The Florida Senate
BILL ANALYSIS AND FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT
(This document is based on the provisions contained in the legislation as of the latest date listed below.)
Prepared By: The Professional Staff of the Appropriations Committee on Pre-K - 12 Education
BILL: SB 1590
INTRODUCER: Senator Burgess
SUBJECT: Educator Preparation
DATE: April 9, 2025
ANALYST STAFF DIRECTOR REFERENCE ACTION
1. Jahnke Bouck ED Favorable
2. Gray Elwell AED Pre-meeting
3. FP
I. Summary:
SB 1590 establishes the Task Force for Educator Preparation to review and make
recommendations for revising Florida’s teacher training, certification, and professional learning
systems. The intent of the task force is to modernize these systems by 2028 in order to better
prepare educators for the challenges of 21st-century classrooms.
The task force will include representatives from state universities, private colleges, educator
preparation institutes (EPIs), school districts, charter schools, and the Department of Education
(DOE). It is charged with evaluating the effectiveness of teacher training programs, including
alternative certification pathways and teacher apprenticeship models; analyzing current
certification standards and procedures; and reviewing ongoing professional learning, including
mentorship and collaboration with preparation programs.
The DOE is required to provide administrative support to the task force, which must submit a
final report with recommendations to the Governor and legislative leaders by December 1, 2025,
after which the task force will expire.
This bill has an indeterminate fiscal impact on state revenues and expenditures. See Section V.
Fiscal Impact Statement.
The bill takes effect upon becoming a law.
REVISED: BILL: SB 1590 Page 2
II. Present Situation:
Teacher Preparation Programs
Teacher preparation programs are accountable for producing individuals with the competencies
and skills necessary to achieve the state education goals.
1
State-approved teacher preparation
programs are offered by Florida public and private postsecondary institutions, public school
districts, and private providers by which candidates for educator certification can, depending on
the type of program, demonstrate mastery of general knowledge, professional preparation and
education competence, and/or subject area knowledge for purposes of attaining an educator
certificate.
2
There are various state-approved teacher preparation programs that individuals may use to
receive the training needed to attain an educator certificate, including:
• Initial Teacher Preparation programs in public and private colleges and universities requiring
candidates to demonstrate mastery of subject area knowledge in one or more specific subject
areas(s), mastery of general knowledge, and mastery of professional preparation and
education competence. Program completers qualify for a professional educator certificate.
• Educator Preparation Institutes (EPIs) offering alternative certification programs by
postsecondary institutions and qualified private providers for baccalaureate degree holders.
These programs provide professional preparation for career-changers and recent college
graduates who do not already possess a Professional Educator Certificate and require mastery
of general knowledge, mastery of subject area knowledge, and mastery of professional
preparation and education competence.
3
• District professional learning certification and education competency programs. Such
programs are cohesive competency-based professional preparation certification programs
offered by school districts, charter schools, and charter management districts by which the
instructional staff can satisfy the mastery of professional preparation and education
competence requirements.
4
In addition to completing the district program, candidates must
demonstrate mastery of general knowledge
5
and subject area knowledge.
6
Teacher preparation program courses are prohibited from distorting significant historical events
or including a curriculum or instruction that teaches identity politics, violates the Florida
Educational Equity Act,
7 or is based on theories that systemic racism, sexism, oppression, and
1
Section 1004.04(1), F.S.
2
See Florida Department of Education, Florida’s Coordinated System of Professional Learning,
https://www.fldoe.org/teaching/professional-dev/ (last visited April 2, 2025). See also Rule 6A-5.066, F.A.C.; ss. 1004.04(3)
and 1004.85(1), F.S.
3
Florida Department of Education, Educator Preparation, http://www.fldoe.org/teaching/preparation (last visited April 2,
2025). See also Rule 6A-5.066, F.A.C.
4
Section 1012.56(8), F.S. Florida Department of Education. State-Approved Educator Preparation Programs, Approved
Add-on Programs, https://www.fldoe.org/teaching/preparation/initial-teacher-preparation-programs/approved-teacher-edu-
programs.stml (last visited April 2, 2025).
