The Florida Senate

231.173  Successful experienced out-of-state teachers and administrators.--Notwithstanding the provisions of ss. 231.02, 231.15, 231.17, and ¹231.172 or any other provision of law or rule to the contrary, a successful, experienced, and certified out-of-state teacher or administrator employed in a public school or nonpublic school in this state may qualify for a professional certificate if the applicant:

(1)  Completes the application process, including the filing of a complete set of fingerprints as required by s. 231.02.

(2)  Holds a valid standard certificate issued by the state where the applicant most recently taught, which standard certificate is equivalent to the professional certificate issued by this state and for which specialization coverage is based on a level of training comparable to that required in this state for the applicant's area of assignment.

(3)  Documents 5 years of appropriate successful full-time teaching or administrative experience, including 2 continuous years during the 5-year period immediately preceding the date of application for certification.

(4)  Submits a request for issuance of the professional certificate from the superintendent of the employing school district or governing authority of the employing developmental research school, state-supported school, or nonpublic school within the first 120 days of assignment with validation of awareness of the standards of professional practice.

(5)  The certificate issued in accordance with these provisions shall reflect specialization coverages as follows:

(a)  Teachers.--A teacher appointed to an academic assignment shall be eligible for the academic coverage in an area in which the teacher is assigned.

(b)  Principals.--An individual appointed as an intern or interim principal of a K-12 school shall be eligible for the educational leadership coverage.

(c)  Administrators of adult education.--An individual appointed as an administrator of an adult education program shall be eligible for the administration of adult education coverage.

(d)  Directors of ²career education.--An individual appointed as a director of ²career education shall be eligible for the director of ²career education coverage.

History.--s. 14, ch. 90-288; s. 32, ch. 94-232.

¹Note.--Repealed by s. 9, ch. 97-4.

²Note.--The term "career education" was substituted for the term "vocational education" by the editors pursuant to the directive of the Legislature in s. 16, ch. 94-232.