EDUCATOR. Certified. to know to become a. What you need. in Florida. General Certification. Requirements for. Individuals Applying

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1 What you need to know to become a Certified EDUCATOR in Florida General Certification Requirements for Individuals Applying for Initial Certification Beginning July 1, 2002 Bureau of Educator Certification Division of Professional Educators Florida Department of Education

2 Types of Florida Educator's Certificates There are two types of Florida Educator's Certificates. The standard or highest certificate in Florida is the Professional Certificate, which is valid for five school years and may be renewed. Florida also issues a nonrenewable Temporary Certificate, which is valid for three school years, to an individual who does not qualify for the Professional Certificate, but meets certain criteria to demonstrate mastery of subject content knowledge. Florida does not issue an "emergency" certificate of any kind. Process for Obtaining a Florida Educator's Certificate The official process for determining eligibility for a Florida Educator's Certificate is conducted by the Bureau of Educator Certification through the application process. When an individual applies for a Florida certificate, his/her transcripts, out-of-state teaching certificates, and teaching experience are evaluated by our staff in accordance with Florida School Laws and State Board of Education Rules. 1Apply for a Florida Certificate. Submit an Application Form CG-10, processing fee of $56.00 per subject requested, certificates you hold from other states, and official transcripts that reflect conferral of at least a bachelor's degree from an accredited or approved institution. You must hold an accredited or approved bachelor's degree to apply for a Florida certificate.

3 2Receive an Official Statement of Status of Eligibility. In response to the completed application, the applicant will receive from the Bureau an Official Statement of Status of Eligibility, which reflects the result of our evaluation and is the official notice of whether or not the individual qualifies for a certificate. The Official Statement either verifies that an individual qualifies for a Florida certificate or lists requirements necessary for the individual to complete to qualify for a certificate. If deficiencies are listed, those must be met before a certificate may be issued. 3Obtain Instructional Employment in a Florida public or nonpublic school that has an approved Professional Competence Demonstration System. If the Official Statement reflects that subject requirements are met for at least a Temporary Certificate, then the applicant is eligible to seek employment as an educator in Florida. Local school board personnel offices provide information about that school district's employment process. 4Submit fingerprints processed by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the FBI. If employed with a Florida public school district, the employer assists the individual with completing the required fingerprint process and submits to our Bureau the fingerprint report results required for issuance of a Florida Educator's Certificate. If the application or fingerprint reports reflect a criminal offense record, that information is referred to Professional Practices Services, and additional information will be requested for review. Only after the Commissioner of

4 Education issues clearance for an individual who has been referred to Professional Practices Services is that individual's certificate issued. Qualifying for a Professional Certificate An individual who completes the application, employment, and fingerprint processes (see "Process for Obtaining a Florida Educator's Certificate") will qualify for a Florida Professional Certificate when the individual: Demonstrates through an approved method Mastery of General Knowledge Demonstrates through an approved method Mastery of Subject Knowledge in the subject to be shown on the certificate Demonstrates through an approved method Mastery of Professional Preparation and Education Competence

5 Direct Routes to Qualify for a Professional Certificate Florida laws provide for the acceptance of valid standard certificates from other states and the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards for specific certification purposes. An individual who meets the qualifications in 1, 2 or 3 below will be considered to have demonstrated general knowledge, subject knowledge, and professional preparation and education competence for the Professional Certificate. 1The EXPERIENCED Certified Educator This individual must submit with his/her application a valid standard certificate issued by another state in a coverage comparable to one issued by Florida, and documentation of two continuous years of acceptable full-time successful teaching or administrative experience earned in another state during the five-year period immediately preceding the date of application for certification in Florida. 2The NATIONALLY Certified Educator This individual must submit with his/her application a valid standard certificate issued by another state and a valid certificate issued by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards in the same subject. 3Educator Certified by a COMPREHENSIVE TESTING State This individual must submit with his/her application a valid standard certificate issued by a state which currently requires certification tests in general, subject area, and professional knowledge.