5
See Florida Department of Education, General Knowledge, https://www.fldoe.org/teaching/certification/general-cert-
requirements/general-knowledge.stml (last visited April 2, 2025).
6
Florida Department of Education, Subject Area Knowledge, https://www.fldoe.org/teaching/certification/general-cert-
requirements/subject-area-knowledge.stml (last visited April 2, 2025).
7
Section 1000.05, F.S. BILL: SB 1590 Page 3
privilege are inherent in the institutions of the United States and were created to maintain social,
political, and economic inequities. Teacher Preparation courses must afford candidates the
opportunity to think critically, achieve mastery of academic program content, learn instructional
strategies, and demonstrate competence.
Initial Teacher Preparation Program
Each candidate enrolled in a teacher preparation program must receive instruction and be
assessed on the uniform core curricula in his or her area of program concentration during course
work and field experiences. A candidate for certification in a coverage area that includes reading
instruction or interventions in kindergarten through grade six must successfully complete all
competencies for a reading endorsement.
The SBE must establish, in rule, uniform core curricula for each state-approved teacher
preparation program including, but not limited to:
• Candidate instruction and assessment in the Florida Educator Accomplished Practices
(FEAP) across content areas;
• The use of state-adopted content standards to guide curricula and instruction;
• Scientifically researched and evidence-based reading instructional strategies that improve
reading performance for all students;
• Content literacy and mathematical practices;
• Strategies appropriate for instruction of English language learners;
• Strategies appropriate for instruction of students with disabilities;
• Strategies to differentiate instruction based on student needs;
• Strategies and practices to support evidence-based content aligned to state standards and
grading practices;
• Strategies appropriate for the early identification of students in crisis or experiencing a
mental health challenge and the referral of such student to a mental health professional for
support;
• Strategies to support the use of technology in education and distance learning; and
• Strategies and practices to support effective, research-based assessment and grading practices
aligned to the state’s academic standards.
In addition, before program completion, each candidate must demonstrate his or her ability to
positively impact student learning growth in the candidate’s area(s) of program concentration
during a prekindergarten through grade 12 field experience and must pass each portion of the
Florida Teacher Certification Examination required for a professional certificate in the area(s) of
program concentration.
Educator Preparation Institutes
Postsecondary institutions that are accredited or approved by the Department of Education
(DOE) to award degrees and credits for educator certification may seek approval from the DOE
to create EPIs for the purpose of providing all or any of the following:
• Professional development instruction to assist teachers in improving classroom instruction
and in meeting certification or recertification requirements; BILL: SB 1590 Page 4
• Instruction to assist potential and existing substitute teachers in performing their duties;
• Instruction to assist paraprofessionals in meeting education and training requirements;
• Instruction for noneducation baccalaureate degree holders to become certified teachers in
order to increase routes to the classroom for mid-career professionals; and
• Instruction and professional development for part-time and full-time non-degreed teachers of
career programs.
A private provider that has a proven history of delivering high-quality educator preparation may
also seek approval to offer a competency-based certification program. The DOE approval must
be based upon evidence provided from other state recipients of the provider’s services and data
showing the successful performance of completers based upon student achievement.
8
EPIs may offer competency-based certification programs specifically designed for non-education
major baccalaureate degree holders to enable program participants to meet educator certification.
The DOE must approve a certification program if the EPI provides evidence of the EPI’s
capacity to implement a competency-based program that includes each of the following:
• Participant instruction and assessment in the FEAP across content areas.
• The use of state-adopted student content standards to guide curriculum and instruction.
• Scientifically researched and evidence-based reading instructional strategies that improve
reading performance for all students, including explicit, systematic, and sequential
approaches to teaching phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and text
comprehension and multisensory intervention strategies.
• Content literacy and mathematical practices.
• Strategies appropriate for instruction of English language learners.
• Strategies appropriate for instruction of students with disabilities.
• Strategies to differentiate instruction based on student needs.
• Strategies and practices to support evidence-based content aligned to state standards and
grading practices.
