Florida Senate - 2013 SB 1238
By Senator Brandes
22-00824-13 20131238__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to educator preparation; amending s.
3 1004.04, F.S.; revising the rules in establishing
4 uniform core curricula for a teacher preparation
5 program to include instruction in the state standards
6 adopted by the State Board of Education; requiring
7 departments and colleges of education to emphasize the
8 state system of school improvement and education
9 accountability concepts and standards, including state
10 standards adopted by the State Board of Education,
11 rather than the Sunshine State Standards; requiring
12 state-approved teacher preparation programs to
13 incorporate instruction in the state standards adopted
14 by the State Board of Education; amending s. 1012.56,
15 F.S.; revising the acceptable means of demonstrating
16 mastery of professional preparation and education
17 competence to include successful completion of a
18 specified professional education training program and
19 the achievement of a passing score on the professional
20 education competency examination; revising criteria
21 for a temporary certificate; providing that certain
22 graduates of specified institutions take first
23 priority for vacancies in the professional preparation
24 alternative certification program; requiring the
25 Department of Education to inform institutions of
26 higher learning of the program; providing an effective
27 date.
28
29 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
30
31 Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subsection (2), paragraphs (b)
32 and (c) of subsection (3), paragraph (e) of subsection (5), and
33 paragraph (c) of subsection (6) of section 1004.04, Florida
34 Statutes, are amended to read:
35 1004.04 Public accountability and state approval for
36 teacher preparation programs.—
37 (2) UNIFORM CORE CURRICULA.—
38 (b) The rules to establish uniform core curricula for each
39 state-approved teacher preparation program must include, but are
40 not limited to, a State Board of Education identified foundation
41 in scientifically researched, knowledge-based reading literacy
42 and computational skills acquisition; classroom management;
43 school safety; professional ethics; educational law; human
44 development and learning; instruction in the state standards
45 adopted by the State Board of Education; and understanding of
46 the Sunshine state standards content measured by state
47 achievement tests, reading and interpretation of data, and use
48 of data to improve student achievement.
49 (3) DEVELOPMENT OF TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAMS.—A system
50 developed by the Department of Education in collaboration with
51 postsecondary educational institutions shall assist departments
52 and colleges of education in the restructuring of their programs
53 in accordance with this section to meet the need for producing
54 quality teachers now and in the future.
55 (b) Departments and colleges of education shall emphasize
56 the state system of school improvement and education
57 accountability concepts and standards, including Sunshine state
58 standards adopted by the State Board of Education.
59 (c) State-approved teacher preparation programs must
60 incorporate:
61 1. Appropriate English for Speakers of Other Languages
62 instruction so that program graduates will have completed the
63 requirements for teaching limited English proficient students in
64 Florida public schools.
65 2. Scientifically researched, knowledge-based reading
66 literacy and computational skills instruction so that program
67 graduates will be able to provide the necessary academic
68 foundations for their students at whatever grade levels they
69 choose to teach.
70 3. Instruction in the state standards adopted by the State
71 Board of Education.
72 (5) CONTINUED PROGRAM APPROVAL.—Notwithstanding subsection
73 (4), failure by a public or nonpublic teacher preparation
74 program to meet the criteria for continued program approval
75 shall result in loss of program approval. The Department of
76 Education, in collaboration with the departments and colleges of
77 education, shall develop procedures for continued program
78 approval that document the continuous improvement of program
79 processes and graduates’ performance.
80 (e) Continued approval of teacher preparation programs is
81 contingent upon compliance with the student admission
82 requirements of subsection (4) and upon the receipt of at least
83 a satisfactory rating from public schools and private schools
84 that employ graduates of the program. Each teacher preparation
85 program must shall guarantee the high quality of its graduates
86 during the first 2 years immediately following graduation from
87 the program or following initial certification, whichever occurs
88 first. Any educator in a Florida school who fails to demonstrate
89 the essential skills specified in subparagraphs 1.-5. shall be
90 provided additional training by the teacher preparation program
91 at no expense to the educator or the employer. Such training
92 must consist of an individualized plan agreed upon by the school
93 district and the postsecondary educational institution that
94 includes specific learning outcomes. The postsecondary
95 educational institution assumes no responsibility for the
96 educator’s employment contract with the employer. Employer
97 satisfaction shall be determined by an annually administered
98 survey instrument approved by the Department of Education that,
99 at a minimum, must include employer satisfaction of the
100 graduates’ ability to do the following:
101 1. Write and speak in a logical and understandable style
102 with appropriate grammar.
