CS/HB 561: Educator Preparation and Certification
GENERAL BILL by Education & Employment Committee ; Gerwig ; (CO-INTRODUCERS) Daniels ; López, J. ; Rizo ; Salzman ; Valdés
Educator Preparation and Certification; Authorizing an educator preparation institute to allow certain program participants to enroll in introductory coursework; revising the criteria for the award of a temporary educator certification to include certain persons with expired professional certificates; requiring that subject area coverages and endorsements for a certificateholder be reinstated with the certificateholder's professional certificate; revising requirements for reinstatement of a professional certificate; providing that certain requirements for reinstatement of a professional certificate may not be satisfied using specific inservice points; requiring the Florida Center for Teaching Excellence to collaborate with the David C. Anchin Center for the Advancement of Teaching for specified purposes; requiring, rather than authorizing, the center to submit a specified professional learning system for approval by the department; requiring the center to allow certain certified educators to use such professional learning system for specified purposes at no cost to the educator; requiring the center to submit inservice points for such educators to the department; requiring the center to provide information on certain school district professional learning systems to certain certified educators, etc.
- Rules (RC)
-
Bill History
Date Chamber Action 12/1/2025 House • Filed
12/12/2025 House • Referred to Careers & Workforce Subcommittee
• Referred to PreK-12 Budget Subcommittee
• Referred to Education & Employment Committee
• Now in Careers & Workforce Subcommittee
1/12/2026 House • Added to Careers & Workforce Subcommittee agenda
1/13/2026 House • 1st Reading (Original Filed Version)
1/14/2026 House • Favorable by Careers & Workforce Subcommittee
• Reported out of Careers & Workforce Subcommittee
• Now in PreK-12 Budget Subcommittee
2/2/2026 House • Added to PreK-12 Budget Subcommittee agenda
2/4/2026 House • Favorable by PreK-12 Budget Subcommittee
• Reported out of PreK-12 Budget Subcommittee
• Now in Education & Employment Committee
2/6/2026 House • PCS added to Education & Employment Committee agenda
2/10/2026 House • Favorable with CS by Education & Employment Committee
• Reported out of Education & Employment Committee
• Laid on Table under Rule 7.18(a)
• CS Filed
• 1st Reading (Committee Substitute 1)
2/11/2026 House • Bill referred to House Calendar
• Added to Second Reading Calendar
2/19/2026 House • Bill added to Special Order Calendar (2/25/2026)
2/25/2026 House • Read 2nd time
• Added to Third Reading Calendar
• Read 3rd time
• CS passed; YEAS 112, NAYS 0
2/25/2026 Senate • In Messages
2/26/2026 Senate • Referred to Rules
• Received
3/5/2026 Senate • Withdrawn from Rules -SJ 612
• Placed on Calendar, on 2nd reading
• Substituted for SB 1718 -SJ 612
• Read 2nd time -SJ 612
• Read 3rd time -SJ 612
• CS passed; YEAS 37 NAYS 0 -SJ 612
3/5/2026 House • In Messages
• Ordered enrolled
-
CS/HB 561, Enrolled (Current Bill Version) Posted 3/5/2026 at 6:00 PM
Bill Text: PDF Analyses: None Related Bills (2)
Bill Number Subject Filed By Relationship Last Action and Location Track Bills S 1718 Educator Preparation and Certification Calatayud Identical Last Action: 3/5/2026 S Laid on Table, refer to CS/HB 561 -SJ 612 
S 7036 (c2) Education Education Pre-K - 12 Compare Last Action: 3/13/2026 S Died on Calendar
Citations - Statutes (4)
Citation Catchline Location in Bill Location In Bill Help 1004.85 Postsecondary educator preparation institutes. Page 2 (pdf) 1012.56 Educator certification requirements. Page 4 (pdf) 1012.585 Process for renewal of professional certificates. Page 5 (pdf) 1012.981 The Florida Center for Teaching Excellence. Page 7 (pdf) -
CS/HB 561, Committee Substitute 1 Posted 2/10/2026 at 5:39 PM
Bill Text: PDF Analyses: Education & Employment Committee (Post-Meeting) 2/10/2026 (pdf)
Related Bills (2)
Bill Number Subject Filed By Relationship Last Action and Location Track Bills S 1718 Educator Preparation and Certification Calatayud Identical Last Action: 3/5/2026 S Laid on Table, refer to CS/HB 561 -SJ 612
S 7036 (c2) Education Education Pre-K - 12 Compare Last Action: 3/13/2026 S Died on Calendar
Floor Votes (2)
Date Chamber Result 2/25/2026 9:13 PM House 112 Yeas - 0 Nays 3/5/2026 1:12 PM Senate 37 Yeas - 0 Nays Citations - Statutes (4)
Citation Catchline Location in Bill Location In Bill Help 1004.85 Postsecondary educator preparation institutes. Page 2 (pdf) 1012.56 Educator certification requirements. Page 4 (pdf) 1012.585 Process for renewal of professional certificates. Page 5 (pdf) 1012.981 The Florida Center for Teaching Excellence. Page 7 (pdf) -
HB 561, Original Filed Version Posted 12/1/2025 at 10:57 AM
Bill Text: PDF Analyses: Careers & Workforce Subcommittee (Post-Meeting) 3/27/2026 (pdf)
PreK-12 Budget Subcommittee (Post-Meeting) 2/4/2026 (pdf)
Related Bills (1)
Bill Number Subject Filed By Relationship Last Action and Location Track Bills S 1718 Educator Preparation and Certification Calatayud Similar Last Action: 3/5/2026 S Laid on Table, refer to CS/HB 561 -SJ 612
Citations - Statutes (3)
Citation Catchline Location in Bill Location In Bill Help 1012.56 Educator certification requirements. Page 2 (pdf) 1012.585 Process for renewal of professional certificates. Page 4 (pdf) 1012.981 The Florida Center for Teaching Excellence. Page 5 (pdf)