Educator Certifications and Training

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A bill to be entitled 1
An act relating to educator certifications and 2
training; amending s. 1004.04, F.S.; revising the core 3
curricula for certain teacher preparation programs to 4
include training relating to mass casualty incidents; 5
amending s. 1004.85, F.S.; requiring certain 6
postsecondary educator preparation institution 7
programs to include training relating to mass casualty 8
incidents; amending s. 1012.55, F.S.; conforming 9
cross-references; amending s. 1012.56, F.S.; revising 10
the certified educator eligibility criteria to require 11
such persons to receive training in mass casualty 12
incidents; amending s. 1012.57, F.S.; requiring 13
persons who hold adjunct teaching certificates to 14
receive training in mass casualty incidents; providing 15
an effective date. 16
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 18
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Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subsection (2) of section 20
1004.04, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 21
1004.04 Public accountability and state approval for 22
teacher preparation programs.— 23
(2) UNIFORM CORE CURRICULA AND CANDIDATE ASSESSMENT.— 24
(b) The rules to establish uniform core curricula for each 25

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state-approved teacher preparation program must include, but are 26
not limited to, the following: 27
1. Candidate instruction and assessment in the Florida 28
Educator Accomplished Practices across content areas. 29
2. The use of state-adopted content standards to guide 30
curricula and instruction. 31
3. Scientifically researched and evidence-based reading 32
instructional strategies grounded in the science of reading 33
which improve reading performance for all students, including 34
explicit, systematic, and sequential approaches to teaching 35
phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and text 36
comprehension and multisensory intervention strategies. The 37
primary instructional strategy for teaching word reading is 38
phonics instruction for decoding and encoding. Instructional 39
strategies for foundational skills may not employ the three-40
cueing system model of reading or visual memory as a basis for 41
teaching word reading. Instructional strategies may include 42
visual information and strategies that improve background and 43
experiential knowledge, add context, and increase oral language 44
and vocabulary to support comprehension, but may not be used to 45
teach word reading. 46
4. Content literacy and mathematics practices. 47
5. Strategies appropriate for the instruction of English 48
language learners. 49
6. Strategies appropriate for the instruction of students 50

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with disabilities. 51
7. Strategies to differentiate instruction based on 52
student needs. 53
8. Strategies and practices to support evidence-based 54
content aligned to state standards and grading practices. 55
9. Strategies appropriate for the early identification of 56
a student in crisis or experiencing a mental health challenge 57
and the referral of such student to a mental health professional 58
for support. 59
10. Strategies to support the use of technology in 60
education and distance learning. 61
11. Strategies and practices to support effective, 62
research-based assessment and grading practices aligned to the 63
state's academic standards. 64
12. Strategies and practices on identifying, preventing, 65
preparing, addressing, and responding to mass casualty 66
incidents. 67
Section 2. Paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (3) of 68
section 1004.85, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 69
1004.85 Postsecondary educator preparation institutes.— 70
(3) Educator preparation institutes approved pursuant to 71
this section may offer competency-based certification programs 72
specifically designed for noneducation major baccalaureate 73
degree holders to enable program participants to meet the 74
educator certification requirements of s. 1012.56. An educator 75

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preparation institute choosing to offer a competency-based 76
certification program pursuant to the provisions of this section 77
must implement a program developed by the institute and approved 78
by the department for this purpose. Approved programs shall be 79
available for use by other approved educator preparation 80
institutes. 81
(a) Within 90 days after receipt of a request for 82
approval, the Department of Education shall approve a 83
preparation program pursuant to the requirements of this 84
subsection or issue a statement of the deficiencies in the 85
request for approval. The department shall approve a 86
certification program if the institute provides evidence of the 87
institute's capacity to implement a competency-based program 88
that instructs and assesses each candidate in the following: 89
1.a. The Florida Educator Accomplished Practices approved 90
by the state board. 91
b. The state academic standards provided under s. 1003.41, 92
including scientifically based reading instruction, content 93
literacy, and mathematical practices, for each subject 94
identified on the statement of status of eligibility or the 95
temporary certificate. 96
c. Scientifically researched and evidence-based reading 97
instructional strategies grounded in the science of reading 98
which improve reading performance for all students, including 99
explicit, systematic, and sequential approaches to teaching 100

