The Florida Senate

¹240.529  Public accountability and state approval for teacher preparation programs.--

(1)  INTENT.--The Legislature recognizes that skilled teachers make an important contribution to a system that allows students to obtain a high-quality education. The intent of the Legislature is to establish a system for development and approval of teacher preparation programs that will free postsecondary teacher preparation institutions to employ varied and innovative teacher preparation techniques while being held accountable for producing graduates with the competencies and skills necessary to achieve the state education goals; help the state's diverse student population, including students with limited English proficiency, meet high standards for academic achievement; maintain safe, secure classroom learning environments; and sustain the state system of school improvement and education accountability established pursuant to ss. 229.591 and 229.592. The State Board of Education shall adopt rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 that establish uniform core curricula for each state-approved teacher preparation program.

(2)  DEVELOPMENT OF TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAMS.--A system developed by the Department of Education in collaboration with institutions of higher education shall assist departments and colleges of education in the restructuring of their programs to meet the need for producing quality teachers now and in the future. The system must be designed to assist teacher educators in conceptualizing, developing, implementing, and evaluating programs that meet state-adopted standards. The Education Standards Commission has primary responsibility for recommending these standards to the State Board of Education for adoption. These standards shall emphasize quality indicators drawn from research, professional literature, recognized guidelines, Florida essential teaching competencies and educator-accomplished practices, effective classroom practices, and the outcomes of the state system of school improvement and education accountability, as well as performance measures. Departments and colleges of education shall emphasize the state system of school improvement and education accountability concepts and standards, including Sunshine State Standards. State-approved teacher preparation programs must incorporate appropriate English for Speakers of Other Languages instruction so that program graduates will have completed the requirements for teaching limited English proficient students in Florida public schools.

(3)  INITIAL STATE PROGRAM APPROVAL.--

(a)  A program approval process based on standards adopted pursuant to subsection (2) must be established for postsecondary teacher preparation programs, phased in according to timelines determined by the Department of Education, and fully implemented for all teacher preparation programs in the state. Each program shall be approved by the department, consistent with the intent set forth in subsection (1) and based primarily upon significant, objective, and quantifiable graduate performance measures.

(b)  Each teacher preparation program approved by the Department of Education, as provided for by this section, shall require students to meet the following as prerequisites for admission into the program:

1.  Have a grade point average of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale for the general education component of undergraduate studies or have completed the requirements for a baccalaureate degree with a minimum grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale from any college or university accredited by a regional accrediting association as defined by state board rule; and

2.  Beginning with the 2000-2001 academic year, demonstrate mastery of general knowledge, including the ability to read, write, and compute by passing the College Level Academic Skills Test, a corresponding component of the National Teachers Examination series, or a similar test pursuant to rules of the State Board of Education.

The State Board of Education may provide by rule for a waiver of these requirements. The rule shall require that 90 percent of those admitted to each teacher education program meet the requirements of this paragraph and that the program implement strategies to ensure that students admitted under a waiver receive assistance to demonstrate competencies to successfully meet requirements for certification.

(4)  CONTINUED PROGRAM APPROVAL.--Notwithstanding subsection (3), failure by a public or nonpublic teacher preparation program to meet the criteria for continued program approval shall result in loss of program approval. The Department of Education, in collaboration with the departments and colleges of education, shall develop procedures for continued program approval which document the continuous improvement of program processes and graduates' performance.

(a)  Continued approval of specific teacher preparation programs at each public and nonpublic institution of higher education within the state is contingent upon the passing of the written examination required by s. 231.17 by at least 90 percent of the graduates of the program who take the examination. On request of an institution, the Department of Education shall provide an analysis of the performance of the graduates of such institution with respect to the competencies assessed by the examination required by s. 231.17.

(b)  Additional criteria for continued program approval for public institutions may be developed by the Education Standards Commission and approved by the State Board of Education. Such criteria must emphasize instruction in classroom management and must provide for the evaluation of the teacher candidates' performance in this area. The criteria shall also require instruction in working with underachieving students. Program evaluation procedures must include, but are not limited to, program graduates' satisfaction with instruction and the program's responsiveness to local school districts. Additional criteria for continued program approval for nonpublic institutions shall be developed in the same manner as for public institutions; however, such criteria must be based upon significant, objective, and quantifiable graduate performance measures. Responsibility for collecting data on outcome measures through survey instruments and other appropriate means shall be shared by the institutions of higher education, the Board of Regents, the State Board of Independent Colleges and Universities, and the Department of Education. By January 1 of each year, the Department of Education, in cooperation with the Board of Regents and the State Board of Independent Colleges and Universities, shall report this information for each postsecondary institution that has state-approved programs of teacher education to the Governor, the Commissioner of Education, the Chancellor of the State University System, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, all Florida postsecondary teacher preparation programs, and interested members of the public. This report must analyze the data and make recommendations for improving teacher preparation programs in the state.

