The Florida Senate

231.625  Teacher recruitment and retention.--

(1)  The Department of Education, in cooperation with teacher organizations, district personnel offices, and colleges of education, shall concentrate on the recruitment of qualified teachers.

(2)  The Department of Education shall:

(a)  Develop and implement a system for posting teaching vacancies and establish a database of teacher applicants that is accessible within and outside the state.

(b)  Advertise in major newspapers, national professional publications, and other professional publications and in schools of education.

(c)  Utilize state and nationwide toll-free numbers.

(d)  Conduct periodic communications with district personnel directors regarding applicants.

(e)  Provide district access to the applicant database by computer or telephone.

(f)  Develop and distribute promotional materials related to teaching as a career.

(g)  Publish and distribute information pertaining to employment opportunities, application procedures, teacher certification, and teacher salaries.

(h)  Provide information related to certification procedures.

(i)  Develop and sponsor the Florida Future Educator of America Program throughout the state.

(j)  Develop, in consultation with school district staff including, but not limited to, superintendents, school board members, and district human resources personnel, a long-range plan for educator recruitment and retention. The plan shall be submitted to the Legislature, the Governor, and school districts no later than August 1, 2001.

(k)  Identify best practices for retaining high-quality teachers.

(l)  Develop, in consultation with Workforce Florida, Inc., and the Agency for Workforce Innovation, created pursuant to ss. 445.004 and 20.50, respectively, a plan for accessing and identifying available resources in the state's workforce system for the purpose of enhancing teacher recruitment and retention. The plan shall be submitted to the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each school district no later than August 1, 2001.

(3)  The Department of Education, in cooperation with district personnel offices, shall sponsor a job fair in a central part of the state to match in-state educators and out-of-state educators with teaching opportunities in this state.

History.--s. 20, ch. 85-109; s. 11, ch. 98-281; s. 54, ch. 2000-301; s. 13, ch. 2001-47.