Florida Senate - 2020 SB 1250
By Senator Diaz
36-01900B-20 20201250__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to teacher professional learning;
3 amending s. 1004.04, F.S.; expanding requirements for
4 uniform core curricula and candidate assessment for
5 teacher preparation programs; amending s. 1004.85,
6 F.S.; expanding requirements for the certification
7 program of a postsecondary educator preparation
8 institute to be approved by the Department of
9 Education; amending s. 1012.585, F.S.; specifying that
10 teachers may earn inservice points only once during a
11 certain time period for any mandatory training topic
12 not linked to student learning or professional growth;
13 amending s. 1012.98, F.S.; requiring district school
14 boards to calculate a proportionate share of
15 professional development funds for each classroom
16 teacher; authorizing classroom teachers to use up to a
17 certain amount of such funds for certain purposes;
18 requiring the Department of Education to identify
19 professional development opportunities for classroom
20 teachers to demonstrate proficiency in a specific
21 classroom practice; requiring the department to create
22 and develop a model annual and 5-year calendar of
23 professional development by a specified date;
24 requiring school districts to develop annual and 5
25 year calendars of professional development for
26 inclusion in the department’s professional development
27 system by a specified date; requiring the department
28 to maintain a statewide registry of approved
29 professional development providers and professional
30 development activities for use by teachers; requiring
31 professional development providers to be approved by
32 the department; specifying requirements for
33 professional development providers; requiring the
34 department to review professional development provider
35 applications for compliance and to approve or deny an
36 application within a certain timeframe; providing for
37 provider reapplication; requiring each school district
38 to accept an approved professional development
39 activity for a certain purpose; requiring the
40 department to determine the number of inservice hours
41 to be awarded for completion of an activity; creating
42 the Professional Development Choice Pilot Program to
43 be administered by the department for a specified
44 period; providing the pilot program’s purpose;
45 authorizing the use of pilot program grants for
46 specified purposes; providing requirements for the use
47 of such grants; providing eligibility requirements for
48 receiving pilot program grants; providing requirements
49 and limits for grant disbursements; providing certain
50 duties of each school district; requiring the
51 department to maintain a registry of approved provider
52 and professional development activities; requiring the
53 department to establish an application form by a
54 specified date; creating s. 1012.981, F.S.; creating
55 the Professional Education Excellence Resources (PEER)
56 Pilot Program in specified counties; authorizing
57 school districts implementing the pilot program to
58 engage in certain activities; authorizing school
59 districts to use program funds for certain purposes;
60 requiring school districts participating in the
61 program to collaborate with the department and other
62 entities to develop high-quality online professional
63 development opportunities accessible to instructional
64 personnel statewide; providing requirements for such
65 professional online development opportunities;
66 authorizing participating school districts to use
67 program funds to establish a master teacher program;
68 providing requirements for the master teacher program;
69 requiring participating school districts to
70 collaborate with the department and the University of
71 Florida Lastinger Center to develop a master teacher
72 academy; providing duties for the master teacher
73 academy; requiring each school district participating
74 in the PEER Pilot Program to report annually to the
75 Governor, the Legislature, and the department on the
76 performance of the pilot program; requiring the annual
77 report to contain certain information; requiring the
78 State Board of Education to adopt rules; specifying
79 that the pilot program be implemented only to the
80 extent specifically funded and authorized by law;
81 providing an effective date.
82
83 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
84
85 Section 1. Paragraphs (e) and (f) are added to subsection
86 (2) of section 1004.04, Florida Statutes, and paragraph (a) of
87 subsection (4) of that section is amended, to read:
88 1004.04 Public accountability and state approval for
89 teacher preparation programs.—
90 (2) UNIFORM CORE CURRICULA AND CANDIDATE ASSESSMENT.—
91 (e) Each program must include the opportunity for the
92 candidate to complete coursework to obtain a required
93 endorsement in the candidate’s chosen teaching field.
94 (f) Each program must include, in addition to the core
95 standards for effective education, instruction in the training
96 required of certified instructional personnel, including, but
97 not limited to:
98 1. Identification, intervention, and prevention of child
99 abuse, abandonment, and neglect;
100 2. Integration of technology into classroom teaching;
101 3. Management, assessment, and monitoring of student
102 learning and performance;
103 4. Skills in classroom management, violence prevention,
104 conflict resolution, and related areas;
105 5. Developmental disabilities pursuant to s. 1012.582;
106 6. Youth suicide awareness and prevention pursuant to s.
