Florida Senate - 2021 CS for SB 934
By the Committee on Education; and Senator Wright
581-02356-21 2021934c1
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to education; amending s. 1004.04,
3 F.S.; requiring additional specified strategies to be
4 included in rules establishing uniform core curricula
5 for each state-approved teacher preparation program;
6 requiring that certain teacher preparation programs
7 require students to demonstrate mastery of general
8 knowledge by passing the General Knowledge Test of the
9 Florida Teacher Certification Examination by the time
10 of graduation; deleting a provision authorizing a
11 teacher preparation program to waive certain
12 admissions requirements for up to 10 percent of
13 admitted students; amending s. 1004.85, F.S.;
14 expanding the instruction that an educator preparation
15 institute may provide to include instruction and
16 professional development for part-time and full-time
17 nondegreed teachers of career programs; requiring the
18 Department of Education to approve a certification
19 program if an institute provides evidence of its
20 capacity to implement a competency-based program that
21 includes specified strategies; amending s. 1012.39,
22 F.S.; revising the minimum qualifications for part
23 time and full-time nondegreed teachers of career
24 programs; amending s. 1012.56, F.S.; revising the
25 acceptable means of demonstrating mastery of general
26 knowledge to include documentation of receipt of a
27 master’s or higher degree from certain postsecondary
28 institutions; revising the criteria for the Department
29 of Education to issue a professional certificate;
30 amending s. 1012.575, F.S.; authorizing an
31 organization of private schools or a consortium of
32 charter schools with an approved professional
33 development system to design alternative teacher
34 preparation programs; amending s. 1012.986, F.S.;
35 defining the term “educational leader”; providing that
36 the William Cecil Golden Professional Development
37 Program for School Leaders must consist of a network
38 of specified entities; revising the goals of the
39 program; requiring the department to also offer
40 program components through university or educational
41 leadership academies and through educational
42 leadership coaching and mentoring; making technical
43 changes; providing an effective date.
44
45 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
46
47 Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subsection (2) and paragraph
48 (b) of subsection (3) of section 1004.04, Florida Statutes, are
49 amended to read:
50 1004.04 Public accountability and state approval for
51 teacher preparation programs.—
52 (2) UNIFORM CORE CURRICULA AND CANDIDATE ASSESSMENT.—
53 (b) The rules to establish uniform core curricula for each
54 state-approved teacher preparation program must include, but are
55 not limited to, the following:
56 1. Candidate instruction and assessment in the Florida
57 Educator Accomplished Practices across content areas.
58 2. The use of state-adopted content standards to guide
59 curricula and instruction.
60 3. Scientifically researched and evidence-based reading
61 instructional strategies that improve reading performance for
62 all students, including explicit, systematic, and sequential
63 approaches to teaching phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary,
64 fluency, and text comprehension and multisensory intervention
65 strategies.
66 4. Content literacy and mathematics practices.
67 5. Strategies appropriate for the instruction of English
68 language learners.
69 6. Strategies appropriate for the instruction of students
70 with disabilities.
71 7. Strategies to differentiate instruction based on student
72 needs.
73 8. The use of character-based classroom management.
74 9. Strategies appropriate for the early identification of
75 students in crisis or experiencing a mental health challenge and
76 the referral of such student to a mental health professional for
77 support.
78 10. Strategies to support the use of technology in
79 education and distance learning.
80 (3) INITIAL STATE PROGRAM APPROVAL.—
81 (b) Each teacher preparation program approved by the
82 Department of Education, as provided for by this section, shall
83 require students to meet, at a minimum, the following
84 requirements as prerequisites for admission into the program:
85 1. For admission into the program, have a grade point
86 average of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale for the general education
87 component of undergraduate studies or have completed the
88 requirements for a baccalaureate degree with a minimum grade
89 point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale from any college or
90 university accredited by a regional accrediting association as
91 defined by State Board of Education rule or any college or
92 university otherwise approved pursuant to State Board of
93 Education rule.
94 2. Demonstrate mastery of general knowledge sufficient for
95 entry into the program, including the ability to read, write,
96 and perform in mathematics, by passing the General Knowledge
97 Test of the Florida Teacher Certification Examination by the
98 time of graduation or, for a graduate level program, obtain a
99 baccalaureate degree from an institution that is accredited or
100 approved pursuant to the rules of the State Board of Education.
