HB 0471 2004
1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to community colleges; creating s.
3	1004.85, F.S.; authorizing community colleges to create
4	teacher institutes; authorizing community colleges through
5	teacher institutes to offer competency-based alternative
6	teacher certification programs; requiring Department of
7	Education approval of such programs; providing
8	requirements for program completion; providing eligibility
9	for funding; providing program requirements; authorizing
10	rulemaking; amending s. 1012.56, F.S.; providing that
11	successful completion of a community college alternative
12	certification program meets certain educator certification
13	requirements; providing an effective date.
14
15	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
16
17	Section 1. Section 1004.85, Florida Statutes, is created
18	to read:
19	1004.85 Community college teacher institutes.--
20	(1) Community colleges are authorized to create teacher
21	institutes for the purpose of providing any or all of the
22	following:
23	(a) Professional development instruction to assist
24	teachers in improving classroom instruction and in meeting
25	certification or recertification requirements.
26	(b) Instruction to assist potential and existing
27	substitute teachers in performing their duties.
28	(c) Instruction to assist paraprofessionals in meeting
29	education and training requirements.
30	(d) Instruction for baccalaureate degree holders to become
31	certified teachers as provided in this section.
32	(2) Community colleges may offer alternative certification
33	programs specifically designed for noneducation major
34	baccalaureate degree holders to enable program participants to
35	meet the educator certification requirements of s. 1012.56. Such
36	programs shall be provided at community college teacher
37	institutes created pursuant to this section and shall be
38	competency-based teacher certification preparation programs that
39	prepare teachers through an alternative route. Such educator
40	preparation programs are intended for mid-career professionals,
41	dislocated professionals, and other baccalaureate degree holders
42	who want to become teachers in this state. A community college
43	choosing to offer an alternative certification program shall
44	implement a program previously approved by the Department of
45	Education for this purpose or a program developed by the
46	community college and approved by the Department of Education
47	for this purpose. Approved programs shall be available for
48	implementation statewide.
49	(a) A community college program shall be approved by the
50	Department of Education if the community college provides
51	sufficient evidence of the following:
52	1. The program must be administered in collaboration with
53	other institutions, agencies, or organizations and must be
54	provided with leadership through an advisory committee composed
55	of nationally certified teachers, representatives from the
56	district school board or boards, and currently employed
57	teachers.
58	2. Instruction must be provided in professional knowledge
59	and subject matter content that includes educator-accomplished
60	practices and competencies and meets subject matter content
61	requirements, professional competency testing requirements, and
62	competencies associated with teaching reading, where
63	appropriate.
64	(b) Each program participant must:
65	1. Meet temporary certification requirements by obtaining
66	a temporary certificate, pursuant to s. 1012.56(6), or document
67	eligibility to obtain a temporary certificate, including meeting
68	the requirements of s. 1012.56(2)(a)-(f).
69	2. Participate in field experience that is appropriate to
70	his or her educational plan.
71	3. Fully demonstrate his or her ability to teach the
72	subject area for which he or she is seeking certification prior
73	to completion of the program.
74	(c) Upon completion of the program, a participant shall
75	receive a credential from the sponsoring community college,
76	pursuant to authority granted in s. 1004.65. Such credential
77	shall satisfy the requirements of s. 1012.56(5) relating to
78	mastery of professional preparation and education competence. A
79	participant shall be eligible for educator certification through
80	the Department of Education upon satisfaction of all
81	requirements for certification set forth in s. 1012.56(2),
82	including demonstration of mastery of general knowledge, subject
83	area knowledge, and professional preparation and education
84	competence, through testing or other statutorily authorized
85	means.
86	(d) Community colleges offering approved programs are
87	eligible for funding from federal and state funds. Participants
88	who complete a program pursuant to this section shall be
89	included for the purpose of performance-based funding.
90	(e) Each community college offering an approved program
91	shall submit to the Department of Education annual performance
92	evaluations that measure the effectiveness of the program,
93	including the pass rates of participants on all examinations
94	required for teacher certification and employer satisfaction
95	surveys.
96	(f) If a community college offers an approved program
97	pursuant to this section, such program may be used by the school
98	district or districts served by that community college to fully
99	satisfy the requirements for the provision of a competency-based
100	professional preparation alternative certification program as
101	required in s. 1012.56(7).
102	(g) Instructors for a community college program approved
103	pursuant to this section must possess a master’s degree in
104	education or in an education field and document recent teaching
105	experience.
106	(3) The State Board of Education may adopt rules pursuant
107	to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement the provisions of this
108	section.
109	Section 2. Paragraphs (f) and (g) of subsection (5) of
110	section 1012.56, Florida Statutes, are amended, and paragraph
111	(h) is added to said subsection, to read:
112	1012.56 Educator certification requirements.--
113	(5) MASTERY OF PROFESSIONAL PREPARATION AND EDUCATION
114	COMPETENCE.--Acceptable means of demonstrating mastery of
115	professional preparation and education competence are:
116	(f) Completion of professional preparation courses as
117	specified in state board rule, successful completion of a
118	professional education competence demonstration program pursuant
119	to paragraph (7)(b), and achievement of a passing score on the
120	professional education competency examination required by state
121	board rule; or
122	(g) Successful completion of a professional preparation
123	alternative certification and education competency program,
124	outlined in paragraph (7)(a); or
125	(h) Successful completion of a community college program
126	pursuant to s. 1004.85 and achievement of a passing score on the
127	professional education competency examination required by state
128	board rule.
129	Section 3. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.