6 Qualifying for a Temporary Certificate An individual who does not meet requirements for the Professional Certificate may qualify for a Temporary Certificate if s/he: Completes the application, employment and fingerprint processes (see "Process for Obtaining a Florida Educator's Certificate") Demonstrates through an approved method Mastery of Subject Area Knowledge or meets the degree and course requirements outlined in Florida State Board of Education Rules for specialization in the subject to be shown on the certificate with a 2.5 GPA Options for Meeting Certification Requirements ACCREDITED or APPROVED Institutions A degree awarded by an institution located within the U.S. is acceptable if the institution is authorized to award bachelor's degrees and meets one of the following criteria: Accreditation by one of the six regional accrediting associations; Accreditation by an accrediting agency approved by the US Department of Education; or, Acceptance of the degree for certification purposes by the state department of education where the institution is located.

7 Only official transcripts from the institution are acceptable as documentation of degree conferral. A degree awarded by an institution located outside the U.S. must be reviewed by the Bureau of Educator Certification for determination of acceptance. Official documentation of educational training from these institutions is as follows: Official transcripts from the institution must be submitted, if the institution provides them and they include the title of the degree awarded and date of conferral. For institutions that do not provide official transcripts, as described above, the applicant must take the original diploma to either a notary public or a Florida school district's official certification contact for verification. The notary or contact must make a photocopy of the original document, affix his/her seal and state on the copy "This is a true and correct copy of the original document." A breakdown of credits into descriptive course titles and semester-hour credits must be provided from an accredited US institution or from a professional credential evaluation service accepted by the Department of Education. All documents submitted must bear the applicant's social security number or date of birth if a social security number has not yet been assigned.

8 All documents submitted in a language other than English must be accompanied by a translation prepared by someone other than the applicant. Demonstrating MASTERY of General Knowledge This requirement must be satisfied within one year from the date of initial employment in a Florida public school to maintain employment in any public school under the Temporary Certificate. Mastery of general knowledge must be demonstrated by one of the following: Achievement of a passing score on the Florida General Knowledge Test; Achievement of a passing score on the Florida College Level Academic Skills Test (CLAST) earned prior to July 1, 2002; or, A valid standard teaching certificate issued by another state that requires an examination of mastery of general knowledge. Demonstrating Mastery of SUBJECT AREA Knowledge Mastery of subject area knowledge must be demonstrated by one of the following: For Bachelor's degree level subject: Achievement of a passing score on the appropriate Florida subject area examination earned since July 1, 2002; For Master's degree level subjects: Completion of the required degree and content courses listed in State Board Rule for the subject and achievement of a passing score on the appropriate Florida subject area examination;

9 For all subject areas: A valid standard certificate issued in the subject at the same degree level required in Florida by a state that requires an examination of mastery of subject area knowledge Demonstrating Mastery of PROFESSIONAL PREPARATION and Education Competence Mastery of professional preparation and education competence must be demonstrated by one of the following: Completion of a state-approved teacher preparation program from a Florida institution and achievement of a passing score on the Florida Professional Education Test; Completion of state-approved teacher preparation program from an out-of-state institution and achievement of a passing score on the Florida Professional Education Test; A valid standard certificate issued by a state which requires a test of professional knowledge Completion of a Florida state-approved alternative certification program Completion of 20 semester hours of specified education courses, completion of an approved professional education competence demonstration system and achievement of a passing score on the Florida Professional Education Test.

10 Contact the Bureau of Educator Certification by telephone at: 800/ (inside Florida) or 850/ (outside Florida). us at Send applications and official documents to: Bureau of Educator Certification 325 West Gaines Street, Room 201 Tallahassee, Florida Visit the Bureau of Educator Certification's web site at for more information on: Information that can be accessed through the Bureau's automated telephone system Subject areas and endorsements available for certification Application information for individuals who completed educational training outside of the United States Renewal of a Professional Educator's Certificate

11 Visit home.htm for information about the Florida Teacher Certification Exams: Registration dates, fees and test sites Accommodations for persons with disabilities Competencies and Skills included on examinations offered after July 1, 2002 Ordering examination Study Guides Visit for information about Florida's alternative certification program, or contact your local Florida school board for information. Visit for information about employment in all of Florida's 67 school districts. Visit for links to Florida's community colleges, state universities, and independent colleges for information about teacher preparation programs and courses.

12 Florida Department of Education