• Strategies appropriate for the early identification of a student in crisis or experiencing a
mental health challenge and the referral of such student to a mental health professional for
support.
• Strategies to support the use of technology in education and distance learning.
• An educational plan for each participant to meet certification requirements and demonstrate
his or her ability to teach the subject area for which the participant is seeking certification,
which is based on an assessment of his or her competency in specified areas.
• Field experiences appropriate to the certification subject area.
• A certification ombudsman to facilitate the process and procedures required for participants
who complete the program to meet any requirements related to the background screening and
educator professional or temporary certification.
9
8
Section 1004.85(2), F.S.
9
Section 1004.85(3), F.S. See also s. 1004.04(2), F.S. BILL: SB 1590 Page 5
Requirements for Individuals Supervising or Directing Teacher Preparation Field
Experiences
All school district personnel and instructional personnel who supervise or direct teacher
preparation program students during field experience courses or internships taking place in this
state in which candidates demonstrate an impact on student learning growth must have:
• Evidence of “clinical educator” training;
• A valid professional certificate;
• At least three years of teaching experience in prekindergarten through grade 12;
• Earned an effective or highly effective rating on the prior year’s performance evaluation or
be a peer evaluator under the district’s evaluation system; and
• For all such personnel who supervise or direct teacher preparation students during internships
in kindergarten through grade three or who are enrolled in a teacher preparation program for
a certificate area includes reading instruction or intervention for any students in kindergarten
through grade six, a certificate or endorsement in reading.
10
Professional Learning Certification Programs
School districts, charter schools, and charter management organizations may offer a professional
learning certification program that must be approved by the DOE. The program must include:
• A minimum period of initial preparation before becoming the teacher of record;
• An option to collaborate with other agencies or educational entities for implementation;
• A teacher mentorship and induction component;
• An assessment of teaching performance aligned with the district’s personnel evaluation
system;
• Professional educational preparation content knowledge that must be included in the
mentoring and induction activities;
• Required passing scores on the general knowledge, subject area, and the professional
education competency test; and
• Completion of all competencies for a reading endorsement for all candidates for certification
in coverage areas that include reading instruction or interventions in kindergarten through
grade six.
As required by law, the DOE adopted standards for the approval of professional learning
certification programs, including standards for the teacher mentorship and induction component.
The standards for the teacher mentorship and induction component must include:
• Program administration and evaluation;
• Mentor roles, selection, and training;
• Beginning teacher assessment and professional development; and
• Teacher content knowledge and practices aligned to the FEAP.
To serve as a mentor in a professional learning certification program, an individual must:
• Hold a valid professional certificate;
• Have earned at least three years of teaching experience in prekindergarten through grade 12;
10
Section 1004.04(5), F.S. BILL: SB 1590 Page 6
• Have completed training in clinical supervision and participate in ongoing mentor training
provided through the coordinated system of professional learning;
• Have earned an effective or highly effective rating on the prior year’s performance
evaluation; and
• May be a peer evaluator under the district’s evaluation system.
11
Educator Certification
In order for a person to serve as an educator in a traditional public school, charter school, virtual
school, or other publicly operated school, the person must hold a certificate issued by the DOE.
Persons seeking employment at a public school as a school supervisor, principal, teacher, library
media specialist, counselor, athletic coach, or in other instructional capacity must be certified.
12
The purpose of certification is to require school-based personnel to “possess the credentials,
knowledge, and skills necessary to allow the opportunity for a high-quality education in the
public schools.”
13
The DOE issues three main types of educator certificates:
• Professional Certificate: The professional certificate is Florida’s highest type of full-time
educator certification. The professional certificate is valid for five years and is renewable.
14
• Temporary Certificate: The temporary certificate covers employment in full-time positions
for which educator certification is required.
15
Generally, a temporary certificate is valid for
five years and is nonrenewable.
16
• Athletic Coaching Certificate: The athletic coaching certificate covers full-time and part-time
employment as a public school’s athletic coach.
17
The DOE issues two types of athletic
coaching certificates – one is valid for five years and may be issued for subsequent five-year
periods while the other is valid for three years and may be issued only once. The five-year
certificate requires satisfaction of certain specialization requirements established in rule.
