1012.59 and rules of the State Board of Education. Pursuant to the federal Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, each party is required to provide his or her social security number in accordance with this section. Disclosure of social security numbers obtained through this requirement is limited to the purpose of administration of the Title IV-D program of the Social Security Act for child support enforcement.(a) Pursuant to s. 120.60, the department shall issue within 90 calendar days after receipt of the completed application a professional certificate to a qualifying applicant covering the classification, level, and area for which the applicant is deemed qualified and a document explaining the requirements for renewal of the professional certificate. (b) The department shall issue a temporary certificate to a qualifying applicant within 14 calendar days after receipt of a request from an employer with a professional education competence demonstration program pursuant to paragraph (6)(f) and subsection (9). The temporary certificate must cover the classification, level, and area for which the applicant is deemed qualified. The department shall electronically notify the applicant’s employer that the temporary certificate has been issued and provide the applicant an official statement of status of eligibility at the time the certificate is issued.
(c) Pursuant to s. 120.60, the department shall issue within 90 calendar days after receipt of the completed application, if an applicant does not meet the requirements for either certificate, an official statement of status of eligibility. The statement of status of eligibility must be provided electronically and must advise the applicant of any qualifications that must be completed to qualify for certification. Each method by which an applicant can complete the qualifications for a professional certificate must be included in the statement of status of eligibility. Each statement of status of eligibility is valid for 5 years after its date of issuance, except as provided in paragraph (2)(d).
(2) ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA.—To be eligible to seek certification, a person must:(a) Be at least 18 years of age.
(b) File an affidavit that the applicant subscribes to and will uphold the principles incorporated in the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Florida and that the information provided in the application is true, accurate, and complete. The affidavit shall be by original signature or by electronic authentication. The affidavit shall include substantially the following warning:WARNING: Giving false information in order to obtain or renew a Florida educator’s certificate is a criminal offense under Florida law. Anyone giving false information on this affidavit is subject to criminal prosecution as well as disciplinary action by the Education Practices Commission.
(c) Document receipt of a bachelor’s or higher degree from an accredited institution of higher learning, or a nonaccredited institution of higher learning that the Department of Education has identified as having a quality program resulting in a bachelor’s degree, or higher. Each applicant seeking initial certification must have attained at least a 2.5 overall grade point average on a 4.0 scale in the applicant’s major field of study. The applicant may document the required education by submitting official transcripts from institutions of higher education or by authorizing the direct submission of such official transcripts through established electronic network systems. The bachelor’s or higher degree may not be required in areas approved in rule by the State Board of Education as nondegreed areas. The State Board of Education may adopt rules that, for purposes of demonstrating completion of specific certification requirements, allow for the acceptance of college course credits recommended by the American Council for Education (ACE), as posted on an official ACE transcript.
(d) Submit to background screening in accordance with subsection (11). If the background screening indicates a criminal history or if the applicant acknowledges a criminal history, the applicant’s records shall be referred to the investigative section in the Department of Education for review and determination of eligibility for certification. If the applicant fails to provide the necessary documentation requested by the department within 90 days after the date of the receipt of the certified mail request, the statement of eligibility and pending application shall become invalid.
(e) Be of good moral character.
(f) Be competent and capable of performing the duties, functions, and responsibilities of an educator.
(g) Demonstrate mastery of general knowledge pursuant to subsection (3).
(h) Demonstrate mastery of subject area knowledge, pursuant to subsection (5).
(i) Demonstrate mastery of professional preparation and education competence, pursuant to subsection (6), if the person serves as a classroom teacher or school administrator as classified in s. 1012.01(2)(a) and (3)(c), respectively. (3) MASTERY OF GENERAL KNOWLEDGE.—Acceptable means of demonstrating mastery of general knowledge are:(a) Achievement of passing scores on the general knowledge examination required by state board rule;
(b) Documentation of a valid professional standard teaching certificate issued by another state;
(c) Documentation of a valid certificate issued by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards or a national educator credentialing board approved by the State Board of Education;
(d) 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 Department of Education as having a quality program;
(e) Achievement of passing scores, identified in state board rule, on national or international examinations that test comparable content and relevant standards in verbal, analytical writing, and quantitative reasoning skills, including, but not limited to, the verbal, analytical writing, and quantitative reasoning portions of the Graduate Record Examination. Passing scores identified in state board rule must be at approximately the same level of rigor as is required to pass the general knowledge examinations; or
(f) Documentation of receipt of a master’s or higher degree from an accredited postsecondary educational institution that the Department of Education has identified as having a quality program resulting in a baccalaureate degree or higher.