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phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and text 101
comprehension and multisensory intervention strategies. The 102
primary instructional strategy for teaching word reading is 103
phonics instruction for decoding and encoding. Instructional 104
strategies for foundational skills may not employ the three-105
cueing system model of reading or visual memory as a basis for 106
teaching word reading. Instructional strategies may include 107
visual information and strategies which improve background and 108
experiential knowledge, add context, and increase oral language 109
and vocabulary to support comprehension, but may not be used to 110
teach word reading. 111
d. Strategies and practices on identifying, preventing, 112
preparing, addressing, and responding to mass casualty 113
incidents. 114
2. An educational plan for each participant to meet 115
certification requirements and demonstrate his or her ability to 116
teach the subject area for which the participant is seeking 117
certification, which is based on an assessment of his or her 118
competency in the areas listed in subparagraph 1. 119
3. Field experiences appropriate to the certification 120
subject area specified in the educational plan under the 121
supervision of qualified educators. The state board shall 122
determine in rule the amount of field experience necessary to 123
serve as the teacher of record, beginning with candidates 124
entering a program in the 2023-2024 school year. 125

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4. A certification ombudsman to facilitate the process and 126
procedures required for participants who complete the program to 127
meet any requirements related to the background screening 128
pursuant to s. 1012.32 and educator professional or temporary 129
certification pursuant to s. 1012.56. 130
(b) Each program participant must: 131
1. Meet certification requirements pursuant to s. 132
1012.56(1) by obtaining a statement of status of eligibility in 133
the certification subject area of the educational plan and meet 134
the requirements of s. 1012.56(2)(a)-(g) s. 1012.56(2)(a)-(f) 135
before participating in field experiences. 136
2. Demonstrate competency and participate in field 137
experiences that are appropriate to his or her educational plan 138
prepared under paragraph (a). Beginning with candidates entering 139
an educator preparation institute in the 2022-2023 school year, 140
a candidate for certification in a coverage area identified 141
pursuant to s. 1012.585(3)(f) must successfully complete all 142
competencies for a reading endorsement, including completion of 143
the endorsement practicum through the candidate's field 144
experience, in order to graduate from the program. 145
3. Before completion of the program, fully demonstrate his 146
or her ability to teach the subject area for which he or she is 147
seeking certification by documenting a positive impact on 148
student learning growth in a prekindergarten through grade 12 149
setting and, except as provided in s. 1012.56(7)(a)3., achieving 150

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a passing score on the professional education competency 151
examination, the basic skills examination, and the subject area 152
examination for the subject area certification which is required 153
by state board rule. 154
Section 3. Subsections (5) and (6) of section 1012.55, 155
Florida Statutes, are amended to read: 156
1012.55 Positions for which certificates required.— 157
(5) A person who is employed as a school social worker is 158
exempt from the educator certification requirements in s. 159
1012.56(2)(h) and (i) s. 1012.56(2)(g) and (h) relating to the 160
mastery of general and subject area knowledge. 161
(6) Notwithstanding this section and ss. 1012.32 and 162
1012.56, or any other provision of law or rule to the contrary, 163
the State Board of Education shall adopt rules to allow for the 164
issuance of a classical education teaching certificate, upon the 165
request of a classical school, to any applicant who fulfills the 166
requirements of s. 1012.56(2)(a)-(g) s. 1012.56(2)(a)-(f) and 167
(11) and any other criteria established by the department. Such 168
certificate is only valid at a classical school. For the 169
purposes of this subsection, the term "classical school" means a 170
school that implements and provides professional learning in a 171
classical education school model that emphasizes the development 172
of students in the principles of moral character and civic 173
virtue through a well-rounded education in the liberal arts and 174
sciences that is based on the classical trivium stages of 175

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grammar, logic, and rhetoric. 176
Section 4. Paragraphs (g), (h), and (i) of subsection (2) 177
of section 1012.56, Florida Statutes, are redesignated as 178
paragraphs (h), (i), and (j), respectively, paragraphs (a), (b), 179
and (d) of subsection (7) are amended, and a new paragraph (g) 180
is added to subsection (2) of that section, to read: 181
1012.56 Educator certification requirements.— 182
(2) ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA.—To be eligible to seek 183
certification, a person must: 184
(g) Have received training that includes strategies and 185
practices on identifying, preventing, preparing, addressing, and 186
responding to mass casualty incidents. 187
(7) TYPES AND TERMS OF CERTIFICATION.— 188
(a) The Department of Education shall issue a professional 189
certificate for a period not to exceed 5 years to any applicant 190
who fulfills one of the following: 191
1. Meets all the applicable requirements outlined in 192
subsection (2). 193
2. For a professional certificate covering grades 6 194
through 12: 195
a. Meets the applicable requirements of paragraphs (2)(a)-196
(i) (2)(a)-(h). 197
b. Holds a master's or higher degree in the area of 198
science, technology, engineering, or mathematics. 199
c. Teaches a high school course in the subject of the 200