101
102 Each teacher preparation program may waive these admissions
103 requirements for up to 10 percent of the students admitted.
104 Programs shall implement strategies to ensure that students
105 admitted under a waiver receive assistance to demonstrate
106 competencies to successfully meet requirements for certification
107 and shall annually report to the Department of Education the
108 status of each candidate admitted under such a waiver.
109 Section 2. Paragraph (a) of subsection (2) and paragraph
110 (a) of subsection (3) of section 1004.85, Florida Statutes, are
111 amended to read:
112 1004.85 Postsecondary educator preparation institutes.—
113 (2)(a) Postsecondary institutions that are accredited or
114 approved as described in State Board of Education rule may seek
115 approval from the Department of Education to create educator
116 preparation institutes for the purpose of providing any or all
117 of the following:
118 1. Professional development instruction to assist teachers
119 in improving classroom instruction and in meeting certification
120 or recertification requirements.
121 2. Instruction to assist potential and existing substitute
122 teachers in performing their duties.
123 3. Instruction to assist paraprofessionals in meeting
124 education and training requirements.
125 4. Instruction for baccalaureate degree holders to become
126 certified teachers as provided in this section in order to
127 increase routes to the classroom for mid-career professionals
128 who hold a baccalaureate degree and college graduates who were
129 not education majors.
130 5. Instruction and professional development for part-time
131 and full-time nondegreed teachers of career programs under s.
132 1012.39(1)(c).
133 (3) Educator preparation institutes approved pursuant to
134 this section may offer competency-based certification programs
135 specifically designed for noneducation major baccalaureate
136 degree holders to enable program participants to meet the
137 educator certification requirements of s. 1012.56. An educator
138 preparation institute choosing to offer a competency-based
139 certification program pursuant to the provisions of this section
140 must implement a program previously approved by the Department
141 of Education for this purpose or a program developed by the
142 institute and approved by the department for this purpose.
143 Approved programs shall be available for use by other approved
144 educator preparation institutes.
145 (a) Within 90 days after receipt of a request for approval,
146 the Department of Education shall approve a preparation program
147 pursuant to the requirements of this subsection or issue a
148 statement of the deficiencies in the request for approval. The
149 department shall approve a certification program if the
150 institute provides evidence of the institute’s capacity to
151 implement a competency-based program that includes each of the
152 following:
153 1.a. Participant instruction and assessment in the Florida
154 Educator Accomplished Practices across content areas.
155 b. The use of state-adopted student content standards to
156 guide curriculum and instruction.
157 c. Scientifically researched and evidence-based reading
158 instructional strategies that improve reading performance for
159 all students, including explicit, systematic, and sequential
160 approaches to teaching phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary,
161 fluency, and text comprehension and multisensory intervention
162 strategies.
163 d. Content literacy and mathematical practices.
164 e. Strategies appropriate for instruction of English
165 language learners.
166 f. Strategies appropriate for instruction of students with
167 disabilities.
168 g. Strategies to differentiate instruction based on student
169 needs.
170 h. The use of character-based classroom management.
171 i. Strategies appropriate for the early identification of
172 students in crisis or experiencing a mental health challenge and
173 the referral of such students to a mental health professional
174 for support.
175 j. Strategies to support the use of technology in education
176 and distance learning.
177 2. An educational plan for each participant to meet
178 certification requirements and demonstrate his or her ability to
179 teach the subject area for which the participant is seeking
180 certification, which is based on an assessment of his or her
181 competency in the areas listed in subparagraph 1.
182 3. Field experiences appropriate to the certification
183 subject area specified in the educational plan with a diverse
184 population of students in a variety of challenging environments,
185 including, but not limited to, high-poverty schools, urban
186 schools, and rural schools, under the supervision of qualified
187 educators.
188 4. A certification ombudsman to facilitate the process and
189 procedures required for participants who complete the program to
190 meet any requirements related to the background screening
191 pursuant to s. 1012.32 and educator professional or temporary
192 certification pursuant to s. 1012.56.