18
Professional Certificate Requirements
To be eligible for a professional certificate, a person must:
• Be at least 18 years of age;
• Sign an affidavit attesting that the applicant will uphold the U.S. and State Constitutions;
• Earn a bachelor’s or higher degree from an accredited institution of higher learning or from a
nonaccredited institution identified by the DOE as having a quality program resulting in a
bachelor’s or higher degree;
• Submit to fingerprinting and background screening and not have a criminal history that
requires the applicant’s disqualification from certification or employment;
• Be of good moral character;
11
Section 1012.56(8), F.S.
12
Sections 1012.55(1) and 1002.33(12), F.S.
13
Section 1012.54, F.S.
14
Section 1012.56(7)
15
Rule 6A-4.004(1), F.A.C.
16
Section 1012.56(7), F.S.
17
Section 1012.55(2), F.S.
18
Rule 6A-4.004(7), F.A.C. BILL: SB 1590 Page 7
• Be competent and capable of performing the duties, functions, and responsibilities of a
teacher;
• Demonstrate mastery of general knowledge;
• Demonstrate mastery of subject area knowledge; and
• Demonstrate mastery of professional preparation and education competence, if the person
serves as a classroom teacher or school administrator.
19
Demonstrating Mastery of General Knowledge
Mastery of general knowledge may be demonstrated through any of the following methods:
• Achieving a passing score on the General Knowledge Test;
• Achieving passing scores established in SBE rule on national or international examinations
that test comparable content and relevant standards in verbal, analytical writing, and
quantitative reasoning skills (e.g., the verbal, analytical writing, and quantitative reasoning
portions of the Graduate Record Examination);
• Providing documentation of a valid professional standard teaching certificate issued by
another U.S. state or territory, by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
(NBPTS), or by the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence (ABCTE);
• Completing two semesters of successful, part-time or full-time teaching in a Florida College
System institution, state university, or private college or university that awards an associate
or higher degree and is an accredited institution or an institution identified by the DOE as
having a quality program; and
• Documentation of receipt of a master’s or higher degree from an accredited postsecondary
institution that the DOE has identified as having a quality program resulting in a
baccalaureate degree or higher.
20
Demonstrating Mastery of Subject Area Knowledge
Mastery of subject area knowledge may be demonstrated through any of the following methods:
• Bachelor’s Degree Level (for certification in a subject area for which SBE rule requires a
bachelor’s or higher degree):
o If a Florida subject area examination has been developed, achieving a passing score on
the Florida-developed subject area examination specified in SBE rule or documentation
of receipt of a master’s or higher degree from an accredited postsecondary institution that
the DOE has identified as having a quality program resulting in a baccalaureate degree or
higher in the certificate subject area as identified in SBE rule.
o If a Florida subject area examination has not been developed, achieving a passing score
on a standardized examination specified in SBE rule, including passing scores on both the
oral proficiency and written proficiency examinations administered by the American
Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages or successful completion of a United
States Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center program or a passing score
on the Defense Language Proficiency Test.
o For certification in any other subject area for which there is no Florida subject area test or
standardized examination specified in state board rule (e.g., Dance), completing the
19
Section 1012.56(2), F.S.
20
Section 1012.56(3), F.S. BILL: SB 1590 Page 8
required bachelor’s or higher degree and content courses specified in SBE rule and
verification of subject area competence by the district school superintendent or, for a
state-supported or private school, the school’s chief administrative officer.
• Master’s Degree Level (for certification in a subject area for which SBE rule requires a
master’s or higher degree): Completing the required master’s or higher degree and content
courses specified in SBE rule and achieving a passing score on the corresponding Florida-
developed subject area test or standardized examination specified in SBE rule.
• Out-of-State Certification: Providing documentation of a valid professional standard teaching
certificate issued for a subject area by another U.S. state or territory or by NBPTS or
ABCTE, if the certificate is comparable to the Florida professional certificate issued for the
same subject area.
