Senate Bill sb2496
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Florida Senate - 2003 SB 2496
By Senator Atwater
25-1347-03 See HB 755
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to teachers; amending s.
3 1012.56, F.S.; revising requirements for
4 demonstrating mastery of general knowledge,
5 subject area knowledge, and professional
6 preparation and education competence for
7 purposes of certification; revising
8 requirements for temporary certification;
9 amending s. 1012.58, F.S.; revising provisions
10 relating to the Transition to Teaching Program;
11 expanding the program to assist dislocated
12 professionals and other baccalaureate degree
13 holders to become teachers; authorizing teacher
14 preparation programs for persons with
15 noneducation majors; requiring instruction for
16 mastery of competencies; authorizing state and
17 federal funding; providing Transition to
18 Teaching Program requirements; providing an
19 effective date.
20
21 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
22
23 Section 1. Subsections (3), (4), (5), and (6) of
24 section 1012.56, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
25 1012.56 Educator certification requirements.--
26 (3) MASTERY OF GENERAL KNOWLEDGE.--Acceptable means of
27 demonstrating mastery of general knowledge are:
28 (a) Achievement of passing scores on basic skills
29 examination required by state board rule;
30 (b) Achievement of passing scores on the College Level
31 Academic Skills Test earned prior to July 1, 2002;
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Florida Senate - 2003 SB 2496
25-1347-03 See HB 755
1 (c) A valid standard teaching certificate issued by
2 another state that requires an examination of mastery of
3 general knowledge;
4 (c)(d) A valid standard teaching certificate issued by
5 another state and valid certificate issued by the National
6 Board for Professional Teaching Standards; or
7 (d)(e) A valid standard teaching certificate issued by
8 another state and documentation of 2 years of continuous
9 successful full-time teaching or administrative experience
10 during the 5-year period immediately preceding the date of
11 application for certification.
12 (4) MASTERY OF SUBJECT AREA KNOWLEDGE.--Acceptable
13 means of demonstrating mastery of subject area knowledge are:
14 (a) Achievement of passing scores on subject area
15 examinations required by state board rule;
16 (b) Completion of the subject area specialization
17 requirements specified in state board rule and verification of
18 the attainment of the essential subject matter competencies by
19 the district school superintendent of the employing school
20 district or chief administrative officer of the employing
21 state-supported or private school for a subject area for which
22 a subject area examination has not been developed and required
23 by state board rule;
24 (c) Completion of the graduate level subject area
25 specialization requirements specified in state board rule for
26 a subject coverage requiring a master's or higher degree and
27 achievement of a passing score on the subject area examination
28 specified in state board rule;
29 (d) A valid standard teaching certificate issued by
30 another state that requires an examination of mastery of
31 subject area knowledge;
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Florida Senate - 2003 SB 2496
25-1347-03 See HB 755
1 (d)(e) A valid standard teaching certificate issued by
2 another state and valid certificate issued by the National
3 Board for Professional Teaching Standards; or
4 (e)(f) A valid standard teaching certificate issued by
5 another state and documentation of 2 years of continuous
6 successful full-time teaching or administrative experience
7 during the 5-year period immediately preceding the date of
8 application for certification.
9 (5) MASTERY OF PROFESSIONAL PREPARATION AND EDUCATION
10 COMPETENCE.--Acceptable means of demonstrating mastery of
11 professional preparation and education competence are:
12 (a) Completion of an approved teacher preparation
13 program at a postsecondary educational institution within this
14 state and achievement of a passing score on the professional
15 education competency examination required by state board rule;
16 (b) Completion of a teacher preparation program at a
17 postsecondary educational institution outside Florida and
18 achievement of a passing score on the professional education
19 competency examination required by state board rule;
20 (c) A valid standard teaching certificate issued by
21 another state that requires an examination of mastery of
22 professional education competence;
23 (c)(d) A valid standard teaching certificate issued by
24 another state and valid certificate issued by the National
25 Board for Professional Teaching Standards;
26 (d)(e) 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;
31
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Florida Senate - 2003 SB 2496
25-1347-03 See HB 755
1 (e)(f) Completion of professional preparation courses
2 as specified in state board rule, successful completion of a
3 professional education competence demonstration program
4 pursuant to paragraph (7)(b), and achievement of a passing
5 score on the professional education competency examination
6 required by state board rule; or
7 (f)(g) Successful completion of a professional
8 preparation alternative certification and education competency
9 program, outlined in paragraph (7)(a).
