Florida Senate - 2014 CS for CS for SB 950
By the Committees on Appropriations; and Education; and Senator
Stargel
576-04526-14 2014950c2
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to educator certification; amending s.
3 1004.04, F.S.; providing requirements for certain
4 instructional personnel who supervise or direct
5 preservice field experience courses or internships;
6 amending s. 1012.2315, F.S.; authorizing a school
7 district to assign to a school that has earned failing
8 grades certain newly hired instructional personnel;
9 amending s. 1012.27, F.S.; revising the powers of a
10 district school superintendent to include filling
11 instructional positions and assigning newly hired
12 instructional personnel; amending s. 1012.56, F.S.;
13 deleting an obsolete provision; revising acceptable
14 means of demonstrating mastery of general knowledge,
15 subject area knowledge, and professional preparation
16 and education competence; authorizing the State Board
17 of Education to adopt rules; revising components of a
18 competency-based professional development
19 certification and education competency program;
20 repealing s. 1012.56(17), F.S., relating to a study to
21 compare the performance of certain certificateholders;
22 amending s. 1012.585, F.S.; revising certain
23 requirements for the renewal or reinstatement of a
24 professional certificate; amending s. 1012.98, F.S.;
25 authorizing a consortium of certain charter schools to
26 develop a professional development system; providing
27 an effective date.
28
29 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
30
31 Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subsection (5) of section
32 1004.04, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
33 1004.04 Public accountability and state approval for
34 teacher preparation programs.—
35 (5) PRESERVICE FIELD EXPERIENCE.—All postsecondary
36 instructors, school district personnel and instructional
37 personnel, and school sites preparing instructional personnel
38 through preservice field experience courses and internships
39 shall meet special requirements. District school boards may pay
40 student teachers during their internships.
41 (b)1. All school district personnel and instructional
42 personnel who supervise or direct teacher preparation students
43 during field experience courses or internships taking place in
44 this state in which candidates demonstrate an impact on student
45 learning growth must have evidence of “clinical educator”
46 training, a valid professional certificate issued pursuant to s.
47 1012.56, and at least 3 years of teaching experience in
48 prekindergarten through grade 12 and must have earned an
49 effective or highly effective rating on the prior year’s
50 performance evaluation under s. 1012.34 or be a peer evaluator
51 under the district’s evaluation system approved under s.
52 1012.34. The State Board of Education shall approve the training
53 requirements.
54 2. All instructional personnel who supervise or direct
55 teacher preparation students during field experience courses or
56 internships in another state in which candidates demonstrate
57 impact on student learning growth, through a Florida online or
58 distance program, must have received “clinical educator”
59 training or its equivalent in that state, hold a valid
60 professional certificate issued by the state in which the field
61 experience takes place, and have at least 3 years of teaching
62 experience in prekindergarten through grade 12.
63 3. All instructional personnel who supervise or direct
64 teacher preparation students during field experience courses or
65 internships in which candidates demonstrate impact on student
66 learning growth, on a United States military base in another
67 country through a Florida online or distance program, must have
68 received “clinical educator” training or its equivalent, hold a
69 valid professional certificate issued by the United States
70 Department of Defense or a state or territory of the United
71 States, and have at least 3 years of teaching experience in
72 prekindergarten through grade 12.
73 Section 2. Subsection (2) of section 1012.2315, Florida
74 Statutes, is amended to read:
75 1012.2315 Assignment of teachers.—
76 (2) ASSIGNMENT TO SCHOOLS GRADED “D” or “F”.—
77 (a) A school district districts may not assign a higher
78 percentage than the school district average of temporarily
79 certified teachers, teachers in need of improvement, or out-of
80 field teachers to schools graded “D” or “F” pursuant to s.
81 1008.34.
