969
At least 1 year before an individual's temporary certificate is 970
set to expire, the department shall electronically notify the 971
individual of the date on which his or her certificate will 972
expire and provide a list of each method by which the 973
qualifications for a professional certificate can be completed. 974
Section 10. Paragraph (a) of subsection (3) of section 975
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1012.585, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 976
1012.585 Process for renewal of professional 977
certificates.— 978
(3) For the renewal of a professional certificate, the 979
following requirements must be met: 980
(a) The applicant must earn a minimum of 6 college credits 981
or 120 inservice points or a combination thereof. For each area 982
of specialization to be retained on a certificate, the applicant 983
must earn at least 3 of the required credit hours or equivalent 984
inservice points in the specialization area. Education in 985
"clinical educator" Training pursuant to s. 1012.98(4) s. 986
1004.04(5)(b); participation in mentorship and induction 987
activities, including as a mentor , pursuant to s. 1012.56(8)(a) ; 988
and credits or points that provide t raining in the area of 989
scientifically researched, knowledge -based reading literacy 990
grounded in the science of reading, including explicit, 991
systematic, and sequential approaches to reading instruction, 992
developing phonemic awareness, and implementing multise nsory 993
intervention strategies, and computational skills acquisition, 994
exceptional student education, normal child development, and the 995
disorders of development may be applied toward any 996
specialization area. Credits or points that provide training in 997
the areas of drug abuse, child abuse and neglect, strategies in 998
teaching students having limited proficiency in English, or 999
dropout prevention, or training in areas identified in the 1000
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educational goals and performance standards adopted pursuant to 1001
ss. 1000.03(5) and 1008.345 may be applied toward any 1002
specialization area, except specialization areas identified by 1003
State Board of Education rule that include reading instruction 1004
or intervention for any students in kindergarten through grade 1005
6. Each district school board shall include in its inservice 1006
master plan the ability for teachers to receive inservice points 1007
for supporting students in extracurricular career and technical 1008
education activities, such as career and technical student 1009
organization activities outside of r egular school hours and 1010
training related to supervising students participating in a 1011
career and technical student organization. Credits or points 1012
earned through approved summer institutes may be applied toward 1013
the fulfillment of these requirements. Inservic e points may also 1014
be earned by participation in professional growth components 1015
approved by the State Board of Education and specified pursuant 1016
to s. 1012.98 in the district's approved master plan for 1017
inservice educational training; however, such points may not be 1018
used to satisfy the specialization requirements of this 1019
paragraph. 1020
Section 11. Subsections (3) and (4) and paragraph (b) of 1021
subsection (5) of section 1012.98, Florida Statutes, are amended 1022
to read: 1023
1012.98 School Community Professional Learning Act.— 1024
(3) Professional learning activities must be linked to 1025
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student learning, provide and professional growth for 1026
instructional and administrative staff , and meet the following 1027
criteria: 1028
(a) For instructional personnel, utilize materials alig ned 1029
to the state's academic standards. 1030
(b) For school administrators, utilize materials aligned 1031
to the Florida Educational Leadership Standards adopted in rule 1032
by the State Board of Education state's educational leadership 1033
standards. 1034
(c) Have clear, defined, and measurable outcomes for both 1035
individual inservice activities and multiple day sessions. 1036
(d) Employ multiple measurement tools for data on teacher 1037
growth, participants' use of new knowledge and skills, student 1038
learning outcomes, instructional g rowth outcomes, and leadership 1039
growth outcomes, as applicable. 1040
(e) Utilize active learning and engage participants 1041
directly in designing and trying out strategies, providing 1042
participants with the opportunity to engage in authentic 1043
teaching and leadership experiences. 1044
(f) Utilize artifacts, interactive activities, and other 1045
strategies to provide deeply embedded and highly contextualized 1046
professional learning. 1047
(g) Create opportunities for collaboration. 1048
(h) Utilize coaching and expert support to invol ve the 1049
sharing of expertise about content and evidence -based practices, 1050
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focused directly on instructional personnel and school 1051
administrator needs. 1052
(i) Provide opportunities for instructional personnel and 1053
school administrators to think about, receive in put on, and make 1054
changes to practice by facilitating reflection and providing 1055
feedback. 1056
(j) Provide sustained duration with followup for 1057