21
Demonstrating Mastery of Professional Preparation and Education Competence
Mastery of professional preparation and education competence may be demonstrated by:
• Successful completion of an approved teacher preparation program at a postsecondary
educational institution within this state and achievement of a passing score on the
professional education competency examination required by state board rule;
• Successful completion of a teacher preparation program at a postsecondary educational
institution outside Florida and achievement of a passing score on the professional education
competency examination required by state board rule;
• Documentation of a valid professional standard teaching certificate issued by another state;
• Documentation of a valid certificate issued by the NBPTS or a national educator
credentialing board approved by the State Board of Education;
• Documentation of two semesters of successful, full-time or part-time teaching in a Florida
College System institution, state university, or private college or university that awards an
associate or higher degree and is an accredited institution or an institution of higher education
identified by the DOE as having a quality program and achievement of a passing score on the
professional education competency examination required by SBE rule;
• Successful completion of professional preparation courses as specified in state board rule,
successful completion of a professional education competence program, and documentation
of three years of being rated effective or highly effective while holding a temporary
certificate;
• Successful completion of a professional learning certification program; or
• Successful completion of a competency-based certification program and achievement of a
passing score on the professional education competency examination required by rule of the
SBE.
22
Professional Education Competency Program
School districts must and private schools or state-supported public schools, including a charter
school, may develop and maintain a system by which members of the instructional staff may
demonstrate mastery of professional preparation and education competence as required by law.
Each program must:
21
Section 1012.56(5)
22
Section 1012.56(6), F.S. BILL: SB 1590 Page 9
• Be based on classroom application of the FEAP and instructional performance; and,
• For public schools, must be aligned with the district’s or state-supported public school’s
evaluation system.
The Commissioner of Education must determine the continued approval of programs, based
upon the department’s review of performance data. The department must review the performance
data as a part of the periodic review of each school district’s professional learning system.
23
Teacher Apprenticeship Program
In 2023, the Legislature created the Teacher Apprenticeship Program (TAP). The TAP was
created as an alternative pathway for an individual to enter the teaching profession. The DOE is
required to administer the program in accordance with legislative intent regarding apprenticeship
training provided for in law.
To meet the minimum eligibility requirements to participate in the TAP, a candidate must have:
• Received an associate degree from an accredited postsecondary institution.
• Earned a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 in that degree program.
• Successfully passed a background screening pursuant to law.
• Received a temporary apprenticeship certificate.
As a condition of participating in the TAP, an apprentice teacher must be appointed by the
district school board as an education paraprofessional and must commit to spending the first two
years in the classroom of a mentor teacher using team teaching strategies as specified in law and
fulfilling the on-the-job training component of the registered apprenticeship and its associated
standards.
24
A teacher who serves as a mentor in the TAP must:
• Have at least five years of teaching experience in this state.
• Be rated as highly effective in the three most recent value-added model (VAM) scores or on
the three most recent available performance evaluations if the teacher does not generate a
state VAM score.
• Satisfy any other requirements established by the DOE.
25
Mentors for Individuals with a Temporary Certificate
A person who is issued a temporary certificate must be assigned a teacher mentor for a minimum
of two school years after commencing employment. Each teacher mentor must:
• Hold a valid professional certificate;
• Have earned at least three years of teaching experience in prekindergarten through grade 12;
and
23
Section 1012.56(9), F.S.
24
Section 1012.555(2), F.S.
25
Section 1012.555(3), F.S. BILL: SB 1590 Page 10
• Have earned an effective or highly effective rating on the prior year’s performance
evaluation.
26
Professional Learning Systems
Current law requires school districts to develop a professional learning system in consultation
with classroom teachers, state colleges and universities, business and community representatives,
and local education foundations, consortia, and professional organizations. The system must be
initially reviewed and approved by the DOE and subsequently reviewed and approved every five
years thereafter. Among other things, the professional learning system must:
• Support and increase the success of educators through collaboratively developed school
improvement plans;
• Assist the school community in providing stimulating, scientific research-based educational
activities that encourage and motivate students to achieve at the highest levels, and that
prepare students for success at subsequent educational levels and the workforce;
• Provide continuous support for all education professionals as well as temporary intervention
for education professionals who need improvement in knowledge, skills, and performance;
and
• Provide training to teacher mentors as part of professional development certification and
education competency programs.
