Florida Senate - 2025 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
Bill No. SB 1590
Ì123462ÈÎ123462
LEGISLATIVE ACTION
Senate . House
Comm: RCS .
04/11/2025 .
.
.
.
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
—————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
The Appropriations Committee on Pre-K - 12 Education (Burgess)
recommended the following:
1 Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
2
3 Delete everything after the enacting clause
4 and insert:
5 Section 1. (1) It is the intent of the Legislature to
6 ensure all students have access to a well-qualified and prepared
7 teacher at all grade levels. In order to prepare all teachers
8 for success in the classroom, the Legislature intends to revise
9 educator preparation programs, educator certification, and
10 professional learning to modernize teacher training and properly
11 prepare educators to meet the challenges of educating students
12 in the 21st century.
13 (2) No later than September 1, 2025, the Department of
14 Education shall establish a workgroup to update and revise the
15 Florida Educator Accomplished Practices. The workgroup must
16 include, at a minimum, representatives from state-approved
17 initial teacher preparation programs under s. 1004.04, Florida
18 Statutes, educator preparation institutes under s. 1004.85,
19 Florida Statutes, school district personnel, classroom teachers,
20 and other education stakeholders.
21 (a) The department shall submit the workgroup’s findings
22 and recommendations, including the final version of the revised
23 practices, to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the
24 Speaker of the House of Representatives by July 1, 2026.
25 (b) The revised Florida Educator Accomplished Practices and
26 rule to implement the uniform core curricula pursuant to s.
27 1012.551, Florida Statutes, must be considered by the State
28 Board of Education by August 1, 2026.
29 (3) No later than July 1, 2027, the Department of Education
30 shall begin development of the Florida Teacher Excellence
31 Examination, which must align with the revised Florida Educator
32 Accomplished Practices and serve as a measure of educator
33 readiness for professional certification.
34 (4) Upon approval of the Florida Educator Accomplished
35 Practices and rule implementing the uniform core-curricula, the
36 Department of Education shall submit a report to the Governor,
37 the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
38 Representatives which includes an implementation plan and
39 schedule for aligning initial teacher preparation programs under
40 s. 1004.04, Florida Statutes, educator preparation institutes
41 under s. 1004.85, Florida Statutes, teacher preparation core
42 courses, and Coaching for Educator Readiness and Teaching (CERT)
43 programs under s. 1012.552, Florida Statutes, to the revised
44 Florida Educator Accomplished Practices and the Florida Teacher
45 Excellence Examination. The report must include any recommended
46 changes to existing statutes necessary to implement such
47 alignment.
48 Section 2. Section 1012.551, Florida Statutes, is created
49 to read:
50 1012.551 Teacher preparation core principles, standards,
51 and content.–
52 (1) Beginning August 1, 2027, each teacher preparation
53 program approved pursuant to ss. 1004.04, 1004.85, and 1012.552
54 must provide uniform core curricula courses aligned with the
55 Florida Educator Accomplished Practices that establish the
56 foundational standards and expectations for evidence-based
57 instruction and professional responsibility. The State Board of
58 Education shall establish in rule the uniform core curricula.
59 (2) The uniform core curricula for each state-approved
60 teacher preparation program must meet, at a minimum, the
61 following standards:
62 (a) May not distort significant historical events or
63 include curriculum or instruction that teaches identity
64 politics, violates s. 1000.05, or is based on theories that
65 systemic racism, sexism, oppression, and privilege are inherent
66 in the institutions of the United States and were created to
67 maintain social, political, and economic inequities.
68 (b) Must afford candidates the opportunity to think
69 critically, achieve mastery of academic program content, learn
70 instructional strategies, and demonstrate competence.
71 (c) Must use state-approved academic standards to guide
72 instruction.
73 (d) Must provide training on the use of evidence-based
74 instructional materials included on the state-adopted
75 instructional materials list pursuant to s. 1006.28, materials
76 evaluated and identified pursuant to s. 1001.215(4), materials
77 developed pursuant to s. 1006.39, and materials posted online by
78 the department, including when and how to use intervention
79 materials.