instructional personnel and school administrators to have 1058
adequate time to learn, practice, implement, and reflect up on 1059
new strategies that facilitate changes in practice. 1060
(k) Provide training on the use of high -quality 1061
instructional materials included on the state -adopted 1062
instructional materials list pursuant to s. 1006.28, materials 1063
evaluated and identified pursuant to s. 1001.215(4), and 1064
materials developed pursuant to s. 1006.39, including when and 1065
how to use intervention materials. 1066
(4) The inservice activities designed to implement this 1067
section must: 1068
(a) Support and increase the success of educators through 1069
collaboratively developed school improvement plans that focus 1070
on: 1071
1. Enhanced and differentiated instructional strategies to 1072
engage students in a rigorous and knowledge-based relevant 1073
curriculum based on the Florida Educator Accomplished Practices 1074
state and local educational standards, goals, and initiatives ; 1075
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and 1076
2. Increased opportunities to provide meaningful 1077
relationships between teachers and all students; and 1078
2.3. Increased opportunities for professional 1079
collaboration among and between teachers, cert ified school 1080
counselors, instructional leaders, postsecondary educators 1081
engaged in preservice training for new teachers, and the 1082
workforce community. 1083
(b) Assist the school community in providing stimulating, 1084
scientific research-based educational activiti es that encourage 1085
and motivate students to achieve at the highest levels and to 1086
participate as active learners and that prepare students for 1087
success at subsequent educational levels and the workforce. 1088
(c) Provide continuous support for all education 1089
professionals as well as temporary intervention for education 1090
professionals who need improvement in knowledge, skills, and 1091
performance. 1092
(d) Provide instructional personnel and school 1093
administrators with the knowledge, skills, and best practices 1094
necessary to support excellence in classroom instruction and 1095
educational leadership. 1096
(e) Provide training to individuals who serve as mentors 1097
or clinical educators teacher mentors as part of the 1098
professional learning certification program under s. 1012.56(8) 1099
and the professional education competency program under s. 1100
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1012.56(9). The department shall develop criteria for the 1101
initial review and continued approval of clinical educator and 1102
mentor training that must include, at a minimum: 1103
1. Instruction and assessment in the Florida Educator 1104
Accomplished Practices. 1105
2. Effective communication strategies to guide reflection 1106
and personal growth. 1107
3. Effective modeling of high -impact teaching practices 1108
and skills. 1109
4. Fostering resilience in educators 1110
components on teacher development, peer coaching, time 1111
management, and other related topics as determined by the 1112
Department of Education . 1113
(5) The Department of Education, school districts, 1114
schools, Florida College System institutions, and state 1115
universities share the responsibilities described in this 1116
section. These responsibilities include the following: 1117
(b) Each school district shall develop a professional 1118
learning system as specified in subsection (4). The system shall 1119
be developed in consultation with teachers, teacher -educators of 1120
Florida College System institutions and state universities, 1121
business and community representatives, and local education 1122
foundations, consortia, and professional organizations. The 1123
professional learning syste m must: 1124
1. Be reviewed and approved by the department for 1125
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compliance with s. 1003.42(3) and this section. Effective March 1126
1, 2024, The department shall establish a calendar for the 1127
review and approval of all professional learning systems. A 1128
professional learning system must be reviewed and approved every 1129
5 years. Any substantial revisions to the system must be 1130
submitted to the department for review and approval. The 1131
department shall establish a format for the review and approval 1132
of a professional learning system. 1133
2. Be based on analyses of student achievement data and 1134
instructional strategies and methods that support rigorous, 1135
relevant, and challenging curricula for all students. Schools 1136
and districts, in developing and refining the professional 1137
learning system, shall also review and monitor school discipline 1138
data; school environment surveys; assessments of parental 1139
satisfaction; performance appraisal data of teachers, managers, 1140
and administrative personnel; and other performance indicators 1141
to identify school and student needs that can be met by improved 1142
professional performance. 1143
3. Provide inservice activities coupled with followup 1144
support appropriate to accomplish district -level and school-1145
level improvement goals and standards. The inservice activities 1146
for instructional and school administrative personnel shall 1147
focus on analysis of student achievement data; ongoing formal 1148