107 1012.583; and
108 7. Youth mental health awareness and assistance pursuant to
109 s. 1012.584.
110 (4) CONTINUED PROGRAM APPROVAL.—Continued approval of a
111 teacher preparation program shall be based upon evidence that
112 the program continues to implement the requirements for initial
113 approval and upon significant, objective, and quantifiable
114 measures of the program and the performance of the program
115 completers.
116 (a) The criteria for continued approval must include each
117 of the following:
118 1. Documentation from the program that each program
119 candidate met the admission requirements provided in subsection
120 (3).
121 2. Documentation from the program that the program and each
122 program completer have met the requirements provided in
123 subsection (2).
124 3. Evidence of performance in each of the following areas:
125 a. Placement rate of program completers into instructional
126 positions in Florida public schools and private schools, if
127 available.
128 b. Rate of retention for employed program completers in
129 instructional positions in Florida public schools.
130 c. Performance of students in prekindergarten through grade
131 12 who are assigned to in-field program completers on statewide
132 assessments using the results of the student learning growth
133 formula adopted under s. 1012.34.
134 d. Performance of students in prekindergarten through grade
135 12 who are assigned to in-field program completers aggregated by
136 student subgroup, as defined in the federal Elementary and
137 Secondary Education Act (ESEA), 20 U.S.C. s.
138 6311(b)(2)(C)(v)(II), as a measure of how well the program
139 prepares teachers to work with a diverse population of students
140 in a variety of settings in Florida public schools.
141 e. Results of program completers’ annual evaluations in
142 accordance with the timeline as set forth in s. 1012.34.
143 f. Production of program completers in statewide critical
144 teacher shortage areas as identified in s. 1012.07.
145 4. Results of the program completers’ survey measuring
146 their satisfaction with preparation for the realities of the
147 classroom.
148 5. Results of the employers’ survey measuring satisfaction
149 with the program and the program’s responsiveness to local
150 school districts. The survey must include the employer’s
151 assessment of the student’s proficiency in the use of state
152 adopted content standards and general preparation for the
153 classroom.
154 Section 2. Paragraph (a) of subsection (3) and subsection
155 (5) of section 1004.85, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
156 1004.85 Postsecondary educator preparation institutes.—
157 (3) Educator preparation institutes approved pursuant to
158 this section may offer competency-based certification programs
159 specifically designed for noneducation major baccalaureate
160 degree holders to enable program participants to meet the
161 educator certification requirements of s. 1012.56. An educator
162 preparation institute choosing to offer a competency-based
163 certification program pursuant to the provisions of this section
164 must implement a program previously approved by the Department
165 of Education for this purpose or a program developed by the
166 institute and approved by the department for this purpose.
167 Approved programs shall be available for use by other approved
168 educator preparation institutes.
169 (a) Within 90 days after receipt of a request for approval,
170 the Department of Education shall approve a preparation program
171 pursuant to the requirements of this subsection or issue a
172 statement of the deficiencies in the request for approval. The
173 department shall approve a certification program if the
174 institute provides evidence of the institute’s capacity to
175 implement a competency-based program that includes each of the
176 following:
177 1.a. Participant instruction and assessment in the Florida
178 Educator Accomplished Practices across content areas.
179 b. The use of state-adopted student content standards to
180 guide curriculum and instruction.
181 c. Scientifically researched and evidence-based reading
182 instructional strategies that improve reading performance for
183 all students, including explicit, systematic, and sequential
184 approaches to teaching phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary,
185 fluency, and text comprehension and multisensory intervention
186 strategies.
187 d. Content literacy and mathematical practices.
188 e. Strategies appropriate for instruction of English
189 language learners.
190 f. Strategies appropriate for instruction of students with
191 disabilities.
192 g. Strategies to differentiate instruction based on student
193 needs.
194 h. The use of character-based classroom management.
195 2. An educational plan for each participant to meet
196 certification requirements and demonstrate his or her ability to
197 teach the subject area for which the participant is seeking
198 certification, which is based on an assessment of his or her
199 competency in the areas listed in subparagraph 1.