80 (e) Must include scientifically researched and evidence
81 based reading instructional strategies grounded in the science
82 of reading which improve reading performance for all students,
83 including explicit, systematic, and sequential approaches to
84 teaching phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and
85 text comprehension and multisensory intervention strategies. The
86 primary instructional strategy for teaching word reading is
87 phonics instruction for decoding and encoding. Instructional
88 strategies for foundational skills may not employ the three
89 cueing system model of reading or visual memory as a basis for
90 teaching word reading. Instructional strategies may include
91 visual information and strategies that improve background and
92 experiential knowledge, add context, and increase oral language
93 and vocabulary to support comprehension, but may not be used to
94 teach word reading.
95 (f) Must include content literacy and mathematics
96 practices.
97 (g) Must include strategies for differentiated instruction
98 to meet student needs, including English language learners and
99 students with disabilities, while maintaining grade-level
100 expectations.
101 (h) Must include strategies and practices to support
102 effective, evidence-based assessment and grading practices
103 aligned to the state’s academic standards.
104 (i) Must require the completion of a mastery-based clinical
105 experience in classroom settings to provide direct application
106 of program content and instruction and mastery of the components
107 of teaching as outlined in the Florida Educator Accomplished
108 Practices. These clinical experiences must allow candidates to
109 demonstrate mastery of curriculum and pedagogy through
110 observable performance evaluations aligned with instructional
111 personnel evaluation systems approved pursuant to s. 1012.34.
112 Mastery must be assessed through in-classroom performance, with
113 candidate feedback provided for growth and refinement, rather
114 than solely through written assignments or project-based
115 assessments. Clinical experience may only be provided by
116 individuals who meet the requirements of s. 1012.56(7).
117 Section 3. Section 1012.552, Florida Statutes, is created
118 to read:
119 1012.552 The Coaching for Educator Readiness and Teaching
120 Certification (CERT) Program.—
121 (1) OBJECTIVE.—The Department of Education shall create the
122 Coaching for Educator Readiness and Teaching (CERT)
123 Certification Program as an alternative pathway for teachers to
124 enter the teaching profession. School districts, charter
125 schools, and charter management organizations may implement the
126 CERT program to provide a cohesive, competency-based training
127 and certification pathway for teachers who have a state-issued
128 temporary certificate to earn their professional certificate
129 through an on-the-job mentorship and learning program.
130 (2) PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.—A CERT program must include all
131 of the following:
132 (a) A teacher mentorship and induction component. Mentors
133 must meet the requirements of s. 1012.56(7).
134 (b) An assessment of teaching performance aligned to the
135 district, charter school, or charter management organization
136 system for personnel evaluation under s. 1012.34 which provides
137 for:
138 1. An initial evaluation of each educator’s competencies to
139 determine an appropriate individualized professional learning
140 plan.
141 2. A summative evaluation to assure successful completion
142 of the program.
143 (c) Professional learning, in accordance with s. 1012.98,
144 tailored to each educator’s growth and learning needs, according
145 to observational data and feedback.
146 (d) Required achievement of passing scores on the subject
147 area examination required by State Board of Education rule.
148 (e) Required successful completion of all competencies for
149 a reading endorsement, including completion of the endorsement
150 practicum, for a candidate certification in a coverage area
151 identified pursuant to s. 1012.585(3)(f).
152 (f) Provide guidance and on-the-job training in the
153 classroom on mastering Florida Educator Accomplished Practices.
154 Section 4. Subsections (3) and (4) and paragraph (b) of
155 subsection (5) of section 1012.98, Florida Statutes, are amended
156 to read:
157 1012.98 School Community Professional Learning Act.—
158 (3) Professional learning activities must be linked to
159 student learning, provide and professional growth for
160 instructional and administrative staff, and meet the following
161 criteria:
162 (a) For instructional personnel, utilize materials aligned
163 to the state’s academic standards.
164 (b) For school administrators, utilize materials aligned to
165 the Florida Educational Leadership Standards adopted in rule by
166 the State Board of Education state’s educational leadership
167 standards.
168 (c) Have clear, defined, and measurable outcomes for both
169 individual inservice activities and multiple day sessions.
170 (d) Employ multiple measurement tools for data on teacher
171 growth, participants’ use of new knowledge and skills, student
172 learning outcomes, instructional growth outcomes, and leadership
173 growth outcomes, as applicable.