A school district that employs an individual who does not achieve passing scores on any subtest of the general knowledge examination must provide information regarding the availability of state-level and district-level supports and instruction to assist him or her in achieving a passing score. Such information must include, but need not be limited to, state-level test information guides, school district test preparation resources, and preparation courses offered by state universities and Florida College System institutions. The requirement of mastery of general knowledge shall be waived for an individual who has been provided 3 years of supports and instruction and who has been rated effective or highly effective under s. 1012.34 for each of the last 3 years.
(4) ALIGNMENT OF SUBJECT AREAS.—The State Board of Education shall align the subject area examinations to the state academic standards.
(5) MASTERY OF SUBJECT AREA KNOWLEDGE.—Acceptable means of demonstrating mastery of subject area knowledge are:(a) For a subject requiring only a baccalaureate degree for which a Florida subject area examination has been developed, achievement of a passing score on the Florida-developed subject area examination specified in state board rule;
(b) For a subject for which a Florida subject area examination has not been developed, achievement of a passing score on a standardized examination specified in state board rule, including, but not limited to, passing scores on both the oral proficiency and written proficiency examinations administered by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages;
(c) For a subject for which a Florida subject area examination has not been developed or a standardized examination has not been specified in state board rule, completion of the subject area specialization requirements specified in state board rule and verification of the attainment of the essential subject matter competencies by the district school superintendent of the employing school district or chief administrative officer of the employing state-supported or private school;
(d) For a subject requiring a master’s or higher degree, completion of the subject area specialization requirements specified in state board rule and achievement of a passing score on the Florida-developed subject area examination or a standardized examination that is directly related to the subject specified in state board rule;
(e) Documentation of a valid professional standard teaching certificate issued by another state;
(f) Documentation of a valid certificate issued by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards or a national educator credentialing board approved by the State Board of Education;
(g) Documentation of successful completion of a United States Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center program;
(h) Documentation of a passing score on the Defense Language Proficiency Test (DLPT); or
(i) For a subject requiring only a baccalaureate degree for which a Florida subject area examination has been developed, documentation of receipt of a master’s or higher degree from an accredited postsecondary educational institution that the Department of Education has identified as having a quality program resulting in a baccalaureate degree or higher in the certificate subject area as identified by state board rule.
School districts are encouraged to provide mechanisms for middle grades teachers holding only a K-6 teaching certificate to obtain a subject area coverage for middle grades through postsecondary coursework or district add-on certification.
(6) MASTERY OF PROFESSIONAL PREPARATION AND EDUCATION COMPETENCE.—Acceptable means of demonstrating mastery of professional preparation and education competence are:(a) 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;
(b) 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;
(c) Documentation of a valid professional standard teaching certificate issued by another state;
(d) Documentation of a valid certificate issued by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards or a national educator credentialing board approved by the State Board of Education;
(e) 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 Department of Education as having a quality program and achievement of a passing score on the professional education competency examination required by state board rule;
(f) Successful completion of professional preparation courses as specified in state board rule, successful completion of a professional education competence program pursuant to subsection (9), and documentation of 3 years of being rated effective or highly effective under s. 1012.34 while holding a temporary certificate; (g) Successful completion of a professional learning certification program, outlined in subsection (8); or
(h) Successful completion of a competency-based certification program pursuant to s. 1004.85 and achievement of a passing score on the professional education competency examination required by rule of the State Board of Education. The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to implement this subsection, including rules to approve specific teacher preparation programs that are not identified in this subsection which may be used to meet requirements for mastery of professional preparation and education competence.
(7) TYPES AND TERMS OF CERTIFICATION.—(a) The Department of Education shall issue a professional certificate for a period not to exceed 5 years to any applicant who fulfills one of the following:1. Meets all the applicable requirements outlined in subsection (2).
2. For a professional certificate covering grades 6 through 12:a. Meets the applicable requirements of paragraphs (2)(a)-(h).
b. Holds a master’s or higher degree in the area of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics.
c. Teaches a high school course in the subject of the advanced degree.
d. Is rated highly effective as determined by the teacher’s performance evaluation under s. 1012.34, based in part on student performance as measured by a statewide, standardized assessment or an Advanced Placement, Advanced International Certificate of Education, or International Baccalaureate examination. e. Achieves a passing score on the Florida professional education competency examination required by state board rule.
