Senate Bill sb1388
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2002 SB 1388
By Senator Pruitt
317-1001-02
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to educator certification;
3 amending s. 231.17, F.S.; requiring the
4 demonstration of certain competencies as a
5 prerequisite to certification and
6 recertification; providing for the development
7 of certain assessments and professional
8 development components; authorizing rulemaking
9 by the Department of Education; providing an
10 effective date.
11
12 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
13
14 Section 1. Subsection (5) and paragraph (a) of
15 subsection (7) of section 231.17, Florida Statutes, are
16 amended to read:
17 231.17 Teacher certification requirements.--
18 (5) MASTERY OF PROFESSIONAL PREPARATION AND EDUCATION
19 COMPETENCE.--
20 (a) Before July 1, 2002, acceptable means of
21 demonstrating mastery of professional preparation and
22 education competence are:
23 1. Achievement of passing scores on the professional
24 education competency examination required by state board rule,
25 and documentation of one of the following:
26 a. Completion of an approved teacher preparation
27 program at a postsecondary institution within this state;
28 b. Successful completion of an approved alternative
29 preparation program, pursuant to paragraph (7)(b); or
30 c. Completion of professional preparation college
31 courses as specified in state board rule and successful
1
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2002 SB 1388
317-1001-02
1 completion of a district professional education competence
2 program pursuant to paragraph (7)(c).
3 2. A valid standard teaching certificate issued by
4 another state and valid certificate issued by the National
5 Board for Professional Teaching Standards; or
6 3. A valid standard teaching certificate issued by
7 another state and documentation of 2 years of continuous
8 successful full-time teaching or administrative experience in
9 another state during the 5-year period immediately preceding
10 the date of application for certification.
11 (b) Beginning July 1, 2002, acceptable means of
12 demonstrating mastery of professional preparation and
13 education competence are:
14 1. Completion of an approved teacher preparation
15 program at a postsecondary institution within this state;
16 2. Completion of a teacher preparation program at a
17 postsecondary institution outside Florida and achievement of
18 passing scores on the professional education competency
19 examination required by state board rule;
20 3. A valid standard teaching certificate issued by
21 another state that requires an examination of mastery of
22 professional education competence;
23 4. A valid standard teaching certificate issued by
24 another state and valid certificate issued by the National
25 Board for Professional Teaching Standards;
26 5. A valid standard teaching certificate issued by
27 another state and documentation of 2 years of continuous
28 successful full-time teaching or administrative experience
29 during the 5-year period immediately preceding the date of
30 application for certification; or
31
2
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2002 SB 1388
317-1001-02
1 6. Successful completion of the Department of
2 Education's professional preparation and education competency
3 program, outlined in paragraph (7)(a).
4 (c) To qualify for certification or recertification,
5 an educator must be able to use research-based, effective
6 instructional and behavioral strategies for speech and
7 language development, emerging literacy, and developmentally
8 appropriate practices and learning strategies for diverse
9 learners. Beginning July 1, 2003, before issuing a certificate
10 to any applicant, the Department of Education must ensure that
11 the applicant has the ability to identify and properly respond
12 to children who have learning problems and learning
13 disabilities, or that the applicant has agreed to an
14 individualized professional development plan that will result
15 in a demonstration of the required competencies.
16 1. The department shall cooperate with the
17 state-approved teacher preparation programs and with the
18 Learning Gateway Steering Committee created by Senate Bill 88
19 (2002) or similar legislation, to identify competencies
20 required by instructional personnel in addressing learning
21 problems and learning disabilities that may impede school
22 success. These competencies must be used to develop or adopt
23 preservice and inservice training programs that educators may
24 use to attain the skills necessary to demonstrate the
25 competencies.
26 2. By July 1, 2003, each state-approved teacher
27 education program must ensure that every graduate has
28 demonstrated the required competencies, and the department may
29 certify such graduates without further demonstration of
30 competencies related to students with learning problems.
31
3
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2002 SB 1388
317-1001-02
1 3. An applicant who has not completed a state-approved
2 teacher preparation program that ensures attainment of these
3 competencies must demonstrate them as required by the
4 Department of Education. The department may use an assessment
5 that provides for an evaluation of the applicant's competence
6 or may require an individualized professional development plan
7 to be implemented by the employing school district. The
8 department shall adopt by rule a procedure by which to verify
9 that each educator successfully completes any required program
10 and demonstrates the required competencies.
11 (7) PROFESSIONAL PREPARATION AND EDUCATION COMPETENCY
12 PROGRAM.--
13 (a) By July 1, 2002, the Department of Education shall
14 develop and each school district must provide a cohesive
15 competency-based preparation program by which members of a
16 school district's instructional staff may satisfy the mastery
17 of professional preparation and education competence
18 requirements specified in rules of the State Board of
19 Education. Participants must hold a state-issued temporary
20 certificate. The program shall include the following
21 components:
22 1. A minimum period of initial preparation prior to
23 assuming duties as the teacher of record.
24 2. An option for collaboration between school
25 districts and other supporting agencies for implementation.
26 3. Experienced peer mentors.
27 4. An assessment that provides for:
28 a. An initial evaluation of each educator's
29 competencies to determine an appropriate individualized
30 professional development plan.
31
4
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2002 SB 1388
317-1001-02
1 b. A postevaluation to assure successful completion of
2 the program.
3 5. Content knowledge that includes, but is not limited
4 to, the following:
5 a. Requirements specified in state board rule for
6 professional preparation.
7 b. The educator-accomplished practices approved by the
8 state board.
9 c. A variety of data indicators for student progress,
10 including indicators of developmental problems in students.
11 d. Methodologies, including technology-based
12 methodologies, for teaching subject content that supports the
13 Sunshine State Standards for students.
14 e. Techniques for effective classroom management.
15 f. Techniques and strategies for operationalizing the
16 role of the teacher in assuring a safe learning environment
17 for students.
18 g. Methodologies for assuring the ability of all
19 students to read, write, and compute, including the ability to
20 use research-based, effective instructional and behavioral
21 strategies for speech and language development, emerging
22 literacy, and developmentally appropriate practices and
23 learning strategies for diverse learners.
24 6. Required achievement of passing scores on the
25 professional education competency examination required by
26 state board rule.
27 Section 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a
28 law.
29
30
31
5
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 2002 SB 1388
317-1001-02
1 *****************************************
2 SENATE SUMMARY
3 Requires educators to demonstrate certain competencies as
a prerequisite to certification and recertification.
4 Provides for the development of certain assessments and
professional development components. Authorizes
5 rulemaking by the Department of Education.
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
6
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.