House Bill 0401
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida House of Representatives - 2000 HB 401
By Representative Ritchie
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to teacher certification;
3 amending s. 231.15, F.S.; revising standards
4 for professional certification for classroom
5 teachers and principals to include requirements
6 in the area of reading instruction and
7 assessment; amending s. 231.24, F.S.; requiring
8 coursework in the area of reading instruction
9 and assessment for the renewal of a
10 professional certificate; providing an
11 effective date.
12
13 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
14
15 Section 1. Subsection (1) of section 231.15, Florida
16 Statutes, is amended to read:
17 231.15 Positions for which certificates required.--
18 (1) The State Board of Education shall classify school
19 services, designate the certification subject areas, establish
20 competencies, including the use of technology to enhance
21 student learning, and certification requirements for all
22 school-based personnel, and prescribe rules in accordance with
23 which the professional, temporary, and part-time certificates
24 shall be issued by the Department of Education to applicants
25 who meet the standards prescribed by such rules for their
26 class of service. The rules must:
27 (a) Allow the holder of a valid professional
28 certificate to add an area of certification without completing
29 the associated course requirements if the certificateholder
30 attains a passing score on an examination of competency in the
31 subject area to be added, and provides evidence of at least 2
1
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida House of Representatives - 2000 HB 401
714-110A-00
1 years of satisfactory performance evaluations that considered
2 the performance of students taught by the certificateholder.
3 (b) The rules must Allow individuals who have specific
4 subject area expertise, but who have not completed a standard
5 teacher preparation program, to participate in a
6 state-approved alternative certification program for a
7 professional certificate. As appropriate, this program must
8 provide for demonstration competencies in lieu of completion
9 of a specific number of college course credit hours in the
10 areas of assessment, communication, critical thinking, human
11 development and learning, classroom management, planning,
12 technology, diversity, teacher responsibility, code of ethics,
13 and continuous professional improvement.
14 (c) After July 1, 2001, require applicants for:
15 1. Positions as kindergarten through 6th grade
16 classroom teachers to complete at least 6 college credit hours
17 of coursework in the area of reading instruction and in
18 methods of assessing students' reading performance in order to
19 employ appropriate teaching strategies.
20 2. Positions as 7th through 12th grade classroom
21 teachers to complete at least 3 college credit hours of
22 coursework in the area of reading instruction.
23 3. Positions as principals to complete at least 3
24 college credit hours of coursework regarding current best
25 practices in reading instruction as determined by universities
26 and colleges that have approved educational leadership
27 programs.
28
29 The State Board of Education shall consult with the State
30 Board of Independent Colleges and Universities, the State
31 Board of Nonpublic Career Education, the Board of Regents, and
2
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida House of Representatives - 2000 HB 401
714-110A-00
1 the State Board of Community Colleges before adopting any
2 changes to training requirements relating to entry into the
3 profession. This consultation must allow the educational board
4 to provide advice regarding the impact of the proposed changes
5 in terms of the length of time necessary to complete the
6 training program and the fiscal impact of the changes. The
7 educational board must be consulted only when an institution
8 offering the training program falls under its jurisdiction.
9 Each person employed or occupying a position as school
10 supervisor, principal, teacher, library media specialist,
11 school counselor, athletic coach, or other position in which
12 the employee serves in an instructional capacity, in any
13 public school of any district of this state shall hold the
14 certificate required by law and by rules of the state board in
15 fulfilling the requirements of the law for the type of service
16 rendered. However, the state board shall adopt rules
17 authorizing school boards to employ selected noncertificated
18 personnel to provide instructional services in the
19 individuals' fields of specialty or to assist instructional
20 staff members as education paraprofessionals.
21 Section 2. Subsection (3) of section 231.24, Florida
22 Statutes, is amended to read:
23 231.24 Process for renewal of professional
24 certificates.--
25 (3) For the renewal of a professional certificate, the
26 following requirements must be met:
27 (a)1. The applicant must earn a minimum of 6 college
28 credits or 120 inservice points, or a combination thereof. By
29 the second renewal of the applicant's professional certificate
30 after July 1, 2001, the applicant must earn a minimum of 6
31 college credits or 120 inservice points, or a combination
3
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida House of Representatives - 2000 HB 401
714-110A-00
1 thereof, of that coursework required by s. 231.15(c), unless
2 the applicant completed such coursework as a requirement for
3 initial certification.
4 2. For each area of specialization to be retained on a
5 certificate, the applicant must earn at least 3 of the
6 required credit hours or equivalent inservice points in the
7 specialization area. Education in "clinical educator" training
8 pursuant to s. 240.529(5)(b) and credits or points that
9 provide training in the area of exceptional student education,
10 normal child development, and the disorders of development may
11 be applied toward any specialization area. Credits or points
12 that provide training in the areas of drug abuse, child abuse
13 and neglect, strategies in teaching students having limited
14 proficiency in English, or dropout prevention, or training in
15 areas identified in the educational goals and performance
16 standards adopted pursuant to ss. 229.591(3) and 229.592 may
17 be applied toward any specialization area.
18
19 Credits or points earned through approved summer institutes
20 may be applied toward the fulfillment of the these
21 requirements of subparagraphs 1. and 2. Inservice points may
22 also be earned by participation in professional growth
23 components approved by the State Board of Education and
24 specified pursuant to s. 236.0811 in the district's approved
25 master plan for inservice educational training, including, but
26 not limited to, serving as a trainer in an approved teacher
27 training activity, serving on an instructional materials
28 committee or a state board or commission that deals with
29 educational issues, or serving on an advisory council created
30 pursuant to s. 229.58.
31
4
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida House of Representatives - 2000 HB 401
714-110A-00
1 (b) In lieu of college course credit or inservice
2 points, the applicant may renew a specialization area by
3 passage of a state board approved subject area test, by
4 completion of the national certification from the National
5 Board for Professional Teaching Standards in that
6 specialization area, or by completion of a department approved
7 summer work program in a business or industry directly related
8 to an area of specialization listed on the certificate. The
9 state board shall adopt rules providing for the approval
10 procedure.
11 (c) If an applicant wishes to retain more than two
12 specialization areas on the certificate, the applicant shall
13 be permitted two successive validity periods for renewal of
14 all specialization areas, but must earn no fewer than 6
15 college course credit hours or the equivalent in any one
16 validity period.
17 (d) The state board shall approve rules for the
18 expanded use of training for renewal of the professional
19 certificate for educators who are required to complete
20 training in teaching students of limited English proficiency
21 as follows:
22 1. A teacher who holds a professional certificate may
23 use college credits or inservice points completed in
24 English-for-Speakers-of-Other-Languages training in excess of
25 6 semester hours during one certificate-validity period toward
26 renewal of the professional certificate during the subsequent
27 validity periods.
28 2. A teacher who holds a temporary certificate may use
29 college credits or inservice points completed in
30 English-for-Speakers-of-Other-Languages training toward
31 renewal of the teacher's first professional certificate. Such
5
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida House of Representatives - 2000 HB 401
714-110A-00
1 training must not have been included within the degree
2 program, and the teacher's temporary and professional
3 certificates must be issued for consecutive school years.
4 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2000.
5
6 *****************************************
7 HOUSE SUMMARY
8
Revises standards for professional certification for
9 classroom teachers and principals to include requirements
in the area of reading instruction and assessment.
10 Requires coursework in the area of reading instruction
and assessment for the renewal of a professional
11 certificate.
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
6