200 3. Field experiences appropriate to the certification
201 subject area specified in the educational plan with a diverse
202 population of students in a variety of challenging environments,
203 including, but not limited to, high-poverty schools, urban
204 schools, and rural schools, under the supervision of qualified
205 educators.
206 4. A certification ombudsman to facilitate the process and
207 procedures required for participants who complete the program to
208 meet any requirements related to the background screening
209 pursuant to s. 1012.32 and educator professional or temporary
210 certification pursuant to s. 1012.56.
211 5. The opportunity for a candidate to complete coursework
212 to obtain a required endorsement in the candidate’s chosen
213 teaching field.
214 6. In addition to the core standards for effective
215 education, instruction in the training required of certified
216 instructional personnel, including, but not limited to:
217 a. Identification, intervention, and prevention of child
218 abuse, abandonment, and neglect;
219 b. Integration of technology into classroom teaching;
220 c. Management, assessment, and monitoring of student
221 learning and performance;
222 d. Skills in classroom management, violence prevention,
223 conflict resolution, and related areas;
224 e. Developmental disabilities pursuant to s. 1012.582;
225 f. Youth suicide awareness and prevention pursuant to s.
226 1012.583; and
227 g. Youth mental health awareness and assistance pursuant to
228 s. 1012.584.
229 (5) Each institute approved pursuant to this section shall
230 submit to the Department of Education annual performance
231 evaluations that measure the effectiveness of the programs,
232 including the pass rates of participants on all examinations
233 required for teacher certification, employment rates,
234 longitudinal retention rates, and satisfaction surveys of
235 employers and candidates. The satisfaction surveys must be
236 designed to measure the sufficient preparation of the educator
237 for the student’s proficiency in the use of state-adopted
238 content standards, the realities of the classroom, and the
239 institute’s responsiveness to local school districts. These
240 evaluations shall be used by the Department of Education for
241 purposes of continued approval of an educator preparation
242 institute’s certification program.
243 Section 3. Paragraph (g) is added to subsection (3) of
244 section 1012.585, Florida Statutes, to read:
245 1012.585 Process for renewal of professional certificates.—
246 (3) For the renewal of a professional certificate, the
247 following requirements must be met:
248 (g) A teacher may earn inservice points only once during
249 each 5-year validity period for any mandatory training topic
250 that is not linked to student learning or professional growth.
251 Section 4. Subsection (5) of section 1012.98, Florida
252 Statutes, is amended, and subsections (13), (14), and (15) are
253 added to that section, to read:
254 1012.98 School Community Professional Development Act.—
255 (5) Each district school board shall provide funding for
256 the professional development system as required by s. 1011.62
257 and the General Appropriations Act, and shall direct
258 expenditures from other funding sources to continuously
259 strengthen the system in order to increase student achievement
260 and support instructional staff in enhancing rigor and relevance
261 in the classroom. Each district school board shall calculate a
262 proportionate share of professional development funds for each
263 classroom teacher and allow each classroom teacher to use up to
264 25 percent of the proportionate share on professional
265 development that addresses the academic needs of students or an
266 identified area of professional growth for the classroom
267 teacher. The department shall identify professional development
268 opportunities that require the classroom teacher to demonstrate
269 proficiency in a specific classroom practice. A school district
270 may coordinate its professional development program with that of
271 another district, with an educational consortium, or with a
272 Florida College System institution or university, especially in
273 preparing and educating personnel. Each district school board
274 shall make available inservice activities to instructional
275 personnel of nonpublic schools in the district and the state
276 certified teachers who are not employed by the district school
277 board on a fee basis not to exceed the cost of the activity per
278 all participants.
279 (13) To assist school district planning for required
280 teacher professional development, by August 1, 2020, the
281 department shall develop a model annual and 5-year calendar that
282 incorporates all state-required professional development. No
283 later than January 1, 2021, school districts shall develop an
284 annual and a 5-year calendar of professional development for
285 inclusion in the professional development system approved by the
286 department pursuant to subsection (4).
287 (14) The department shall develop and maintain a statewide
288 registry of approved professional development providers and
289 professional development activities for use by teachers in this
290 state. The registry is intended to provide educators with high
291 quality professional development opportunities in addition to
292 those offered by an entity specified in subsection (1).