193 Section 3. Paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of section
194 1012.39, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
195 1012.39 Employment of substitute teachers, teachers of
196 adult education, nondegreed teachers of career education, and
197 career specialists; students performing clinical field
198 experience.—
199 (1) Notwithstanding ss. 1012.32, 1012.55, 1012.56, and
200 1012.57, or any other provision of law or rule to the contrary,
201 each district school board shall establish the minimal
202 qualifications for:
203 (c) Part-time and full-time nondegreed teachers of career
204 programs. Qualifications shall be established for nondegreed
205 teachers of career and technical education courses for program
206 clusters that are recognized in the state and are based
207 primarily on successful occupational experience rather than
208 academic training. The qualifications for such teachers shall
209 require:
210 1. The filing of a complete set of fingerprints in the same
211 manner as required by s. 1012.32. Faculty employed solely to
212 conduct postsecondary instruction may be exempted from this
213 requirement.
214 2. Documentation of education and successful occupational
215 experience including documentation of:
216 a. A high school diploma or the equivalent.
217 b. Completion of 6 years of full-time successful
218 occupational experience or the equivalent of part-time
219 experience in the teaching specialization area. The district
220 school board may establish alternative qualifications for
221 teachers with an industry certification in the career area in
222 which they teach.
223 c. Completion of career education training conducted
224 through the local school district inservice master plan or
225 through an educator preparation institute approved by the State
226 Board of Education pursuant to s. 1004.85.
227 d. For full-time teachers, completion of professional
228 education training in teaching methods, course construction,
229 lesson planning and evaluation, and teaching special needs
230 students. This training may be completed through coursework from
231 an accredited or approved institution or an approved district
232 teacher education program.
233 e. Demonstration of successful teaching performance.
234 f. Documentation of industry certification when state or
235 national industry certifications are available and applicable.
236 Section 4. Subsection (3) and paragraph (a) of subsection
237 (7) of section 1012.56, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
238 1012.56 Educator certification requirements.—
239 (3) MASTERY OF GENERAL KNOWLEDGE.—Acceptable means of
240 demonstrating mastery of general knowledge are:
241 (a) Achievement of passing scores on the general knowledge
242 examination required by state board rule;
243 (b) Documentation of a valid professional standard teaching
244 certificate issued by another state;
245 (c) Documentation of a valid certificate issued by the
246 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards or a national
247 educator credentialing board approved by the State Board of
248 Education;
249 (d) Documentation of two semesters of successful, full-time
250 or part-time teaching in a Florida College System institution,
251 state university, or private college or university that awards
252 an associate or higher degree and is an accredited institution
253 or an institution of higher education identified by the
254 Department of Education as having a quality program; or
255 (e) Achievement of passing scores, identified in state
256 board rule, on national or international examinations that test
257 comparable content and relevant standards in verbal, analytical
258 writing, and quantitative reasoning skills, including, but not
259 limited to, the verbal, analytical writing, and quantitative
260 reasoning portions of the Graduate Record Examination. Passing
261 scores identified in state board rule must be at approximately
262 the same level of rigor as is required to pass the general
263 knowledge examinations; or
264 (f) Documentation of receipt of a master’s or higher degree
265 from an accredited postsecondary educational institution that
266 the Department of Education has identified as having a quality
267 program resulting in a baccalaureate degree or higher.
268
269 A school district that employs an individual who does not
270 achieve passing scores on any subtest of the general knowledge
271 examination must provide information regarding the availability
272 of state-level and district-level supports and instruction to
273 assist him or her in achieving a passing score. Such information
274 must include, but need not be limited to, state-level test
275 information guides, school district test preparation resources,
276 and preparation courses offered by state universities and
277 Florida College System institutions.
278 (7) TYPES AND TERMS OF CERTIFICATION.—
279 (a) The Department of Education shall issue a professional
280 certificate for a period not to exceed 5 years to any applicant
281 who fulfills one of the following:
282 1. Meets all the applicable requirements outlined in
283 subsection (2).
284 2. For a professional certificate covering grades 6 through
285 12:
286 a. Meets the applicable requirements of paragraphs (2)(a)
287 (h).
288 b. Holds a master’s or higher degree in the area of
289 science, technology, engineering, or mathematics.
290 c. Teaches a high school course in the subject of the
291 advanced degree.
292 d. Is rated highly effective as determined by the teacher’s
293 performance evaluation under s. 1012.34, based in part on
294 student performance as measured by a statewide, standardized
295 assessment or an Advanced Placement, Advanced International
296 Certificate of Education, or International Baccalaureate
297 examination.
298 e. Achieves a passing score on the Florida professional
299 education competency examination required by state board rule.