103 2. Recognize signs of students’ difficulty with the reading
104 and computational process and apply appropriate measures to
105 improve students’ reading and computational performance.
106 3. Use and integrate appropriate technology in teaching and
107 learning processes.
108 4. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of Sunshine
109 state standards.
110 5. Maintain an orderly and disciplined classroom conducive
111 to student learning.
112 (6) PRESERVICE FIELD EXPERIENCE.—All postsecondary
113 instructors, school district personnel and instructional
114 personnel, and school sites preparing instructional personnel
115 through preservice field experience courses and internships
116 shall meet special requirements. District school boards are
117 authorized to pay student teachers during their internships.
118 (c) Preservice field experience programs must provide
119 specific guidance and demonstration of effective classroom
120 management strategies, strategies for incorporating technology
121 into classroom instruction, strategies for incorporating
122 scientifically researched, knowledge-based reading literacy and
123 computational skills acquisition into classroom instruction, and
124 ways to link instructional plans to the Sunshine state
125 standards, as appropriate. The length of structured field
126 experiences may be extended to ensure that candidates achieve
127 the competencies needed to meet certification requirements.
128 Section 2. Subsections (6) through (8) of section 1012.56,
129 Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
130 1012.56 Educator certification requirements.—
131 (6) MASTERY OF PROFESSIONAL PREPARATION AND EDUCATION
132 COMPETENCE.—Acceptable means of demonstrating mastery of
133 professional preparation and education competence are:
134 (a) Completion of an approved teacher preparation program
135 at a postsecondary educational institution within this state and
136 achievement of a passing score on the professional education
137 competency examination required by state board rule;
138 (b) Completion of a teacher preparation program at a
139 postsecondary educational institution outside Florida and
140 achievement of a passing score on the professional education
141 competency examination required by state board rule;
142 (c) A valid professional standard teaching certificate
143 issued by another state;
144 (d) A valid certificate issued by the National Board for
145 Professional Teaching Standards or a national educator
146 credentialing board approved by the State Board of Education;
147 (e) Documentation of two semesters of successful teaching
148 in a Florida College System institution, state university, or
149 private college or university that awards an associate or higher
150 degree and is an accredited institution or an institution of
151 higher education identified by the Department of Education as
152 having a quality program;
153 (f) Completion of professional preparation courses as
154 specified in state board rule, successful completion of a
155 professional education competence demonstration program pursuant
156 to paragraph (8)(b), and achievement of a passing score on the
157 professional education competency examination required by state
158 board rule;
159 (g) Successful completion of a professional preparation
160 alternative certification and education competency program,
161 outlined in paragraph (8)(a); or
162 (h) Successful completion of an alternative certification
163 program pursuant to s. 1004.85 and achievement of a passing
164 score on the professional education competency examination
165 required by state board rule; or of the State Board of Education
166 (i) Successful completion of a professional education
167 training program provided by Teach For America and achievement
168 of a passing score on the professional education competency
169 examination required by state board rule.
170 (7) TYPES AND TERMS OF CERTIFICATION.—
171 (a) The Department of Education shall issue a professional
172 certificate for a period not to exceed 5 years to any applicant
173 who meets all the requirements outlined in subsection (2).
174 (b) The department shall issue a temporary certificate to
175 any applicant who completes the requirements outlined in
176 paragraphs (2)(a)-(f) and completes the subject area content
177 requirements specified in state board rule or demonstrates
178 mastery of subject area knowledge pursuant to subsection (5) and
179 holds an accredited degree or a degree approved by the
180 Department of Education at the level required for the subject
181 area specialization in state board rule.
182 (c) The department shall issue one nonrenewable 2-year
183 temporary certificate and one nonrenewable 5-year professional
184 certificate to a qualified applicant who holds a bachelor’s
185 degree in the area of speech-language impairment to allow for
186 completion of a master’s degree program in speech-language
187 impairment.
188 (d) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs (a)-(c), a
189 person who has graduated within the previous 2 calendar years
190 with a baccalaureate or higher degree from an accredited
191 institution of higher learning or an unaccredited institution
192 that the Department of Education has identified as having a
193 quality program resulting in a baccalaureate or higher degree;
194 who has graduated with a minimum overall grade point average of
195 3.5 on a 4.0 scale; and who is a candidate in the alternative
196 certification and education competency program as described in
197 subsection (8) for a 5-year period, is not required to satisfy
198 the testing and examination requirements of s. 1012.56(3) and
199 (5). However, a candidate must meet initial certification
200 requirements in paragraphs (2)(a)-(f).
