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CS/CS/HB 433 — Educator Certification
by Education Committee; K-12 Subcommittee; and Rep. Spano (CS/CS/SB 950 by Appropriations Committee; Education Committee; and Senator Stargel)
This summary is provided for information only and does not represent the opinion of any Senator, Senate Officer, or Senate Office.
Prepared by: Education Committee (ED)
The bill revises the requirements for instructional personnel who supervise or direct educator preparation students during field experience courses or internships. The bill also revises the K-12 educator certification requirements to authorize the use of additional assessment options, align competencies across preparation program types, and provide flexibility for training and inservice requirements.
The bill authorizes the State Board of Education to adopt rules regarding additional examinations that may be used by teacher certification applicants to demonstrate mastery of general knowledge and subject area knowledge and educator preparation programs that may be used to demonstrate professional preparation and education competence.
Under the bill, applicants with teaching experience in a Florida College System institution, state university, or private college or university must meet additional requirements to demonstrate mastery of professional preparation and education competence. The applicant must have taught on a part-time or full-time basis and must achieve a passing score on the professional education competency examination required by State Board of Education rule.
The bill requires that scientifically based reading instruction must be included in a district competency-based professional development certification and educator competency program.
With respect to renewal of a professional certificate, the bill provides that an applicant may renew a subject area specialization by passing a State Board of Education approved subject area test or another standardized examination in lieu of college course credit or inservice points.
In addition, the bill requires the State Board of Education to adopt rules that would expand training for renewal of professional certificates for educators who must complete training in teaching students with disabilities.
The bill permits the assignment of newly hired instructional personnel to a school that has earned a grade of “F” in the previous year or any combination of three consecutive grades of “D” or “F” in the previous three years, if they meet specific requirements related to training, teaching experience, performance, and certification.
The bill also allows a consortium of charter schools to develop a professional development system and repeals a longitudinal study that compared the performance of Florida educators who met certification requirements through different mechanisms.
If approved by the Governor, these provisions take effect July 1, 2014.
Vote: Senate 38-0; House 72-44