and informal assessments of student achievement; identification 1149
and use of enhanced and differentiated instructional strategies 1150
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that emphasize rigor, relevance, and reading in the content 1151
areas; enhancement of subject content expertise; integrated use 1152
of classroom technology that enhances teaching and learning; 1153
classroom management; parent involvement; and school safety. 1154
4. Provide inservice activities and support targeted to 1155
the individual needs of new teachers participating in the 1156
professional learning certification and education competency 1157
program under s. 1012.56(8)(a). 1158
5. Include a professional learning catalog for inservice 1159
activities, pursuant to rules of the State Board of Education, 1160
for all district employees from all fund sources. The catalog 1161
must be updated annually by September 1, must be based on input 1162
from teachers and district and school instructional leaders, and 1163
must use the latest available student achievement data and 1164
research to enhance rigor and relevance in the classroom. Each 1165
district inservice catalog must be aligned to and support the 1166
school-based inservice catalog and school improvement plans 1167
pursuant to s. 1001.42(18). Each district inservice catalog must 1168
provide a description of the training that middle grades 1169
instructional personnel and school administrators receive on the 1170
district's code of student conduct adopted pursuant to s. 1171
1006.07; integrated digital instruction and competency -based 1172
instruction and CAPE Digital Tool certificates and CAPE industry 1173
certifications; classroom management; student behavior and 1174
interaction; extended learning opportunities for students; and 1175
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instructional leadership. District p lans must be approved by the 1176
district school board annually in order to ensure compliance 1177
with subsection (1) and to allow for dissemination of research -1178
based best practices to other districts. District school boards 1179
shall submit verification of their appr oval to the Commissioner 1180
of Education no later than October 1, annually. Each school 1181
principal may establish and maintain an individual professional 1182
learning plan for each instructional employee assigned to the 1183
school as a seamless component to the school improvement plans 1184
developed pursuant to s. 1001.42(18). An individual professional 1185
learning plan must be related to specific performance data for 1186
the students to whom the teacher is assigned, define the 1187
inservice objectives and specific measurable improvem ents 1188
expected in student performance as a result of the inservice 1189
activity, and include an evaluation component that determines 1190
the effectiveness of the professional learning plan. 1191
6. Include inservice activities for school administrative 1192
personnel, aligned to the state's educational leadership 1193
standards, which address updated skills necessary for 1194
instructional leadership and effective school management 1195
pursuant to s. 1012.986. 1196
7. Provide for systematic consultation with regional and 1197
state personnel designated to provide technical assistance and 1198
evaluation of local professional learning programs. 1199
8. Provide for delivery of professional learning by 1200
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distance learning and other technology -based delivery systems to 1201
reach more educators at lower costs. 1202
9. Provide for the continuous evaluation of the quality 1203
and effectiveness of professional learning programs in order to 1204
eliminate ineffective programs and strategies and to expand 1205
effective ones. Evaluations must consider the impact of such 1206
activities on the performance of participating educators and 1207
their students' achievement and behavior. 1208
10. For all grades, emphasize: 1209
a. Interdisciplinary planning, collaboration, and 1210
instruction. 1211
b. Alignment of curriculum and instructional materials to 1212
the state academic standards adopted pursuant to s. 1003.41. 1213
c. Use of small learning communities; problem -solving, 1214
inquiry-driven research and analytical approaches for students; 1215
strategies and tools based on student needs; competency -based 1216
instruction; integrated digital instruction; and project -based 1217
instruction. 1218
1219
Each school that includes any of grades 6, 7, or 8 shall include 1220
in its school improvement plan, required under s. 1001.42(18), a 1221
description of the specific strategies used by the school to 1222
implement each item listed in this subparagraph. 1223
11. Provide training to reading coaches, interventionists, 1224
classroom teachers, and school administrators in effective 1225
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methods of identifying characteristics of conditions such as 1226
dyslexia and other causes of diminishe d phonological processing 1227
skills; incorporating instructional techniques into the general 1228
education setting which are proven to improve reading 1229
performance for all students; and using predictive and other 1230
data to make instructional decisions based on indiv idual student 1231