82 (b) Beginning July 1, 2014, a school district may assign an
83 individual newly hired as instructional personnel to a school
84 that has earned a grade of “F” in the previous year or any
85 combination of three consecutive grades of “D” or “F” in the
86 previous 3 years pursuant to s. 1008.34 if the individual:
87 1. Has received an effective rating or highly effective
88 rating in the immediate prior year’s performance evaluation
89 pursuant s. 1012.34;
90 2. Is enrolled in a professional education training program
91 provided by Teach for America, holds a certificate issued
92 pursuant to s. 1012.56, and holds a probationary contract
93 pursuant to s. 1012.335(2)(a); or
94 3. Holds a probationary contract pursuant to s.
95 1012.335(2)(a), holds a certificate issued pursuant to s.
96 1012.56, and has successful teaching experience and if, in the
97 judgment of the school principal, students would benefit from
98 the placement of that individual.
99
100 Each school district shall annually certify to the Commissioner
101 of Education that the requirements in this subsection have this
102 requirement has been met. If the commissioner determines that a
103 school district is not in compliance with this subsection, the
104 State Board of Education shall be notified and shall take action
105 pursuant to s. 1008.32 in the next regularly scheduled meeting
106 to require compliance.
107 Section 3. Subsection (1) of section 1012.27, Florida
108 Statutes, is amended to read:
109 1012.27 Public school personnel; powers and duties of
110 district school superintendent.—The district school
111 superintendent is responsible for directing the work of the
112 personnel, subject to the requirements of this chapter, and in
113 addition the district school superintendent shall perform the
114 following:
115 (1) POSITIONS, QUALIFICATIONS, AND NOMINATIONS.—
116 (a) Recommend to the district school board duties and
117 responsibilities which need to be performed and positions which
118 need to be filled to make possible the development of an
119 adequate school program in the district.
120 (b) Recommend minimum qualifications of personnel for these
121 various positions, and nominate in writing persons to fill such
122 positions.
123 (c) The district school superintendent’s recommendations
124 for filling instructional positions at the school level must
125 Consider nominations received from school principals of the
126 respective schools for filling instructional positions at the
127 school level.
128 (d) Comply with s. 1012.2315(2)(b) for the assignment of
129 newly hired individuals to schools described in s.
130 1012.2315(2)(b).
131
132 Before transferring a teacher who holds a professional teaching
133 certificate from one school to another under this subsection,
134 the district school superintendent shall consult with the
135 principal of the receiving school and allow the principal to
136 review the teacher’s records, including student performance
137 demonstrated under s. 1012.34, and interview the teacher. If, in
138 the judgment of the principal, students would not benefit from
139 the placement, an alternative placement may be sought. A
140 principal may refuse the placement in accordance with s.
141 1012.28(6).
142 Section 4. Subsections (3), (5), and (6) and paragraphs (a)
143 and (b) of subsection (8) of section 1012.56, Florida Statutes,
144 are amended to read:
145 1012.56 Educator certification requirements.—
146 (3) MASTERY OF GENERAL KNOWLEDGE.—Acceptable means of
147 demonstrating mastery of general knowledge are:
148 (a) Achievement of passing scores on the general knowledge
149 basic skills examination required by state board rule;
150 (b) Achievement of passing scores on the College Level
151 Academic Skills Test earned prior to July 1, 2002;
152 (b)(c) Documentation of a valid professional standard
153 teaching certificate issued by another state;
154 (c)(d) Documentation of a valid certificate issued by the
155 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards or a national
156 educator credentialing board approved by the State Board of
157 Education; or
158 (d)(e) Documentation of two semesters of successful, full
159 time teaching in a Florida College System institution, state
160 university, or private college or university that awards an
161 associate or higher degree and is an accredited institution or
162 an institution of higher education identified by the Department
163 of Education as having a quality program; or
164 (e) Effective July 1, 2015, achievement of passing scores,
165 identified in state board rule, on national or international
166 examinations that test comparable content and relevant standards
167 in the verbal, analytical writing, and quantitative reasoning
168 skills, including, but not limited to, the verbal, analytical
169 writing, and quantitative reasoning portions of the Graduate
170 Record Examination. Passing scores identified in state board
171 rule must be at approximately the same level of rigor as is
172 required to pass the general knowledge examinations.
