Florida Senate - 2013 SB 1664
By Senator Legg
17-00616C-13 20131664__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to education instructional personnel
3 and school administrators; amending s. 1004.04, F.S.;
4 revising legislative intent; revising the requirements
5 for State Board of Education rules for uniform core
6 curricula for state-approved teacher preparation
7 programs; revising the process for initial approval of
8 state-approved teacher preparation programs; revising
9 the requirements for continued approval of state
10 approved teacher preparation programs; requiring the
11 State Board of Education to adopt rules for continued
12 approval of teacher preparation programs; requiring
13 the Commissioner of Education to determine the
14 continued approval of each program; providing
15 requirements for a report that certain public and
16 private institutions prepare regarding their teacher
17 preparation programs; requiring the Department of
18 Education to report to the Governor, the Legislature,
19 the State Board of Education, the Board of Governors,
20 the Commissioner of Education, each Florida
21 postsecondary teacher preparation program, each
22 district school superintendent, and the public the
23 results of each approved program’s annual progress and
24 the current approval status of each program; revising
25 the requirements for preservice field experience;
26 amending s. 1004.85, F.S.; revising the definition of
27 the term “educator preparation institute”; authorizing
28 a qualified private provider to seek approval to offer
29 a competency-based certification program; revising the
30 criteria for approval of preparation programs;
31 requiring the department to approve a certification
32 program under certain circumstances; revising the
33 requirements for program participants; revising the
34 criteria for continued approval of programs; revising
35 the requirements for personnel that participate in
36 field experiences; amending s. 1012.32, F.S.;
37 conforming cross-references and conforming provisions
38 to changes made by the act; amending s. 1012.55, F.S.;
39 requiring the State Board of Education to adopt rules
40 that allow an individual who meets specified criteria
41 to be eligible for a temporary certificate in
42 education leadership; requiring a district that
43 employs the individual in a school leadership position
44 to provide a training program; amending s. 1012.56,
45 F.S.; authorizing the State Board of Education to
46 adopt rules that allow for the acceptance of college
47 course credits recommended by the American Council for
48 Education; authorizing a school district to provide a
49 professional development certification program;
50 specifying the components of the program; revising
51 requirements for demonstrating mastery of professional
52 education competence; requiring the Commissioner of
53 Education to determine the continued approval of the
54 programs; requiring the Department of Education to
55 provide a review procedure for an applicant who fails
56 a certification examination; amending s. 1012.585,
57 F.S.; conforming a cross-reference; amending s.
58 1012.71, F.S.; renaming the Florida Teachers Lead
59 Program as the Florida Teachers Classroom Supply
60 Assistance Program; providing that the calculation of
61 funds for each teacher includes local contributions;
62 requiring that a teacher’s proportionate share of
63 funds be provided by a debit card; authorizing the
64 Department of Education to enter into public-private
65 partnerships; authorizing school districts to enter
66 into public-private partnerships; deleting provisions
67 relating to a pilot program established for the 2009
68 2010 fiscal year; providing an effective date.
69
70 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
71
72 Section 1. Section 1004.04, Florida Statutes, is amended to
73 read:
74 1004.04 Public accountability and state approval for
75 teacher preparation programs.—
76 (1) INTENT.—
77 (a) The Legislature recognizes that effective skilled
78 teachers make an important contribution to a system that allows
79 students to obtain a high-quality education.
80 (b) The intent of the Legislature is to require the State
81 Board of Education to maintain attain a system for development
82 and approval of teacher preparation programs which that allows
83 postsecondary teacher preparation institutions to employ varied
84 and innovative teacher preparation techniques while being held
85 accountable for producing program completers graduates with the
86 competencies and skills necessary to achieve the state education
87 goals; help all students in the state’s diverse student
88 population, including students who have substandard reading and
89 computational skills and students with limited English
90 proficiency, meet high standards for academic achievement;
91 maintain safe, secure classroom learning environments; and
92 sustain the state system of school improvement and education
93 accountability established pursuant to ss. 1000.03(5) and
94 1008.345.
95 (2) UNIFORM CORE CURRICULA AND CANDIDATE ASSESSMENT.—
96 (a) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules pursuant
97 to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 which that establish uniform core
98 curricula for each state-approved teacher preparation program.
99 (b) The rules to establish uniform core curricula for each
100 state-approved teacher preparation program must include, but are
101 not limited to, the following:
102 1. The Florida Educator Accomplished Practices.
103 2. The state-adopted content standards. a State Board of
104 Education identified foundation in
105 3. Scientifically researched reading instruction.,
106 knowledge-based reading
107 4. Content literacy and mathematics practices.
108 computational skills acquisition; classroom management;
109 5. Strategies appropriate for the instruction of English
110 language learners.
111 6. Strategies appropriate for the instruction of students
112 with disabilities.