300 3. Meets the applicable requirements of paragraphs (2)(a)
301 (h) and completes a professional preparation and education
302 competence program approved by the department pursuant to
303 paragraph (8)(c) or an educator preparation institute approved
304 by the department pursuant to s. 1004.85. An applicant who
305 completes one of these programs the program and is rated highly
306 effective as determined by his or her performance evaluation
307 under s. 1012.34 is not required to take or achieve a passing
308 score on the professional education competency examination in
309 order to be awarded a professional certificate.
310
311 Each temporary certificate is valid for 3 school fiscal years
312 and is nonrenewable. At least 1 year before an individual’s
313 temporary certificate is set to expire, the department shall
314 electronically notify the individual of the date on which his or
315 her certificate will expire and provide a list of each method by
316 which the qualifications for a professional certificate can be
317 completed. The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to
318 allow the department to extend the validity period of a
319 temporary certificate for 2 years when the requirements for the
320 professional certificate were not completed due to the serious
321 illness or injury of the applicant, the military service of an
322 applicant’s spouse, other extraordinary extenuating
323 circumstances, or if the certificateholder is rated highly
324 effective in the immediate prior year’s performance evaluation
325 pursuant to s. 1012.34 or has completed a 2-year mentorship
326 program pursuant to s. 1012.56(8). The department shall extend
327 the temporary certificate upon approval by the Commissioner of
328 Education. A written request for extension of the certificate
329 shall be submitted by the district school superintendent, the
330 governing authority of a university lab school, the governing
331 authority of a state-supported school, or the governing
332 authority of a private school.
333 Section 5. Section 1012.575, Florida Statutes, is amended
334 to read:
335 1012.575 Alternative preparation programs for certified
336 teachers to add additional coverage.—A district school board, or
337 an organization of private schools or a consortium of charter
338 schools with an approved professional development system as
339 described in s. 1012.98(6), may design alternative teacher
340 preparation programs to enable persons already certificated to
341 add an additional coverage to their certificates. Each
342 alternative teacher preparation program shall be reviewed and
343 approved by the Department of Education to assure that persons
344 who complete the program are competent in the necessary areas of
345 subject matter specialization. Two or more school districts may
346 jointly participate in an alternative preparation program for
347 teachers.
348 Section 6. Subsections (1) and (2) of section 1012.986,
349 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
350 1012.986 William Cecil Golden Professional Development
351 Program for School Leaders.—
352 (1) There is established the William Cecil Golden
353 Professional Development Program for School Leaders to provide
354 high-quality high standards and sustained support for
355 educational principals as instructional leaders. For purposes of
356 this section, “educational leader” means teacher leaders,
357 assistant principals, principals, or school district leaders.
358 The program shall consist of a collaborative network of school
359 districts, state-approved educational leadership programs,
360 regional consortia, charter management organizations, and state
361 and national professional leadership organizations to respond to
362 educational instructional leadership needs throughout the state.
363 The network shall support the human-resource development needs
364 of educational leaders principals, principal leadership teams,
365 and candidates for principal leadership positions using the
366 framework of leadership standards adopted by the State Board of
367 Education, the Southern Regional Education Board, and the
368 National Staff Development Council. The goal of the network
369 leadership program is to:
370 (a) Provide resources to support and enhance the roles of
371 educational leaders principal’s role as the instructional
372 leader.
373 (b) Maintain a clearinghouse and disseminate data-supported
374 information related to the continued enhancement of enhanced
375 student achievement and learning, civic education, coaching and
376 mentoring, mental health awareness, technology in education,
377 distance learning, and school safety, based on educational
378 research and best practices.
379 (c) Build the capacity to Increase the quality and capacity
380 of educational leadership development programs for preservice
381 education for aspiring principals and inservice professional
382 development for principals and principal leadership teams.
383 (d) Support evidence-based leadership best teaching and
384 research-based instructional practices through dissemination and
385 modeling at the preservice and inservice levels for educational
386 leaders both teachers and principals.
387 (2) The Department of Education shall coordinate through
388 the network identified in subsection (1) to offer the program
389 components through multiple delivery systems, including:
390 (a) Approved school district training programs.
391 (b) Interactive technology-based instruction.
392 (c) Regional consortium service organizations pursuant to
393 s. 1001.451.
394 (d) State, regional, university, or local educational
395 leadership academies.
396 (e) Educational leadership coaching and mentoring.
397 Section 7. This act shall take effect July 1, 2021.