173 (5) MASTERY OF SUBJECT AREA KNOWLEDGE.—Acceptable means of
174 demonstrating mastery of subject area knowledge are:
175 (a) For a subject requiring only a baccalaureate degree for
176 which a Florida subject area examination has been developed,
177 achievement of a passing score scores on the Florida-developed
178 subject area examination specified in examinations required by
179 state board rule, which may include, but need not be limited to,
180 world languages in Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, French, German,
181 Greek, Haitian Creole, Hebrew, Hindi, Italian, Japanese,
182 Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish;
183 (b) For a subject for which a Florida subject area
184 examination has not been developed, achievement of a passing
185 score on a standardized examination specified in state board
186 rule, including, but not limited to, passing scores on both the
187 oral proficiency and written proficiency examinations Completion
188 of a bachelor’s degree or higher and verification of the
189 attainment of an oral proficiency interview score above the
190 intermediate level and a written proficiency score above the
191 intermediate level on a test administered by the American
192 Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages for which there is
193 no Florida-developed examination;
194 (c) For a subject for which a Florida subject area
195 examination has not been developed or a standardized examination
196 has not been specified in state board rule, completion of the
197 subject area specialization requirements specified in state
198 board rule and verification of the attainment of the essential
199 subject matter competencies by the district school
200 superintendent of the employing school district or chief
201 administrative officer of the employing state-supported or
202 private school for a subject area for which a subject area
203 examination has not been developed and required by state board
204 rule;
205 (d) For a subject requiring a master’s or higher degree,
206 completion of the subject area specialization requirements
207 specified in state board rule for a subject coverage requiring a
208 master’s or higher degree and achievement of a passing score on
209 the Florida-developed subject area examination or a standardized
210 examination specified in state board rule;
211 (e) Documentation of a valid professional standard teaching
212 certificate issued by another state; or
213 (f) Documentation of a valid certificate issued by the
214 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards or a national
215 educator credentialing board approved by the State Board of
216 Education.
217
218 School districts are encouraged to provide mechanisms for those
219 middle grades school teachers holding only a K-6 teaching
220 certificate to obtain a subject area coverage for middle grades
221 through postsecondary coursework or district add-on
222 certification.
223 (6) MASTERY OF PROFESSIONAL PREPARATION AND EDUCATION
224 COMPETENCE.—Acceptable means of demonstrating mastery of
225 professional preparation and education competence are:
226 (a) Successful completion of an approved teacher
227 preparation program at a postsecondary educational institution
228 within this state and achievement of a passing score on the
229 professional education competency examination required by state
230 board rule;
231 (b) Successful completion of a teacher preparation program
232 at a postsecondary educational institution outside Florida and
233 achievement of a passing score on the professional education
234 competency examination required by state board rule;
235 (c) Documentation of a valid professional standard teaching
236 certificate issued by another state;
237 (d) Documentation of a valid certificate issued by the
238 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards or a national
239 educator credentialing board approved by the State Board of
240 Education;
241 (e) Documentation of two semesters of successful, full-time
242 teaching in a Florida College System institution, state
243 university, or private college or university that awards an
244 associate or higher degree and is an accredited institution or
245 an institution of higher education identified by the Department
246 of Education as having a quality program and achievement of a
247 passing score on the professional education competency
248 examination required by state board rule;
249 (f) Successful completion of professional preparation
250 courses as specified in state board rule, successful completion
251 of a professional preparation and education competence
252 demonstration program pursuant to paragraph (8)(b), and
253 achievement of a passing score on the professional education
254 competency examination required by state board rule;
255 (g) Successful completion of a professional development
256 preparation alternative certification and education competency
257 program, outlined in paragraph (8)(a); or
258 (h) Successful completion of a competency-based an
259 alternative certification program pursuant to s. 1004.85 and
260 achievement of a passing score on the professional education
261 competency examination required by state board rule of the State
262 Board of Education.
263
264 The State Board of Education may adopt rules to approve specific
265 teacher preparation programs that are not identified in this
266 subsection which may be used to meet requirements for mastery of
267 professional preparation and education competence.