27
An organization of private schools or consortium of charter schools which has no fewer than 10-
member schools in this state, which publishes and files with the DOE copies of its standards, and
the member schools comply with compulsory school attendance, or a public or private college or
university with a teacher preparation program, may also develop a professional learning system.
The system and in-service catalog must be submitted to the commissioner for approval.
28
III. Effect of Proposed Changes:
This bill establishes the Task Force for Educator Preparation to review and make
recommendations for revising Florida’s teacher training, certification, and professional learning
systems. The intent of the task force is to modernize these systems by 2028 in order to better
prepare educators for the challenges of 21st-century classrooms.
The bill specifies that the task force is composed of the following members:
• Two members from a state university's initial teacher preparation program, appointed by the
President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
• Two members from private postsecondary institution initial teacher preparation programs,
appointed by the Governor and the President of the Senate.
• Two members from a Florida College System institution initial teacher preparation program
or educator preparation institute (EPI), appointed by the Governor and the Speaker of the
House of Representatives.
26
Section 1012.56(7), F.S.
27
Section 1012.98(5), F.S.
28
Section 1012.98(7), F.S. BILL: SB 1590 Page 11
• Two school district representatives responsible for district alternative certification programs,
appointed by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
• Three actively certified teachers, including at least one from a charter school and at least one
who has served as a mentor; the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the
House of Representatives shall each appoint one teacher.
• Two district school superintendents, appointed by the President of the Senate and the Speaker
of the House of Representatives.
• One Department of Education (DOE) representative with expertise in educator quality,
appointed by the Governor.
The DOE is required to provide administrative support to the task force, including coordination
of meetings, report development, and communication among members.
The bill directs the task force to evaluate the effectiveness of teacher training programs,
including:
• The uniform core curricula in initial teacher preparation programs, including evidence-based
practices in mathematics and literacy instruction, classroom management, and the use of data
to analyze student performance for personalized instruction.
• Preparation under school district alternative certification pathways or EPIs.
• The effectiveness of teacher apprenticeship programs.
• Improvements to field experiences for student teachers.
The bill requires the task force to analyze Florida’s current teacher certification standards and
procedures, focusing on:
• Gaps or inefficiencies in current certification pathways.
• Appropriate educator certification for elementary, middle, and secondary school grades.
• The effectiveness of certification exams and alternatives to ensure teachers meet competency
standards.
The task force is also required to evaluate educator professional learning, including:
• Ongoing professional learning requirements for teachers.
• Mentor teachers and teaching coaches.
• Collaboration with teacher preparation programs.
The task force must issue a report with recommendations for improvements to the Governor, the
President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives no later than December
1, 2025, at which time the task force expires.
The bill takes effect upon becoming a law.
IV. Constitutional Issues:
A. Municipality/County Mandates Restrictions:
None. BILL: SB 1590 Page 12
B. Public Records/Open Meetings Issues:
None.
C. Trust Funds Restrictions:
None.
D. State Tax or Fee Increases:
None.
E. Other Constitutional Issues:
None.
V. Fiscal Impact Statement:
A. Tax/Fee Issues:
None.
B. Private Sector Impact:
None.
C. Government Sector Impact:
This bill could have an indeterminate, yet insignificant, fiscal impact on the Department
of Education to provide administrative support to the task force. It is likely that the
department would be able to absorb the current requirements of the bill within the
existing resources.
VI. Technical Deficiencies:
None.
VII. Related Issues:
None.
VIII. Statutes Affected:
This bill creates an undesignated section of Florida law. BILL: SB 1590 Page 13
IX. Additional Information:
A. Committee Substitute – Statement of Changes:
(Summarizing differences between the Committee Substitute and the prior version of the bill.)
None.
B. Amendments:
None.
This Senate Bill Analysis does not reflect the intent or official position of the bill’s introducer or the Florida Senate.