10 (6) TYPES AND TERMS OF CERTIFICATION.--
11 (a) The Department of Education shall issue a
12 professional certificate for a period not to exceed 5 years to
13 any applicant who meets all the requirements outlined in
14 subsection (2).
15 (b) The department shall issue a temporary certificate
16 to any applicant who completes the requirements outlined in
17 paragraphs (2)(a)-(f) and completes the subject area content
18 requirements specified in state board rule or demonstrates
19 mastery of subject area knowledge pursuant to subsection (4)
20 and holds an accredited degree or a degree approved by the
21 Department of Education at the level required for the subject
22 area specialization in state board rule.
23 (c) The department shall issue one nonrenewable 2-year
24 temporary certificate and one nonrenewable 5-year professional
25 certificate to a qualified applicant who holds a bachelor's
26 degree in the area of speech-language impairment to allow for
27 completion of a master's degree program in speech-language
28 impairment.
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30 Each temporary certificate is valid for 3 school fiscal years
31 and is nonrenewable. During the validity period of the
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Florida Senate - 2003 SB 2496
25-1347-03 See HB 755
1 temporary certificate, all professional preparation and
2 testing requirements must be completed to be eligible for the
3 5-year professional certificate and continued employment.
4 However, the requirement in paragraph (2)(g) must be met
5 within 1 calendar year of the date of employment under the
6 temporary certificate. Individuals who are employed under
7 contract at the end of the 1 calendar year time period may
8 continue to be employed through the end of the school year in
9 which they have been contracted. A school district shall not
10 employ, or continue the employment of, an individual in a
11 position for which a temporary certificate is required beyond
12 this time period if the individual has not met the requirement
13 of paragraph (2)(g). The State Board of Education shall adopt
14 rules to allow the department to extend the validity period of
15 a temporary certificate for 2 years when the requirements for
16 the professional certificate, not including the requirement in
17 paragraph (2)(g), were not completed due to the serious
18 illness or injury of the applicant or other extraordinary
19 extenuating circumstances. The department shall reissue the
20 temporary certificate for 2 additional years upon approval by
21 the Commissioner of Education. A written request for
22 reissuance of the certificate shall be submitted by the
23 district school superintendent, the governing authority of a
24 university lab school, the governing authority of a
25 state-supported school, or the governing authority of a
26 private school.
27 Section 2. Section 1012.58, Florida Statutes, is
28 amended to read:
29 1012.58 Transition to Teaching Program.--
30 (1) LEGISLATIVE INTENT.--The Transition to Teaching
31 Program, known as the "EXPRESS TRACK," is created to encourage
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Florida Senate - 2003 SB 2496
25-1347-03 See HB 755
1 and assist midcareer professionals, dislocated professionals,
2 and other baccalaureate degree holders who want to become
3 teachers.
4 (2) Community colleges and approved teacher
5 preparation programs are authorized to offer teacher
6 preparation programs for baccalaureate degree holders with
7 noneducation majors. Such programs shall provide participants
8 with the competencies identified through the alternative
9 certification program, as described in s. 1012.56(7), or as
10 identified by the provider as appropriate to successfully
11 demonstrate mastery of professional preparation and education
12 competence, as specified in s. 1012.56(5), and to enter the
13 classroom. Competency-based instruction should be offered in a
14 time-shortened method, where possible. Transition to Teaching
15 Program participants must be determined by a school district
16 to be eligible to obtain a temporary certificate, including
17 meeting the requirements of s. 1012.56(2)(a)-(f), except that
18 participants may be accepted into the program if they attained
19 a 2.5 overall grade point average on a 4.0 scale in their
20 baccalaureate or higher degree. Participants may enter
21 employment with a temporary certificate during the period they
22 are completing the program, with school district approval.