3. Meets the applicable requirements of paragraphs (2)(a)-(h) and completes a professional learning certification program approved by the department pursuant to paragraph (8)(b) or an educator preparation institute approved by the department pursuant to s. 1004.85. An applicant who completes one of these programs and is rated highly effective as determined by his or her performance evaluation under s. 1012.34 is not required to take or achieve a passing score on the professional education competency examination in order to be awarded a professional certificate. (b) The department shall issue a temporary certificate to any applicant who:1. Completes the requirements outlined in paragraphs (2)(a)-(f) and completes the subject area content requirements specified in state board rule or demonstrates mastery of subject area knowledge pursuant to subsection (5) and holds an accredited degree or a degree approved by the Department of Education at the level required for the subject area specialization in state board rule;
2. For a subject area specialization for which the state board otherwise requires a bachelor’s degree, documents 48 months of active-duty military service with an honorable discharge or a medical separation; completes the requirements outlined in paragraphs (2)(a), (b), and (d)-(f); completes the subject area content requirements specified in state board rule or demonstrates mastery of subject area knowledge pursuant to subsection (5); and documents completion of 60 college credits with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale, as provided by one or more accredited institutions of higher learning or a nonaccredited institution of higher learning identified by the Department of Education as having a quality program resulting in a bachelor’s degree or higher; or
3. Is enrolled in a state-approved teacher preparation program under s. 1004.04; is actively completing the required program field experience or internship at a public school; completes the requirements outlined in paragraphs (2)(a), (b), and (d)-(f); completes the subject area content requirements specified in state board rule or demonstrates mastery of subject area knowledge pursuant to subsection (5); and documents completion of 60 college credits with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale, as provided by one or more accredited institutions of higher learning or a nonaccredited institution of higher learning identified by the Department of Education as having a quality program resulting in a bachelor’s degree or higher. (c) The department shall issue one nonrenewable 2-year temporary certificate and one nonrenewable 5-year professional certificate to a qualified applicant who holds a bachelor’s degree in the area of speech-language impairment to allow for completion of a master’s degree program in speech-language impairment.
(d) The department shall issue a temporary apprenticeship certificate to any applicant who:1. Meets the requirements of paragraphs (2)(a), (b), and (d)-(f).
2. Completes the subject area content requirements specified in state board rule or demonstrates mastery of subject area knowledge as provided in subsection (5).
(e) A person who is issued a temporary certificate under paragraph (b) must be assigned a teacher mentor for a minimum of 2 school years after commencing employment. Each teacher mentor selected by the school district, charter school, or charter management organization must:1. Hold a valid professional certificate issued pursuant to this section;
2. Have earned at least 3 years of teaching experience in prekindergarten through grade 12; and
3. Have earned an effective or highly effective rating on the prior year’s performance evaluation under s. 1012.34. (IV) Must have earned an effective or highly effective rating on the prior year’s performance evaluation; and
(V) May be a peer evaluator under the district’s evaluation system approved under s. 1012.34. b. The teacher mentorship and induction component must, at a minimum, provide routine opportunities for mentoring and induction activities, including ongoing professional learning as described in s. 1012.98 targeted to a teacher’s needs, opportunities for a teacher to observe other teachers, co-teaching experiences, and reflection and followup discussions. Professional learning must meet the criteria established in s. 1012.98(3). Mentorship and induction activities must be provided for an applicant’s first year in the program and may be provided until the applicant attains his or her professional certificate in accordance with this section. 2. An assessment of teaching performance aligned to the district’s, charter school’s, or charter management organization’s system for personnel evaluation under s. 1012.34 which provides for:a. An initial evaluation of each educator’s competencies to determine an appropriate individualized professional learning plan.
b. A summative evaluation to assure successful completion of the program.
3. Professional education preparation content knowledge, which must be included in the mentoring and induction activities under subparagraph 1., that includes, but is not limited to, the following:a. The state academic standards provided under s. 1003.41, including scientifically researched and evidence-based reading instructional strategies grounded in the science of reading, content literacy, and mathematical practices, for each subject identified on the temporary certificate. Reading instructional strategies for foundational skills shall include phonics instruction for decoding and encoding as the primary instructional strategy for word reading. Instructional strategies may not employ the three-cueing system model of reading or visual memory as a basis for teaching word reading. Instructional strategies may include visual information and strategies which improve background and experiential knowledge, add context, and increase oral language and vocabulary to support comprehension, but may not be used to teach word reading. b. The educator-accomplished practices approved by the state board.
4. Required achievement of passing scores on the subject area and professional education competency examination required by State Board of Education rule. Mastery of general knowledge must be demonstrated as described in subsection (3).
5. Beginning with candidates entering a program in the 2022-2023 school year, a candidate for certification in a coverage area identified pursuant to s. 1012.585(3)(f) must successfully complete all competencies for a reading endorsement, including completion of the endorsement practicum.