Florida Senate - 2019                                    SB 1456
       
       
        
       By Senator Perry
       
       
       
       
       
       8-01224B-19                                           20191456__
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to the Office of Early Learning;
    3         amending s. 1002.82, F.S.; requiring certain
    4         preservice and inservice training requirements
    5         established by the Office of Early Learning to include
    6         specified professional development pathways; creating
    7         s. 1002.995, F.S.; requiring the office to develop
    8         certain training and course standards for school
    9         readiness program providers; requiring the office to
   10         identify certain formal and informal career pathways,
   11         stackable credentials, and certifications that meet
   12         specified criteria for such providers; requiring such
   13         credentials and certifications to align with a
   14         specified training when possible; providing for
   15         rulemaking; providing an effective date.
   16          
   17  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   18  
   19         Section 1. Paragraph (v) of subsection (2) of section
   20  1002.82, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
   21         1002.82 Office of Early Learning; powers and duties.—
   22         (2) The office shall:
   23         (v) Establish preservice and inservice training
   24  requirements that address, at a minimum, school readiness child
   25  development standards, health and safety requirements, and
   26  social-emotional behavior intervention models, which may include
   27  positive behavior intervention and support models, including the
   28  integration of early learning professional development pathways
   29  established in s. 1002.995.
   30         Section 2. Section 1002.995, Florida Statutes, is created
   31  to read:
   32         1002.995Early learning professional development standards
   33  and career pathways.—
   34         (1)The office shall:
   35         (a)Develop early learning professional development
   36  training and course standards to be utilized for school
   37  readiness program providers.
   38         (b)Identify both formal and informal early learning career
   39  pathways with stackable credentials and certifications that
   40  allow early childhood teachers to access specialized
   41  professional development that:
   42         1.Strengthens knowledge and teaching practices.
   43         2.Aligns to established professional standards and core
   44  competencies.
   45         3.Provides a progression of attainable, competency-based
   46  stackable credentials and certifications.
   47         4.Improves outcomes for children to increase kindergarten
   48  readiness and early grade success.
   49         (2)To the greatest extent possible, the credentials and
   50  certifications established pursuant to this section shall align
   51  with the training for K-12 teachers, reading coaches, and school
   52  principals in s. 1001.215(3).
   53         (3)The office shall adopt rules to administer this
   54  section.
   55         Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2019.