23 However, Transition to Teaching programs are encouraged to
24 ensure that sufficient competencies are acquired by
25 participants prior to said employment. Transition to Teaching
26 programs shall provide assistance to potential participants in
27 completing the requirements for demonstration of mastery of
28 general knowledge and subject area knowledge.
29 (3)(2) GRANTS; FUNDING ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS.--
30 (a) If state or federal funds are available to support
31 Transition to Teaching programs, the Commissioner of Education
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Florida Senate - 2003 SB 2496
25-1347-03 See HB 755
1 shall design the process for receiving and evaluating grant or
2 funding proposals in accordance with state and federal
3 appropriations guidelines, as appropriate. Grants may be
4 awarded only to the extent that funding is provided. However,
5 community college Transition to Teaching Program completers
6 shall be included in appropriate performance-based funding
7 allocations.
8 (4) PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.--
9 (a)(b) The Commissioner of Education shall review
10 Transition to Teaching programs to ensure that each program
11 addresses the following request proposals from eligible
12 applicants to participate in the program. Each application
13 must:
14 1. Describes Describe the target group of
15 career-changing professionals or baccalaureate degree holders
16 upon which the program applicant will focus in carrying out
17 its program, including a description of the characteristics of
18 the target group that shows how the knowledge and experience
19 of its members are likely to improve their ability to become
20 effective teachers.
21 2. Describes Describe how the program applicant will
22 identify and recruit program participants.
23 3. Describes Describe how the program applicant will
24 ensure that program participants are placed and teach in
25 eligible school districts in this state.
26 4. Describes Describe the teacher support services
27 that program participants will receive throughout at least
28 their first year of teaching.
29 5. Describes Describe how the program applicant will
30 collaborate with other institutions, agencies, or
31 organizations, including the local workforce development
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Florida Senate - 2003 SB 2496
25-1347-03 See HB 755
1 agencies, to recruit, train, place, and support program
2 participants, including evidence of the commitment of those
3 institutions, agencies, or organizations to the applicant's
4 program.
5 (b)(c) The Commissioner of Education must require an
6 evaluation process to measure the progress and effectiveness
7 of the program. This evaluation must include:
8 1. The program's goals and objectives.
9 2. The performance indicators that the program
10 applicant will use to measure the program's progress.
11 3. The outcome measures that will be used to determine
12 the program's effectiveness, including pass rates of
13 participants on the professional preparation examination.
14 4. An assurance that the program applicant will
15 provide the commissioner with information the commissioner
16 finds necessary to determine the overall effectiveness of the
17 programs.
18 (5)(3) PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION; AUTHORIZED
19 EXPENDITURES.--
20 (a) An applicant shall estimate the funds required for
21 the proposed program. All funds provided for a program must be
22 used as authorized in federal guidelines.
23 (b) Eligible providers applicants are encouraged to
24 implement the program using the following components:
25 (a)1. Recruiting program participants, including
26 informing them of opportunities under the program and putting
27 them in contact with other institutions, agencies, or
28 organizations that will train, place, and support them in the
29 teaching profession.
30 (b)2. Tailoring Assisting providers of teacher
31 training to tailor their training to meet the particular needs
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Florida Senate - 2003 SB 2496
25-1347-03 See HB 755
1 of participants professionals who are changing their careers
2 to teaching.
3 (c)3. Placement activities, including identifying
4 eligible local education agencies with a need for the skills
5 and characteristics of the newly trained program participants
6 and assisting those participants to obtain employment in those
7 school districts.
8 (d)4. Postplacement support activities for program
9 participants.
10 (6)(4) ELIGIBLE PARTICIPANTS; REQUIREMENTS FOR GRANT
11 REPAYMENT.--
12 (a) If state or federal funds are used to support
13 training stipends, each participant who receives a stipend
14 grant from the program to pursue a teacher preparation program
15 must agree to teach in an eligible school district in this
16 state for at least 3 years after certification. To be
17 eligible, a school district must meet the requirements
18 established in regulations that implement the Omnibus
19 Appropriations Bill of 2000.
20 (b) The commissioner shall establish conditions under
21 which a participant must repay all or a portion of the
22 training stipend if the participant fails to complete his or
23 her service obligation.
24 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2003.
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