needs. The training must help teachers integrate phonemic 1232
awareness; phonics, word study, and spelling; reading fluency; 1233
vocabulary, including academic vocabulary; and text 1234
comprehension strategies into an explicit, systematic, and 1235
sequential approach to reading instruction, including 1236
multisensory intervention strategies. Such training for teaching 1237
foundational skills must be based on the science of reading and 1238
include phonics instruction for decoding and encoding as the 1239
primary instructional strategy for word reading. Instructional 1240
strategies included in the training may not employ the three -1241
cueing system model of reading or visual memory as a basis for 1242
teaching word reading. Such instructional strategies may include 1243
visual information and str ategies which improve background and 1244
experiential knowledge, add context, and increase oral language 1245
and vocabulary to support comprehension, but may not be used to 1246
teach word reading. Each district must provide all elementary 1247
grades instructional personne l access to training sufficient to 1248
meet the requirements of s. 1012.585(3)(f). 1249
Section 12. Section 1012.981, Florida Statutes, is created 1250
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to read: 1251
1012.981 The Florida Institute for Teaching Excellence. — 1252
(1) The Florida Institute for Teaching Excel lence is 1253
established at Miami Dade College, subject to an appropriation, 1254
for the purpose of preparing high -quality teachers in this state 1255
through rigorous, evidence -based programs grounded in cognitive 1256
science, high-impact teaching strategies, and the impl ementation 1257
of knowledge-rich curricula. 1258
(2) The institute shall do all of the following: 1259
(a) Develop and deliver evidence -based professional 1260
learning opportunities aligned to the Florida Educator 1261
Accomplished Practices. 1262
(b) Develop and deliver educ ator training programs 1263
pursuant to s. 1012.98 that integrate high -quality instructional 1264
materials included on the state -adopted instructional materials 1265
list under s. 1006.28, materials evaluated and identified 1266
pursuant to s. 1001.215(4), and materials deve loped by or under 1267
the direction of the department as provided in s. 1006.39. These 1268
programs must focus on the effective use of knowledge -based 1269
curricula, highlighting when and how to incorporate intervention 1270
materials, and emphasize the importance of backg round knowledge 1271
in building advanced reading comprehension grounded in the 1272
science of reading and critical thinking skills. 1273
(c) Develop and design models of high -quality clinical 1274
experiences, for aspiring teachers. These model experiences 1275
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shall serve as a standard that institutions approved pursuant to 1276
ss. 1004.04 and 1004.85 can adopt or adapt, enabling 1277
participants to demonstrate mastery of instructional techniques, 1278
classroom management strategies, and the application of high -1279
impact teaching strategies in authentic educational settings. 1280
(d) Collaborate with school districts and other 1281
educational stakeholders to identify emerging needs in teacher 1282
preparation and align institute programs accordingly, conducting 1283
gap analyses to provide comprehensive cover age of the science of 1284
learning, high-impact teaching strategies, and knowledge -rich 1285
curriculum implementation. 1286
(e) Establish a statewide network of teachers and 1287
instructional leaders equipped with the knowledge and skills to 1288
mentor and support aspiring a nd current educators participating 1289
in the institute's programs. This network shall model effective 1290
pedagogical practices and facilitate professional growth. 1291
(f) Conduct research and disseminate findings on high -1292
impact teaching practices and the implement ation of knowledge-1293
based curricula to inform policy, improve classroom instruction, 1294
and address the importance of background knowledge in student 1295
achievement. 1296
(g) Report to the department the completion of 1297
professional learning by individuals who are not employed by 1298
entities with an approved professional learning system. 1299
(3) The institute may submit a professional learning 1300
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system for approval pursuant to s. 1012.98. 1301
(4) The institute may apply for and receive federal, 1302
state, or local agency grants for the purposes of this section. 1303
(5) The Miami Dade College Board of Trustees in 1304
collaboration with the Florida Department of Education shall 1305
establish policies for the supervision, administration, and 1306
governance of the institute. 1307
Section 13. Effective July 1, 2028, subsection (5) of 1308
section 1012.55, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 1309
1012.55 Positions for which certificates required. — 1310
(5) Notwithstanding this section and ss. 1012.32 and 1311
1012.56, or any other provision of law or rule to the contr ary, 1312
the State Board of Education shall adopt rules to allow for the 1313
issuance of a classical education teaching certificate, upon the 1314
request of a classical school, to any applicant who fulfills the 1315
requirements of s. 1012.56(2)(a) -(f) and (9) (11) and any other 1316