293 (a) Any professional development provider seeking to be
294 added to the registry must complete an application developed by
295 the department. Approved providers are responsible for notifying
296 the department of any changes to the provider or approved
297 activities using an update form developed by the department. The
298 approval form must include, but is not limited to, requirements
299 that the provider specify:
300 1. Compliance with this section.
301 2. The alignment of professional development activities
302 with professional development standards adopted by the state
303 board in rule and standards adopted by the National Staff
304 Development Council.
305 3. Professional development activities offered by the
306 provider.
307 4. Qualifications of instructors for the professional
308 development activities to be approved.
309 (b) Providers specified in subsection (1), as well as
310 providers approved by such entities, are not required to seek
311 department approval to offer professional development activities
312 and are not required to be added to the registry. However, such
313 providers that wish to offer statewide professional development
314 opportunities may seek department approval and be added to the
315 registry.
316 (c) Providers approved by the department must maintain
317 information that includes, but is not limited to, the
318 professional development activity, date of the activity, hours
319 of instruction, and instructor, if applicable. The approved
320 provider must provide such information to each participant.
321 (d) The department shall review the professional
322 development provider application for compliance with
323 requirements. The department must inform the provider in writing
324 within 90 days after submission of an application regarding the
325 approval or denial of the provider. The approval is valid for a
326 period not to exceed 5 years, after which the provider must
327 reapply.
328 1. Each school district shall accept an approved
329 professional development activity on the registry toward meeting
330 the requirements of s. 1002.385(3).
331 2. The department shall determine the number of inservice
332 hours to be awarded for completion of each specified
333 professional development activity.
334 (15) There is created the Professional Development Choice
335 Pilot Program to be administered by the department for a period
336 of 3 years, subject to legislative appropriation. The purpose of
337 the pilot program is to provide grants to eligible teachers to
338 select professional learning opportunities that best meet each
339 teacher’s individual needs.
340 (a) A teacher may use a pilot program grant for
341 professional development approved by a school district or by a
342 provider approved by the department pursuant to subsection (14).
343 1. Professional development must be aligned with the
344 standards adopted by the state board in rule and standards
345 adopted by the National Staff Development Council.
346 2. Training completed under this subsection must comply
347 with and satisfy the requirements of s. 1012.585(3).
348 3. Professional learning activities may include, but are
349 not limited to, in-person or online training; travel and
350 registration for conferences or workshops; college credit
351 courses; and district professional development certification and
352 education competency programs.
353 (b) To be eligible for a pilot program grant, an individual
354 must:
355 1. Hold a professional certificate issued pursuant to s.
356 1012.56(7)(a);
357 2. Be employed as a classroom teacher, as defined in s.
358 1012.01(2)(a), excluding substitute teachers, by a district
359 school board or by a charter school; and
360 3. Apply for a grant in a format determined by the
361 department. The application must require an applicant to
362 describe how the professional development activity relates to
363 and will improve instruction in the classroom.
364 (c) Each classroom teacher eligible under paragraph (b) may
365 receive a reimbursement for training pursuant to paragraph (a).
366 The reimbursement for each teacher participating in the pilot
367 program may not exceed $500 per school year. Each classroom
368 teacher is eligible for one grant per school year. The pilot
369 program grants must be awarded on a first-come, first-served
370 basis.
371 (d) Each school district shall:
372 1. Review a proposed professional development activity to
373 determine alignment with district and individual professional
374 development plans and determine the number of inservice credit
375 hours to be awarded; and
376 2. Approve any professional development opportunity
377 included on the department’s registry pursuant to subsection
378 (13).
379 (e) The department shall:
380 1. Maintain a registry of approved providers and
381 professional development activities pursuant to subsection (14).
382 2. Establish, no later than August 1, 2020, a grant
383 application form.
384 Section 5. Section 1012.981, Florida Statutes, is created
385 to read:
386 1012.981 Professional Education Excellence Resources Pilot
387 Program.—
388 (1) There is established the Professional Education
389 Excellence Resources (PEER) Pilot Program, administered by the
390 department, to provide school district flexibility to increase
391 opportunities for professional learning, collaboration with
392 teachers and leaders, and teacher leadership.
