Florida Senate - 2023 SB 878
By Senator Powell
24-01580-23 2023878__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to temporary teacher certifications;
3 amending s. 1012.55, F.S.; conforming provisions to
4 changes made by the act; amending s. 1012.56, F.S.;
5 authorizing certain education paraprofessionals to be
6 issued a temporary teaching certificate for a
7 specified time period; requiring such
8 paraprofessionals to be assigned a teacher mentor for
9 a minimum number of school years; revising the number
10 of school fiscal years for which a temporary teaching
11 certificate is valid; providing an effective date.
12
13 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
14
15 Section 1. Paragraph (e) of subsection (1) of section
16 1012.55, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
17 1012.55 Positions for which certificates required.—
18 (1)
19 (e)1. The department shall issue a 5-year 3-year temporary
20 certificate in educational leadership under s. 1012.56(7) to an
21 individual who:
22 a. Earned a passing score on the Florida Educational
23 Leadership Examination.
24 b. Served as a commissioned or noncommissioned military
25 officer in the United States Armed Forces for at least 3 years.
26 c. Was honorably discharged or has retired from the United
27 States Armed Forces.
28 d. Is employed full time in a position for which an
29 educator certificate is required in a Florida public school,
30 state-supported school, or nonpublic school that has a Level II
31 program under s. 1012.562.
32 2. A Level II program under s. 1012.562 must accept an
33 applicant who holds a temporary certificate under subparagraph
34 1. The department shall issue a permanent certification as a
35 school principal to an individual who holds a temporary
36 certificate under subparagraph 1. and successfully completes the
37 Level II program.
38 Section 2. Paragraphs (b), (d), and (e) of subsection (7)
39 of section 1012.56, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
40 1012.56 Educator certification requirements.—
41 (7) TYPES AND TERMS OF CERTIFICATION.—
42 (b) The department shall issue a temporary certificate to
43 any applicant who:
44 1. Completes the requirements outlined in paragraphs
45 (2)(a)-(f) and completes the subject area content requirements
46 specified in state board rule or demonstrates mastery of subject
47 area knowledge pursuant to subsection (5) and holds an
48 accredited degree or a degree approved by the Department of
49 Education at the level required for the subject area
50 specialization in state board rule; or
51 2. For a subject area specialization for which the state
52 board otherwise requires a bachelor’s degree, documents 48
53 months of active-duty military service with an honorable
54 discharge or a medical separation; completes the requirements
55 outlined in paragraphs (2)(a), (b), and (d)-(f); completes the
56 subject area content requirements specified in state board rule
57 or demonstrates mastery of subject area knowledge pursuant to
58 subsection (5); and documents completion of 60 college credits
59 with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0
60 scale, as provided by one or more accredited institutions of
61 higher learning or a nonaccredited institution of higher
62 learning identified by the Department of Education as having a
63 quality program resulting in a bachelor’s degree or higher; or
64 3. For a subject area specialization for which the state
65 board otherwise requires a bachelor’s degree, is employed by a
66 school district as an education paraprofessional, as defined in
67 s. 1012.01(2)(e); completes the subject area content
68 requirements specified in state board rule or demonstrates
69 mastery of subject area knowledge pursuant to subsection (5);
70 and documents completion of 60 college credits with a minimum
71 cumulative grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale with a
72 declared major or minor in education, as provided by one or more
73 accredited institutions of higher education or a nonaccredited
74 institution of higher education identified by the Department of
75 Education as having a quality program resulting in a bachelor’s
76 degree or higher.
77 (d) A person who is issued a temporary certificate under
78 subparagraph (b)2. or subparagraph (b)3. must be assigned a
79 teacher mentor for a minimum of 2 school years after commencing
80 employment. Each teacher mentor selected by the school district,
81 charter school, or charter management organization must:
82 1. Hold a valid professional certificate issued pursuant to
83 this section;
84 2. Have earned at least 3 years of teaching experience in
85 prekindergarten through grade 12; and
86 3. Have earned an effective or highly effective rating on
87 the prior year’s performance evaluation under s. 1012.34.
88 (e)1. A temporary certificate issued under subparagraph
89 (b)1. is valid for 3 school fiscal years and is nonrenewable.
90 2. A temporary certificate issued under paragraph (b)
91 subparagraph (b)2. is valid for 5 school fiscal years, is
92 limited to a one-time issuance, and is nonrenewable.
93
94 At least 1 year before an individual’s temporary certificate is
95 set to expire, the department shall electronically notify the
96 individual of the date on which his or her certificate will
97 expire and provide a list of each method by which the
98 qualifications for a professional certificate can be completed.
99 The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to allow the
100 department to extend the validity period of a temporary
101 certificate for 2 years when the requirements for the
102 professional certificate were not completed due to the serious
103 illness or injury of the applicant, the military service of an
104 applicant’s spouse, other extraordinary extenuating
105 circumstances, or if the certificateholder is rated highly
106 effective in the immediate prior year’s performance evaluation
107 pursuant to s. 1012.34 or has completed a 2-year mentorship
108 program pursuant to subsection (8). The department shall extend
109 the temporary certificate upon approval by the Commissioner of
110 Education. A written request for extension of the certificate
111 shall be submitted by the district school superintendent, the
112 governing authority of a university lab school, the governing
113 authority of a state-supported school, or the governing
114 authority of a private school.
115 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023.