criteria established by the department. Such certificate is only 1317
valid at a classical school. For the purposes of this 1318
subsection, the term "classical school" means a school that 1319
implements and provides professional learning in a classical 1320
education school model that emphasizes the development of 1321
students in the principles of moral character and civic virtue 1322
through a well-rounded education in the liberal arts and 1323
sciences that is based on the classical trivium stages of 1324
grammar, logic, and rhetoric. 1325
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Section 14. Effective July 1, 2028, subsection (1) of 1326
section 1012.57, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 1327
1012.57 Certification of adjunct educators. — 1328
(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of ss. 1012.32, 1329
1012.55, and 1012.56, or any other provisi on of law or rule to 1330
the contrary, district school boards and charter school 1331
governing boards shall adopt rules to allow for the issuance of 1332
an adjunct teaching certificate to any applicant who fulfills 1333
the requirements of s. 1012.56(2)(a) -(f) and (9) (11) and who 1334
has expertise in the subject area to be taught. An applicant is 1335
considered to have expertise in the subject area to be taught if 1336
the applicant demonstrates sufficient subject area mastery 1337
through passage of a subject area test or has achieved an 1338
industry certification in the subject area to be taught. 1339
Section 15. Effective July 1, 2028, paragraph (b) of 1340
subsection (5) of section 1012.98, Florida Statutes, is amended 1341
to read: 1342
1012.98 School Community Professional Learning Act. — 1343
(5) The Department of Education, school districts, 1344
schools, Florida College System institutions, and state 1345
universities share the responsibilities described in this 1346
section. These responsibilities include the following: 1347
(b) Each school district shall develop a profes sional 1348
learning system as specified in subsection (4). The system shall 1349
be developed in consultation with teachers, teacher -educators of 1350
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Florida College System institutions and state universities, 1351
business and community representatives, and local education 1352
foundations, consortia, and professional organizations. The 1353
professional learning system must: 1354
1. Be reviewed and approved by the department for 1355
compliance with s. 1003.42(3) and this section. The department 1356
shall establish a calendar for the review and approval of all 1357
professional learning systems. A professional learning system 1358
must be reviewed and approved every 5 years. Any substantial 1359
revisions to the system must be submitted to the department for 1360
review and approval. The department shall establish a format for 1361
the review and approval of a professional learning system. 1362
2. Be based on analyses of student achievement data and 1363
instructional strategies and methods that support rigorous, 1364
relevant, and challenging curricula for all students. Schools 1365
and districts, in developing and refining the professional 1366
learning system, shall also review and monitor school discipline 1367
data; school environment surveys; assessments of parental 1368
satisfaction; performance appraisal data of teachers, managers, 1369
and administrative personnel; and other performance indicators 1370
to identify school and student needs that can be met by improved 1371
professional performance. 1372
3. Provide inservice activities coupled with followup 1373
support appropriate to accomplish district -level and school-1374
level improvement goals and standards. The inservice activities 1375
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for instructional and school administrative personnel shall 1376
focus on analysis of student achievement data; ongoing formal 1377
and informal assessments of student achievement; identification 1378
and use of enhanced and differentiated instructional strategies 1379
that emphasize rigor, relevance, and reading in the content 1380
areas; enhancement of subject content expertise; integrated use 1381
of classroom technology that enhances teaching and learning; 1382
classroom management; parent involvement; and school safety. 1383
4. Provide inservice activities and support targeted to 1384
the individual needs of new teachers participating in the 1385
professional learning certification and education competency 1386
program under s. 1012.56(8)(a) . 1387
5. Include a professional learning catalog for inservice 1388
activities, pursuant to rules of the State Board of Education, 1389
for all district employees from all fund sources. The catalog 1390
must be updated annually by September 1, must be based on input 1391
from teachers and district and school instructional leaders, and 1392
must use the latest available student achievement data and 1393
research to enhance rigor and relevance in the classroom. Each 1394
district inservice catalog must be aligned to and support the 1395
school-based inservice catalog and school improvement plans 1396
pursuant to s. 1001.42(18). Each district inservice catalog must 1397
provide a description of the training that middle grades 1398
instructional personnel and school administrators receive on the 1399