(c)  Continued approval for a teacher preparation program is contingent upon the results of annual reviews of the program conducted by the institution of higher education, using procedures and criteria outlined in an institutional program evaluation plan approved by the Department of Education. This plan must incorporate the criteria established in paragraphs (a) and (b) and include provisions for involving primary stakeholders, such as program graduates, district school personnel, classroom teachers, principals, community agencies, and business representatives in the evaluation process. Upon request by an institution, the department shall provide assistance in developing, enhancing, or reviewing the institutional program evaluation plan and training evaluation team members.

(d)  Continued approval for a teacher preparation program is contingent upon standards being in place that are designed to adequately prepare elementary, middle, and high school teachers to instruct their students in higher-level mathematics concepts and in the use of technology at the appropriate grade level.

(e)  Beginning July 1, 2000, continued approval of teacher preparation programs is contingent upon compliance with the student admission requirements of subsection (3) and upon the receipt of at least a satisfactory rating from public schools and nonpublic schools that employ graduates of the program. Employer satisfaction shall be determined by an annually administered survey instrument approved by the Department of Education that, at a minimum, must include employer satisfaction of the graduates' ability to do the following:

1.  Write and speak in a logical and understandable style with appropriate grammar.

2.  Recognize signs of students' difficulty with the reading and computational process and apply appropriate measures to improve students' reading and computational performance.

3.  Use and integrate appropriate technology in teaching and learning processes.

4.  Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of Sunshine State Standards.

(f)1.  Beginning with the 2000-2001 academic year, each Florida public and private institution that offers a state-approved teacher preparation program must annually report information regarding these programs to the state and the general public. This information shall be reported in a uniform and comprehensible manner that conforms with definitions and methods proposed by the Education Standards Commission, that is consistent with definitions and methods approved by the Commissioner of the National Center for Educational Statistics, and that is approved by the State Board of Education. Beginning with the 2001-2002 academic year, this information must include, at a minimum:

a.  The percent of graduates obtaining full-time teaching employment within the first year of graduation.

b.  The average length of stay of graduates in their full-time teaching positions.

c.  Satisfaction ratings required in paragraph (e).

2.  Beginning with the 2001-2002 academic year, each public and private institution offering training for school readiness-related professions, including training in the fields of child care and early childhood education, whether offering vocational credit, associate in science degree programs, or associate in arts degree programs, shall annually report information regarding these programs to the state and the general public in a uniform and comprehensible manner that conforms with definitions and methods proposed by the Education Standards Commission. This information must include, at a minimum:

a.  Average length of stay of graduates in their positions.

b.  Satisfaction ratings of graduates' employers.

This information shall be reported through publications, including college and university catalogs and promotional materials sent to potential applicants, secondary school guidance counselors, and prospective employers of the institution's program graduates.

(5)  PRESERVICE FIELD EXPERIENCE.--All postsecondary instructors, school district personnel and instructional personnel, and school sites preparing instructional personnel through preservice field experience courses and internships shall meet special requirements.

(a)  All instructors in postsecondary teacher preparation programs who instruct or supervise preservice field experience courses or internships shall have at least one of the following: specialized training in clinical supervision; a valid professional teaching certificate pursuant to ss. 231.17 and 231.24; or at least 3 years of successful teaching experience in prekindergarten through grade 12.

(b)  All school district personnel and instructional personnel who supervise or direct teacher preparation students during field experience courses or internships must have evidence of "clinical educator" training and must successfully demonstrate effective classroom management strategies that consistently result in improved student performance. The Education Standards Commission shall recommend, and the state board shall approve, the training requirements.

(c)  Preservice field experience programs must provide specific guidance and demonstration of effective classroom management strategies, strategies for incorporating technology into classroom instruction, and ways to link instructional plans to the Sunshine State Standards, as appropriate. The length of structured field experiences may be extended to ensure that candidates achieve the competencies needed to meet certification requirements.