201
202 Each temporary certificate is valid for 3 school fiscal years
203 and is nonrenewable. A person who qualifies under paragraph (d)
204 shall receive a temporary certificate that is valid for 5 school
205 fiscal years. However, the requirement in paragraph (2)(g) must
206 be met within 1 calendar year of the date of employment under
207 the temporary certificate. Individuals who are employed under
208 contract at the end of the 1 calendar year time period may
209 continue to be employed through the end of the school year in
210 which they have been contracted. A school district shall not
211 employ, or continue the employment of, an individual in a
212 position for which a temporary certificate is required beyond
213 this time period if the individual has not met the requirement
214 of paragraph (2)(g). The State Board of Education shall adopt
215 rules to allow the department to extend the validity period of a
216 temporary certificate for 2 years when the requirements for the
217 professional certificate, not including the requirement in
218 paragraph (2)(g), were not completed due to the serious illness
219 or injury of the applicant or other extraordinary extenuating
220 circumstances. The department shall reissue the temporary
221 certificate for 2 additional years upon approval by the
222 Commissioner of Education. A written request for reissuance of
223 the certificate shall be submitted by the district school
224 superintendent, the governing authority of a university lab
225 school, the governing authority of a state-supported school, or
226 the governing authority of a private school.
227 (8) PROFESSIONAL PREPARATION ALTERNATIVE CERTIFICATION AND
228 EDUCATION COMPETENCY PROGRAM.—In order to recruit recent
229 graduates of an accredited institution of higher learning or an
230 unaccredited institution that the Department of Education has
231 identified as having a quality program resulting in a
232 baccalaureate or higher degree, qualified graduates of such
233 institutions take first priority for vacancies in the
234 professional preparation alternative certification program
235 described in paragraphs (a)-(c).
236 (a) The Department of Education shall develop and each
237 school district must provide a cohesive competency-based
238 professional preparation alternative certification program by
239 which members of a school district’s instructional staff or
240 individuals who have graduated within the prior 2 calendar years
241 with a baccalaureate or higher degree from an accredited
242 institution of higher learning or an unaccredited institution
243 that the Department of Education has identified as having a
244 quality program resulting in a baccalaureate or higher degree,
245 with a minimum overall grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0
246 scale, may satisfy the mastery of professional preparation and
247 education competence requirements specified in this subsection
248 and rules of the State Board of Education. Participants must
249 hold a state-issued temporary certificate. A school district
250 shall provide a competency-based alternative certification
251 preparation program developed by the Department of Education or
252 developed by the district and approved by the Department of
253 Education. The program must shall include the following
254 components:
255 1. A minimum period of initial preparation before prior to
256 assuming duties as the teacher of record.
257 2. An option for collaboration between school districts and
258 other supporting agencies for implementation.
259 3. Experienced peer mentors.
260 4. An assessment that provides for:
261 a. An initial evaluation of each educator’s competencies to
262 determine an appropriate individualized professional development
263 plan.
264 b. A postevaluation to assure successful completion of the
265 program.
266 5. Professional education preparation content knowledge
267 that includes, but is not limited to, the following:
268 a. Requirements specified in state board rule for
269 professional preparation.
270 b. The educator-accomplished practices approved by the
271 state board.
272 c. A variety of data indicators for student progress.
273 d. Methodologies, including technology-based methodologies,
274 for teaching subject content that supports the Sunshine State
275 Standards for students.
276 e. Techniques for effective classroom management.
277 f. Techniques and strategies for operationalizing the role
278 of the teacher in assuring a safe learning environment for
279 students.
280 g. Methodologies for assuring the ability of all students
281 to read, write, and compute.
282 6. Required achievement of passing scores on the
283 professional education competency examination required by state
284 board rule.
285 (b) Each school district must and a state-supported state
286 supported public school or a private school may develop and
287 maintain a system by which members of the instructional staff
288 may demonstrate mastery of professional education competence as
289 required by law. Each program must be based on classroom
290 application and instructional performance and must include a
291 performance evaluation plan for documenting the demonstration of
292 required professional education competence.
293 (c) The Department of Education shall inform each public
294 and private institution of higher learning of the professional
295 preparation alternative certification program and of any changes
296 to the state board rules which impact this program.
297 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2013.