district's code of stud ent conduct adopted pursuant to s. 1400
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1006.07; integrated digital instruction and competency -based 1401
instruction and CAPE Digital Tool certificates and CAPE industry 1402
certifications; classroom management; student behavior and 1403
interaction; extended learning oppor tunities for students; and 1404
instructional leadership. District plans must be approved by the 1405
district school board annually in order to ensure compliance 1406
with subsection (1) and to allow for dissemination of research -1407
based best practices to other districts. District school boards 1408
shall submit verification of their approval to the Commissioner 1409
of Education no later than October 1, annually. Each school 1410
principal may establish and maintain an individual professional 1411
learning plan for each instructional employe e assigned to the 1412
school as a seamless component to the school improvement plans 1413
developed pursuant to s. 1001.42(18). An individual professional 1414
learning plan must be related to specific performance data for 1415
the students to whom the teacher is assigned, d efine the 1416
inservice objectives and specific measurable improvements 1417
expected in student performance as a result of the inservice 1418
activity, and include an evaluation component that determines 1419
the effectiveness of the professional learning plan. 1420
6. Include inservice activities for school administrative 1421
personnel, aligned to the state's educational leadership 1422
standards, which address updated skills necessary for 1423
instructional leadership and effective school management 1424
pursuant to s. 1012.986. 1425
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7. Provide for systematic consultation with regional and 1426
state personnel designated to provide technical assistance and 1427
evaluation of local professional learning programs. 1428
8. Provide for delivery of professional learning by 1429
distance learning and other technology -based delivery systems to 1430
reach more educators at lower costs. 1431
9. Provide for the continuous evaluation of the quality 1432
and effectiveness of professional learning programs in order to 1433
eliminate ineffective programs and strategies and to expand 1434
effective ones. Evaluations must consider the impact of such 1435
activities on the performance of participating educators and 1436
their students' achievement and behavior. 1437
10. For all grades, emphasize: 1438
a. Interdisciplinary planning, collaboration, and 1439
instruction. 1440
b. Alignment of curriculum and instructional materials to 1441
the state academic standards adopted pursuant to s. 1003.41. 1442
c. Use of small learning communities; problem -solving, 1443
inquiry-driven research and analytical approaches for students; 1444
strategies and tools ba sed on student needs; competency -based 1445
instruction; integrated digital instruction; and project -based 1446
instruction. 1447
1448
Each school that includes any of grades 6, 7, or 8 shall include 1449
in its school improvement plan, required under s. 1001.42(18), a 1450
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description of the specific strategies used by the school to 1451
implement each item listed in this subparagraph. 1452
11. Provide training to reading coaches, interventionists, 1453
classroom teachers, and school administrators in effective 1454
methods of identifying characteristi cs of conditions such as 1455
dyslexia and other causes of diminished phonological processing 1456
skills; incorporating instructional techniques into the general 1457
education setting which are proven to improve reading 1458
performance for all students; and using predictiv e and other 1459
data to make instructional decisions based on individual student 1460
needs. The training must help teachers integrate phonemic 1461
awareness; phonics, word study, and spelling; reading fluency; 1462
vocabulary, including academic vocabulary; and text 1463
comprehension strategies into an explicit, systematic, and 1464
sequential approach to reading instruction, including 1465
multisensory intervention strategies. Such training for teaching 1466
foundational skills must be based on the science of reading and 1467
include phonics inst ruction for decoding and encoding as the 1468
primary instructional strategy for word reading. Instructional 1469
strategies included in the training may not employ the three -1470
cueing system model of reading or visual memory as a basis for 1471
teaching word reading. Such instructional strategies may include 1472
visual information and strategies which improve background and 1473
experiential knowledge, add context, and increase oral language 1474
and vocabulary to support comprehension, but may not be used to 1475
HB 875 2025
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb875-00
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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
teach word reading. Each dis trict must provide all elementary 1476
grades instructional personnel access to training sufficient to 1477
meet the requirements of s. 1012.585(3)(f). 1478
Section 16. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this 1479
act, this act shall take effect July 1, 2025. 1480