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advanced degree. 201
d. Is rated highly effective as determined by the 202
teacher's performance evaluation under s. 1012.34, based in part 203
on student performance as measured by a statewide, standardized 204
assessment or an Advanced Placement, Advanced International 205
Certificate of Education, or International Baccalaureate 206
examination. 207
e. Achieves a passing score on the Florida professional 208
education competency examination required by state board rule. 209
3. Meets the applicable requirements of paragraphs (2)(a)-210
(i) (2)(a)-(h) and completes a professional learning 211
certification program approved by the department pursuant to 212
paragraph (8)(c) or an educator preparation institute approved 213
by the department pursuant to s. 1004.85. An applicant who 214
completes one of these programs and is rated highly effective as 215
determined by his or her performance evaluation under s. 1012.34 216
is not required to take or achieve a passing score on the 217
professional education competency examination in order to be 218
awarded a professional certificate. 219
(b) The department shall issue a temporary certificate to 220
any applicant who: 221
1. Completes the requirements outlined in paragraphs 222
(2)(a)-(g) (2)(a)-(f) and completes the subject area content 223
requirements specified in state board rule or demonstrates 224
mastery of subject area knowledge pursuant to subsection (5) and 225

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holds an accredited degree or a degree approved by the 226
Department of Education at the level required for the subject 227
area specialization in state board rule; 228
2. For a subject area specialization for which the state 229
board otherwise requires a bachelor's degree, documents 48 230
months of active-duty military service with an honorable 231
discharge or a medical separation; completes the requirements 232
outlined in paragraphs (2)(a), (b), and (d)-(g) (d)-(f); 233
completes the subject area content requirements specified in 234
state board rule or demonstrates mastery of subject area 235
knowledge pursuant to subsection (5); and documents completion 236
of 60 college credits with a minimum cumulative grade point 237
average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale, as provided by one or more 238
accredited institutions of higher learning or a nonaccredited 239
institution of higher learning identified by the Department of 240
Education as having a quality program resulting in a bachelor's 241
degree or higher; or 242
3. Is enrolled in a state-approved teacher preparation 243
program under s. 1004.04; is actively completing the required 244
program field experience or internship at a public school; 245
completes the requirements outlined in paragraphs (2)(a), (b), 246
and (d)-(g) (d)-(f); completes the subject area content 247
requirements specified in state board rule or demonstrates 248
mastery of subject area knowledge pursuant to subsection (5); 249
and documents completion of 60 college credits with a minimum 250

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cumulative grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale, as 251
provided by one or more accredited institutions of higher 252
learning or a nonaccredited institution of higher learning 253
identified by the Department of Education as having a quality 254
program resulting in a bachelor's degree or higher. 255
(d) The department shall issue a temporary apprenticeship 256
certificate to any applicant who meets the requirements of 257
paragraphs (2)(a), (b), and (d)-(g) (d)-(f). 258
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At least 1 year before an individual's temporary certificate is 260
set to expire, the department shall electronically notify the 261
individual of the date on which his or her certificate will 262
expire and provide a list of each method by which the 263
qualifications for a professional certificate can be completed. 264
Section 5. Subsection (1) of section 1012.57, Florida 265
Statutes, is amended to read: 266
1012.57 Certification of adjunct educators.— 267
(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of ss. 1012.32, 268
1012.55, and 1012.56, or any other provision of law or rule to 269
the contrary, district school boards and charter school 270
governing boards shall adopt rules to allow for the issuance of 271
an adjunct teaching certificate to any applicant who fulfills 272
the requirements of s. 1012.56(2)(a)-(g) s. 1012.56(2)(a)-(f) 273
and (11) and who has expertise in the subject area to be taught. 274
An applicant is considered to have expertise in the subject area 275

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to be taught if the applicant demonstrates sufficient subject 276
area mastery through passage of a subject area test or has 277
achieved an industry certification in the subject area to be 278
taught. 279
Section 6. This act shall take effect July 1, 2026. 280