174 (e) Utilize active learning and engage participants
175 directly in designing and trying out strategies, providing
176 participants with the opportunity to engage in authentic
177 teaching and leadership experiences.
178 (f) Utilize artifacts, interactive activities, and other
179 strategies to provide deeply embedded and highly contextualized
180 professional learning.
181 (g) Create opportunities for collaboration.
182 (h) Utilize coaching and expert support to involve the
183 sharing of expertise about content and evidence-based practices,
184 focused directly on instructional personnel and school
185 administrator needs.
186 (i) Provide opportunities for instructional personnel and
187 school administrators to think about, receive input on, and make
188 changes to practice by facilitating reflection and providing
189 feedback.
190 (j) Provide sustained duration with follow-up followup for
191 instructional personnel and school administrators to have
192 adequate time to learn, practice, implement, and reflect upon
193 new strategies that facilitate changes in practice.
194 (k) Provide training, when such training is available, on
195 the use of instructional materials included on the state-adopted
196 instructional materials list pursuant to s. 1006.28, materials
197 evaluated and identified pursuant to s. 1001.215(4), materials
198 developed pursuant to s. 1006.39, and materials posted online by
199 the department, including when and how to use intervention
200 materials.
201 (4) The inservice activities designed to implement this
202 section must:
203 (a) Support and increase the success of educators through
204 collaboratively developed school improvement plans that focus
205 on:
206 1. Enhanced and differentiated instructional strategies to
207 engage students in a rigorous and knowledge-based relevant
208 curriculum based on the Florida Educator Accomplished Practices
209 state and local educational standards, goals, and initiatives;
210 and
211 2. Increased opportunities to provide meaningful
212 relationships between teachers and all students; and
213 2.3. Increased opportunities for professional collaboration
214 among and between teachers, certified school counselors,
215 instructional leaders, postsecondary educators engaged in
216 preservice training for new teachers, and the workforce
217 community.
218 (b) Assist the school community in providing stimulating,
219 scientific research-based educational activities that encourage
220 and motivate students to achieve at the highest levels and to
221 participate as active learners and that prepare students for
222 success at subsequent educational levels and the workforce.
223 (c) Provide continuous support for all education
224 professionals as well as temporary intervention for education
225 professionals who need improvement in knowledge, skills, and
226 performance.
227 (d) Provide instructional personnel and school
228 administrators with the knowledge, skills, and best practices
229 necessary to support excellence in classroom instruction and
230 educational leadership.
231 (e) Provide training to individuals who serve as mentors or
232 clinical educators teacher mentors as part of the professional
233 learning certification program under s. 1012.56(8) and the
234 professional education competency program under s. 1012.56(9).
235 The department shall develop criteria for the initial review and
236 continued approval of clinical educator and mentor training that
237 must include, at a minimum:
238 1. Instruction and assessment in the Florida Educator
239 Accomplished Practices.
240 2. Effective communication strategies to guide reflection
241 and personal growth.
242 3. Effective modeling of evidence-based teaching practices
243 and skills.
244 4. Fostering resilience in educators components on teacher
245 development, peer coaching, time management, and other related
246 topics as determined by the Department of Education.
247 Section 5. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law.
248
249 ================= T I T L E A M E N D M E N T ================
250 And the title is amended as follows:
251 Delete everything before the enacting clause
252 and insert:
253 A bill to be entitled
254 An act relating to educator preparation; providing
255 legislative intent; requiring the Department of
256 Education to establish a workgroup to update and
257 revise the Florida Educator Accomplished; requiring
258 the department to submit workgroup findings to the
259 Governor and the Legislature by a certain date;
260 requiring the State Board of Education to consider
261 certain revisions and a specified rule by a certain
262 date; requiring the department to develop a teacher
263 examination; requiring the department to submit to the
264 Governor and the Legislature an implementation plan
265 for teacher preparation programs; creating s.
266 1012.551, F.S.; establishing guidelines for teacher
267 preparation program uniform core curricula; creating
268 s. 1012.552, F.S.; requiring the department to create
269 a specified alternative certification pathway for
270 teachers; amending s. 1012.98, F.S.; updating a
271 reference to educational leadership standards;
272 requiring training on instructional materials;
273 requiring the department to develop criteria for
274 certain mentors’ training; providing an effective
275 date.