268 (8) PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CERTIFICATION AND EDUCATION
269 COMPETENCY PROGRAM.—
270 (a) The Department of Education shall develop and each
271 school district may provide a cohesive competency-based
272 professional development certification and education competency
273 program by which members of a school district’s instructional
274 staff may satisfy the mastery of professional preparation and
275 education competence requirements specified in this subsection
276 (6) and state board rules of the State Board of Education.
277 Participants must hold a state-issued temporary certificate. A
278 school district that implements the program shall provide a
279 competency-based certification program developed by the
280 Department of Education or developed by the district and
281 approved by the Department of Education. The program shall
282 include the following components:
283 1. A minimum period of initial preparation before assuming
284 duties as the teacher of record.
285 2. An option for collaboration between school districts and
286 other supporting agencies or educational entities for
287 implementation.
288 3. An experienced peer-mentor component peer mentors. Each
289 individual selected by the district as a peer mentor must hold a
290 valid professional certificate issued pursuant to this section,
291 must have earned at least 3 years of teaching experience in
292 prekindergarten through grade 12, and must have earned an
293 effective or highly effective rating on the prior year’s
294 performance evaluation under s. 1012.34 or be a peer evaluator
295 under the district’s evaluation system approved under s.
296 1012.34.
297 4. An assessment of teaching performance aligned to the
298 district’s system for personnel evaluation under s. 1012.34
299 which provides for:
300 a. An initial evaluation of each educator’s competencies to
301 determine an appropriate individualized professional development
302 plan.
303 b. A summative evaluation to assure successful completion
304 of the program.
305 5. Professional education preparation content knowledge
306 that includes, but is not limited to, the following:
307 a. The state state-adopted student content standards
308 provided in s. 1003.41, including scientifically based reading
309 instruction, content literacy, and mathematical practices, for
310 each subject identified on the temporary certificate.
311 b. The educator-accomplished practices approved by the
312 state board.
313 c. A variety of data indicators for monitoring student
314 progress.
315 d. Methodologies for teaching students with disabilities.
316 e. Methodologies for teaching students of limited English
317 proficiency English language learners appropriate for each
318 subject area identified on the temporary certificate.
319 f. Techniques and strategies for operationalizing the role
320 of the teacher in assuring a safe learning environment for
321 students.
322 6. Required achievement of passing scores on the subject
323 area and professional education competency examination required
324 by State Board of Education rule. Mastery of general knowledge
325 must be demonstrated as described in subsection (3).
326 (b)1. Each school district must and a state supported
327 public school or a private school may develop and maintain a
328 system by which members of the instructional staff may
329 demonstrate mastery of professional preparation and education
330 competence as required by law. Each program must be based on
331 classroom application of the Florida Educator Accomplished
332 Practices and instructional performance and, for public schools,
333 must be aligned with the district’s evaluation system approved
334 under s. 1012.34.
335 2. The Commissioner of Education shall determine the
336 continued approval of programs implemented under this paragraph,
337 based upon the department’s review of performance data. The
338 department shall review the performance data as a part of the
339 periodic review of each school district’s professional
340 development system required under s. 1012.98.
341 Section 5. Subsection (17) of section 1012.56, Florida
342 Statutes, is repealed.
343 Section 6. Subsections (3) and (5) of section 1012.585,
344 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
345 1012.585 Process for renewal of professional certificates.—
346 (3) For the renewal of a professional certificate, the
347 following requirements must be met:
348 (a) The applicant must earn a minimum of 6 college credits
349 or 120 inservice points or a combination thereof. For each area
350 of specialization to be retained on a certificate, the applicant
351 must earn at least 3 of the required credit hours or equivalent
352 inservice points in the specialization area. Education in
353 “clinical educator” training pursuant to s. 1004.04(5)(b) and
354 credits or points that provide training in the area of
355 scientifically researched, knowledge-based reading literacy and
356 computational skills acquisition, exceptional student education,
357 normal child development, and the disorders of development may
358 be applied toward any specialization area. Credits or points
359 that provide training in the areas of drug abuse, child abuse
360 and neglect, strategies in teaching students having limited
361 proficiency in English, or dropout prevention, or training in
362 areas identified in the educational goals and performance
363 standards adopted pursuant to ss. 1000.03(5) and 1008.345 may be
364 applied toward any specialization area. Credits or points earned
365 through approved summer institutes may be applied toward the
366 fulfillment of these requirements. Inservice points may also be
367 earned by participation in professional growth components
368 approved by the State Board of Education and specified pursuant
369 to s. 1012.98 in the district’s approved master plan for
370 inservice educational training, including, but not limited to,
371 serving as a trainer in an approved teacher training activity,
372 serving on an instructional materials committee or a state board
373 or commission that deals with educational issues, or serving on
374 an advisory council created pursuant to s. 1001.452.
