A school district may process via a Department of Education website certificates for the following applications of public school employees:(1) Addition of a subject coverage or endorsement to a valid Florida certificate on the basis of the completion of the appropriate subject area testing requirements of s. 1012.56(5)(a) or the completion of the requirements of an approved school district program or the inservice components for an endorsement.(a) To reduce duplication, the department may recommend the consolidation of endorsement areas and requirements to the State Board of Education.
1(b) By July 1, 2018, and at least once every 5 years thereafter, the department shall conduct a review of existing subject coverage or endorsement requirements in the elementary, reading, and exceptional student educational areas. The review must include reciprocity requirements for out-of-state certificates and requirements for demonstrating competency in the reading instruction professional development topics listed in s. 1012.98(4)(b)11. The review must also consider the award of an endorsement to an individual who holds a certificate issued by an internationally recognized organization that establishes standards for providing evidence-based interventions to struggling readers or who completes a postsecondary program that is accredited by such organization. Any such certificate or program must require an individual who completes the certificate or program to demonstrate competence in reading intervention strategies through clinical experience. At the conclusion of each review, the department shall recommend to the state board changes to the subject coverage or endorsement requirements based upon any identified instruction or intervention strategies proven to improve student reading performance. This paragraph does not authorize the state board to establish any new certification subject coverage. (2) A reissued certificate to reflect a name change.
(3) A duplicate certificate to replace a lost or damaged certificate.
The employing school district shall charge the employee a fee not to exceed the amount charged by the Department of Education for such services. Each district school board shall retain a portion of the fee as defined in the rules of the State Board of Education. The portion sent to the department shall be used for maintenance of the technology system, the web application, and posting and mailing of the certificate.
1Note.—Section 49, ch. 2018-6, provides that:“(1) The Department of Revenue is authorized, and all conditions are deemed to be met, to adopt emergency rules pursuant to s. 120.54(4), Florida Statutes, for the purpose of administering the provisions of this act.
“(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, emergency rules adopted pursuant to subsection (1) are effective for 6 months after adoption and may be renewed during the pendency of procedures to adopt permanent rules addressing the subject of the emergency rules.
“(3) This section shall take effect upon this act becoming a law and shall expire January 1, 2022.”