393 (2) The PEER Pilot Program is established in Clay,
394 Pinellas, and Walton Counties.
395 (3) Participating school districts implementing the PEER
396 Pilot Program may:
397 (a) Extend the contract day or the contract year, or both,
398 for participating teachers for professional development,
399 collaboration with colleagues, or instructional coaching. A
400 participating school district that chooses to extend the
401 contract day or year must, before the start of the 2020-2021
402 school year, negotiate with the certified collective bargaining
403 unit for instructional personnel a memorandum of understanding
404 that addresses the additional duty hours in a week or duty days
405 in a school year and additional payments based on the salary
406 scale of the district to teachers who participate in the pilot
407 program.
408 (b) Use program funds to:
409 1. Compensate teachers who are assigned to an extended
410 school day or school year pursuant to paragraph (a).
411 2. Hire additional instructional personnel to provide
412 teachers with additional planning periods or other release time
413 to complete professional development, collaborate with
414 colleagues, or perform other appropriate activities.
415 3. Provide content area specialists to provide support for
416 teachers’ individual needs and professional growth.
417 4. Provide instructional coaches for participating
418 teachers.
419 5. Provide professional development opportunities.
420 (4) School districts participating in the pilot program
421 must collaborate with the department, postsecondary educational
422 institutions, regional education consortia, the University of
423 Florida Lastinger Center, or other appropriate organizations to
424 develop high-quality online professional development
425 opportunities accessible to instructional personnel statewide.
426 Such online professional development must:
427 (a) Be self-paced and available to teachers at any time.
428 (b) Align with standards for professional development as
429 described in state board rule.
430 (c) Protect the private information of participants.
431 (d) Satisfy requirements for renewal of an educator
432 certificate.
433 (e) Include online assessments with timely feedback to
434 evaluate participant learning measured against program goals.
435 (5) Participating school districts may use program funds to
436 establish a master teacher program. The master teacher program
437 provides accomplished teachers the opportunity to innovate and
438 improve classroom practices, facilitate improved professional
439 development, and improve instructional quality through
440 collaboration with teachers and leaders. School districts shall
441 determine the specific roles assigned to a master teacher.
442 (a) Each master teacher program must include, but is not
443 limited to:
444 1. Providing release time for planning and meeting with
445 teachers and leaders;
446 2. Additional professional development opportunities, to
447 include participation in local and national conferences or
448 payments for college credit courses to increase skills or obtain
449 a higher university degree; and
450 3. Monetary compensation.
451 (b) School districts may select for the master teacher
452 program teachers who were rated highly effective in the previous
453 school year and may determine other selection criteria, which
454 may include, but are not limited to, information in performance
455 evaluations, peer reviews, demonstration of content expertise,
456 principal recommendation, or candidate interviews.
457 (c) Each participating school district must collaborate
458 with the department and with the University of Florida Lastinger
459 Center to develop a master teacher academy to support
460 instructional personnel statewide. The master teacher academy
461 must:
462 1. Provide recommendations for the selection, training, and
463 support of district master teachers.
464 2. Create a bank of online professional development tools
465 that serve as exemplars for instructional best practices. Such
466 content may include pedagogy, instructional delivery,
467 professional learning communities, collaboration, personalized
468 learning, teacher and student or parent conferencing, positive
469 behavior supports, and using data to improve instruction.
470 3. Provide instructional coaching for school-based leaders
471 and principal supervisors. The content must focus on providing
472 teachers with actionable feedback on performance.
473 (6) Each school district participating in the PEER Pilot
474 Program must annually, by August 1, report to the Governor, the
475 President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of
476 Representatives, and the department on the performance of the
477 pilot program. Each report must include, but is not limited to:
478 (a) The use of the pilot program funds.
479 (b) The impact of the pilot program on student achievement.
480 (c) The impact of the pilot program on teacher annual
481 evaluations.
482 (d) The results of satisfaction surveys given to pilot
483 program participants.
484 (e) Recommendations for continuation of the pilot program
485 and for scaling the pilot program for statewide implementation.
486 (7) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to
487 administer this section.
488 (8) This section shall be implemented only to the extent
489 specifically funded and authorized by law.
490 Section 6. This act shall take effect July 1, 2020.