(d)  Postsecondary teacher preparation programs in cooperation with district school boards and approved nonpublic school associations shall select the school sites for preservice field experience activities. These sites must represent the full spectrum of school communities, including, but not limited to, schools located in urban settings. In order to be selected, school sites must demonstrate commitment to the education of public school students and to the preparation of future teachers. A nonpublic school association, in order to be approved, must have a state-approved master inservice program plan in accordance with ²s. 236.0811.

(6)  STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE.--The Education Standards Commission shall recommend, and the State Board of Education shall approve, standards of excellence for teacher preparation. These standards must exceed the requirements for program approval pursuant to subsection (3) and must incorporate state and national recommendations for exemplary teacher preparation programs. Approved teacher preparation programs that meet these standards of excellence shall receive public recognition as programs of excellence and may be eligible to receive teaching profession enhancement grants pursuant to s. 240.5291.

(7)  NATIONAL BOARD STANDARDS.--The Education Standards Commission and the State Board of Education shall review standards and recommendations developed by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and may incorporate those parts deemed appropriate into criteria for continued state program approval, standards of excellence, and requirements for inservice education.

(8)  COMMUNITY COLLEGES.--To the extent practical, postsecondary institutions offering teacher preparation programs shall establish articulation agreements on a core of liberal arts courses and introductory professional courses with field experience components which shall be offered at community colleges.

(9)  PRETEACHER AND TEACHER EDUCATION PILOT PROGRAMS.--Universities and community colleges may establish preteacher education and teacher education pilot programs to encourage promising minority students to prepare for a career in education. These pilot programs shall be designed to recruit and provide additional academic, clinical, and counseling support for students whom the institution judges to be potentially successful teacher education candidates, but who may not meet teacher education program admission standards. Priority consideration shall be given to those pilot programs that are jointly submitted by community colleges and universities.

(a)  These pilot programs shall be approved by the State Board of Education and shall be designed to provide help and support for program participants during the preteacher education period of general academic preparation at a community college or university and during professional preparation in a state-approved teacher education program. Emphasis shall be placed on development of the basic skills needed by successful teachers.

(b)  Universities and community colleges may admit into the pilot program those incoming students who demonstrate an interest in teaching as a career, but who may not meet the requirements for entrance into an approved teacher education program.

1.  Flexibility may be given to colleges of education to develop and market innovative teacher training programs directed at specific target groups such as graduates from the colleges of arts and sciences, employed education paraprofessionals, substitute teachers, early federal retirees, and nontraditional college students. Programs must be submitted to the State Board of Education for approval.

2.  Academically successful graduates in the fields of liberal arts and science may be encouraged to embark upon a career in education.

3.  Models may be developed to provide a positive initial experience in teaching in order to encourage retention. Priority should be given to models that encourage minority graduates.

(c)  In order to be certified, a graduate from a pilot program shall meet all requirements for teacher certification specified by s. 231.17. Should a graduate of a pilot program not meet the requirements of s. 231.17, that person shall not be included in the calculations required by paragraph (4)(a) and State Board of Education rules for continued program approval, or in the statutes used by the State Board of Education in deciding which teacher education programs to approve.

(d)  Institutions participating in the pilot program shall submit an annual report evaluating the success of the program to the Commissioner of Education by March 1 of each year. The report shall contain, but shall not be limited to: the number of pilot program participants, including the number participating in general education and the number admitted to approved teacher education programs, the number of pilot program graduates, and the number of pilot program graduates who met the requirements of s. 231.17. The commissioner shall consider the number of participants recruited, the number of graduates, and the number of graduates successfully meeting the requirements of s. 231.17 reported by each institution, and shall make an annual recommendation to the state board regarding the institution's continued participation in the pilot program.

(10)  RULES.--The State Board of Education shall adopt necessary rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement this section.

History.--s. 2, ch. 78-423; s. 96, ch. 79-222; s. 7, ch. 80-325; s. 8, ch. 80-378; s. 1, ch. 82-180; s. 27, ch. 83-325; s. 1, ch. 90-178; s. 24, ch. 90-288; s. 6, ch. 90-302; s. 2, ch. 91-234; s. 45, ch. 94-232; s. 5, ch. 95-236; ss. 35, 40, ch. 95-392; s. 17, ch. 97-2; s. 4, ch. 97-4; s. 62, ch. 99-398; s. 63, ch. 2000-301; s. 3(7), ch. 2000-321.

¹Note.--Repealed January 7, 2003, by s. 3(7), ch. 2000-321, and shall be reviewed by the Legislature prior to that date.

²Note.--Repealed by s. 62, ch. 2000-301.

Note.--Former s. 239.795.