Florida Senate - 2022 CS for SB 896
By the Committee on Education; and Senator Burgess
581-02604-22 2022896c1
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to educator certification pathways for
3 veterans; amending s. 1012.56, F.S.; authorizing the
4 Department of Education to issue a temporary
5 certificate to specified military servicemembers who
6 meet certain criteria; requiring a teacher mentorship
7 for specified military servicemembers who hold a
8 temporary certificate; specifying the duration and
9 issuance of a temporary certificate for specified
10 military servicemembers; amending s. 1012.59, F.S.;
11 making a technical change; providing an effective
12 date.
13
14 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
15
16 Section 1. Subsection (7) of section 1012.56, Florida
17 Statutes, is amended to read:
18 1012.56 Educator certification requirements.—
19 (7) TYPES AND TERMS OF CERTIFICATION.—
20 (a) The Department of Education shall issue a professional
21 certificate for a period not to exceed 5 years to any applicant
22 who fulfills one of the following:
23 1. Meets all the applicable requirements outlined in
24 subsection (2).
25 2. For a professional certificate covering grades 6 through
26 12:
27 a. Meets the applicable requirements of paragraphs (2)(a)
28 (h).
29 b. Holds a master’s or higher degree in the area of
30 science, technology, engineering, or mathematics.
31 c. Teaches a high school course in the subject of the
32 advanced degree.
33 d. Is rated highly effective as determined by the teacher’s
34 performance evaluation under s. 1012.34, based in part on
35 student performance as measured by a statewide, standardized
36 assessment or an Advanced Placement, Advanced International
37 Certificate of Education, or International Baccalaureate
38 examination.
39 e. Achieves a passing score on the Florida professional
40 education competency examination required by state board rule.
41 3. Meets the applicable requirements of paragraphs (2)(a)
42 (h) and completes a professional preparation and education
43 competence program approved by the department pursuant to
44 paragraph (8)(c) or an educator preparation institute approved
45 by the department pursuant to s. 1004.85. An applicant who
46 completes one of these programs and is rated highly effective as
47 determined by his or her performance evaluation under s. 1012.34
48 is not required to take or achieve a passing score on the
49 professional education competency examination in order to be
50 awarded a professional certificate.
51 (b) The department shall issue a temporary certificate to
52 any applicant who:
53 1. Completes the requirements outlined in paragraphs
54 (2)(a)-(f) and completes the subject area content requirements
55 specified in state board rule or demonstrates mastery of subject
56 area knowledge pursuant to subsection (5) and holds an
57 accredited degree or a degree approved by the Department of
58 Education at the level required for the subject area
59 specialization in state board rule; or
60 2. For a subject area specialization for which the state
61 board otherwise requires a bachelor’s degree, documents 48
62 months of active-duty military service with an honorable
63 discharge or a medical separation; completes the requirements
64 outlined in paragraphs (2)(a), (b), (d), (e), and (f); completes
65 the subject area content requirements specified in state board
66 rule or demonstrates mastery of subject area knowledge pursuant
67 to subsection (5); and documents completion of 60 college
68 credits with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5 on
69 a 4.0 scale, as provided by one or more accredited institutions
70 of higher learning or a nonaccredited institution of higher
71 learning identified by the Department of Education as having a
72 quality program resulting in a bachelor’s degree or higher.
73 (c) The department shall issue one nonrenewable 2-year
74 temporary certificate and one nonrenewable 5-year professional
75 certificate to a qualified applicant who holds a bachelor’s
76 degree in the area of speech-language impairment to allow for
77 completion of a master’s degree program in speech-language
78 impairment.
79 (d) A person who is issued a temporary certificate under
80 subparagraph (b)2. must be assigned a teacher mentor for a
81 minimum of 2 school years after commencing employment. Each
82 teacher mentor selected by the school district, charter school,
83 or charter management organization must:
84 1. Hold a valid professional certificate issued pursuant to
85 s. 1012.56;
86 2. Have earned at least 3 years of teaching experience in
87 prekindergarten through grade 12; and
88 3. Have earned an effective or highly effective rating on
89 the prior year’s performance evaluation under s. 1012.34.
90 (e)1. A each temporary certificate issued under
91 subparagraph (b)1. is valid for 3 school fiscal years and is
92 nonrenewable.
93 2. A temporary certificate issued under subparagraph (b)2.
94 is valid for 5 school fiscal years, is limited to a one-time
95 issuance, and is nonrenewable.
96
97 At least 1 year before an individual’s temporary certificate is
98 set to expire, the department shall electronically notify the
99 individual of the date on which his or her certificate will
100 expire and provide a list of each method by which the
101 qualifications for a professional certificate can be completed.
102 The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to allow the
103 department to extend the validity period of a temporary
104 certificate for 2 years when the requirements for the
105 professional certificate were not completed due to the serious
106 illness or injury of the applicant, the military service of an
107 applicant’s spouse, other extraordinary extenuating
108 circumstances, or if the certificateholder is rated highly
109 effective in the immediate prior year’s performance evaluation
110 pursuant to s. 1012.34 or has completed a 2-year mentorship
111 program pursuant to s. 1012.56(8). The department shall extend
112 the temporary certificate upon approval by the Commissioner of
113 Education. A written request for extension of the certificate
114 shall be submitted by the district school superintendent, the
115 governing authority of a university lab school, the governing
116 authority of a state-supported school, or the governing
117 authority of a private school.
118 Section 2. Paragraph (c) of subsection (3) of section
119 1012.59, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
120 1012.59 Certification fees.—
121 (3) The State Board of Education shall waive initial
122 general knowledge, professional education, and subject area
123 examination fees and certification fees for:
124 (c) An honorably discharged veteran of the United States
125 Armed Forces or a veteran of a reserve component thereof who
126 served on active duty and the spouse or surviving spouse of such
127 a veteran.
128 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2022.