375 (b) In lieu of college course credit or inservice points,
376 the applicant may renew a subject area specialization area by
377 passage of a state board approved Florida-developed subject area
378 examination or, if a Florida subject area examination has not
379 been developed, a standardized examination specified in state
380 board rule test.
381 (c) If an applicant wishes to retain more than two
382 specialization areas on the certificate, the applicant shall be
383 permitted two successive validity periods for renewal of all
384 specialization areas, but must earn no fewer than 6 college
385 course credit hours or the equivalent in any one validity
386 period.
387 (d) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules for the
388 expanded use of training for renewal of the professional
389 certificate for educators who are required to complete training
390 in teaching students of limited English proficiency or students
391 with disabilities and training in the teaching of reading as
392 follows:
393 1. A teacher who holds a professional certificate may use
394 college credits or inservice points earned through training in
395 teaching students of limited English proficiency or students
396 with disabilities completed in English-for-Speakers-of-Other
397 Languages training and training in the teaching of reading in
398 excess of 6 semester hours during one certificate-validity
399 period toward renewal of the professional certificate during the
400 subsequent validity periods.
401 2. A teacher who holds a temporary certificate may use
402 college credits or inservice points earned through training in
403 teaching students of limited English proficiency or students
404 with disabilities completed in English-for-Speakers-of-Other
405 Languages training and training in the teaching of reading
406 toward renewal of the teacher’s first professional certificate.
407 Such training must not have been included within the degree
408 program, and the teacher’s temporary and professional
409 certificates must be issued for consecutive school years.
410 (e) Beginning July 1, 2014, an applicant for renewal of a
411 professional certificate must earn a minimum of one college
412 credit or the equivalent inservice points in the area of
413 instruction for teaching students with disabilities. The
414 requirement in this paragraph may not add to the total hours
415 required by the department for continuing education or inservice
416 training.
417 (5) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to allow
418 the reinstatement of expired professional certificates. The
419 department may reinstate an expired professional certificate if
420 the certificateholder:
421 (a) Submits an application for reinstatement of the expired
422 certificate.
423 (b) Documents completion of 6 college credits during the 5
424 years immediately preceding reinstatement of the expired
425 certificate, completion of 120 inservice points, or a
426 combination thereof, in an area specified in paragraph (3)(a) to
427 include the credit required under paragraph (3)(e).
428 (c) During the 5 years immediately preceding reinstatement
429 of the certificate, achieves a passing score on the Florida
430 developed subject area examination or, if a Florida subject area
431 examination has not been developed, a standardized examination
432 specified in state board rule test for each subject to be shown
433 on the reinstated certificate.
434
435 The requirements of this subsection may not be satisfied by
436 subject area examinations tests or college credits completed for
437 issuance of the certificate that has expired.
438 Section 7. Subsection (6) of section 1012.98, Florida
439 Statutes, is amended to read:
440 1012.98 School Community Professional Development Act.—
441 (6) An organization of private schools or consortium of
442 charter schools which has no fewer than 10 member schools in
443 this state, which publishes and files with the Department of
444 Education copies of its standards, and the member schools of
445 which comply with the provisions of part II of chapter 1003,
446 relating to compulsory school attendance, may also develop a
447 professional development system that includes a master plan for
448 inservice activities. The system and inservice plan must be
449 submitted to the commissioner for approval pursuant to state
450 board rules of the State Board of Education.
451 Section 8. This act shall take effect July 1, 2014.