113 7. School safety; professional ethics; educational law;
114 human development and learning; and understanding of the
115 Sunshine State Standards content measured by state achievement
116 tests, reading and interpretation of data, and use of data to
117 improve student achievement.
118 (c) Each candidate must receive instruction and be assessed
119 on the uniform core curricula in the candidate’s area or areas
120 of program concentration during course work and field
121 experiences These rules shall not require an additional period
122 of time-to-degree but may be phased in to enable teacher
123 preparation programs to supplant courses, including pedagogy
124 courses, not required by law or State Board of Education rule
125 with the courses identified pursuant to paragraph (b).
126 (d) Before program completion, each candidate must
127 demonstrate his or her ability to positively impact student
128 learning growth in the candidate’s area or areas of program
129 concentration during a prekindergarten through grade 12 field
130 experience and must pass each portion of the Florida Teacher
131 Certification Examination required for a professional
132 certificate in the area or areas of program concentration.
133 (3) DEVELOPMENT OF TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAMS.—A system
134 developed by the Department of Education in collaboration with
135 postsecondary educational institutions shall assist departments
136 and colleges of education in the restructuring of their programs
137 in accordance with this section to meet the need for producing
138 quality teachers now and in the future.
139 (a) The system must be designed to assist teacher educators
140 in conceptualizing, developing, implementing, and evaluating
141 programs that meet state-adopted standards. These standards
142 shall emphasize quality indicators drawn from research,
143 professional literature, recognized guidelines, Florida
144 essential teaching competencies and educator-accomplished
145 practices, effective classroom practices, and the outcomes of
146 the state system of school improvement and education
147 accountability, as well as performance measures.
148 (b) Departments and colleges of education shall emphasize
149 the state system of school improvement and education
150 accountability concepts and standards, including Sunshine State
151 Standards.
152 (c) State-approved teacher preparation programs must
153 incorporate:
154 1. Appropriate English for Speakers of Other Languages
155 instruction so that program graduates will have completed the
156 requirements for teaching limited English proficient students in
157 Florida public schools.
158 2. Scientifically researched, knowledge-based reading
159 literacy and computational skills instruction so that program
160 graduates will be able to provide the necessary academic
161 foundations for their students at whatever grade levels they
162 choose to teach.
163 (3)(4) INITIAL STATE PROGRAM APPROVAL.—
164 (a) A program approval process based on standards adopted
165 pursuant to this subsection and subsection subsections (2) and
166 (3) must be established for postsecondary teacher preparation
167 programs, phased in according to timelines determined by the
168 Department of Education, and fully implemented for all teacher
169 preparation programs in the state. Each program shall be
170 approved by the department, consistent with the intent set forth
171 in subsection (1) and based primarily upon evidence of the
172 institution’s and the program’s capacity to meet the
173 requirements for continued approval as provided in subsection
174 (4) and by the rules of the State Board of Education
175 significant, objective, and quantifiable graduate performance
176 measures.
177 (b) Each teacher preparation program approved by the
178 Department of Education, as provided for by this section, shall
179 require students to meet, at a minimum, the following as
180 prerequisites for admission into the program:
181 1. Have a grade point average of at least 2.5 on a 4.0
182 scale for the general education component of undergraduate
183 studies or have completed the requirements for a baccalaureate
184 degree with a minimum grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale
185 from any college or university accredited by a regional
186 accrediting association as defined by State Board of Education
187 rule or any college or university otherwise approved pursuant to
188 State Board of Education rule.
189 2. Demonstrate mastery of general knowledge sufficient for
190 entry into the program, including the ability to read, write,
191 and perform in mathematics compute, by passing the General
192 Knowledge Test of the Florida Teacher Certification Examination
193 or, for a graduate level program, obtain a baccalaureate degree
194 from an institution that is accredited or approved, the College
195 Level Academic Skills Test, a corresponding component of the
196 National Teachers Examination series, or a similar test pursuant
197 to the rules of the State Board of Education.
198
199 Each teacher preparation program may waive these admissions
200 requirements for up to 10 percent of the students admitted.
201 Programs shall implement strategies to ensure that students
202 admitted under a waiver receive assistance to demonstrate
203 competencies to successfully meet requirements for certification
204 and shall annually report to the Department of Education the
205 status of each candidate admitted under such a waiver.
206 (c) Each teacher preparation program approved by the
207 Department of Education, as provided for by this section, shall
208 provide a certification ombudsman to facilitate the process and
209 procedures required for graduates to obtain educator
210 professional or temporary certification pursuant to s. 1012.56.
211 (4)(5) CONTINUED PROGRAM APPROVAL.—Notwithstanding
212 subsection (4), failure by a public or nonpublic teacher
213 preparation program to meet the criteria for continued program
214 approval shall result in loss of program approval. The
215 Department of Education, in collaboration with the departments
216 and colleges of education, shall develop procedures for
217 continued program approval that document the continuous
218 improvement of program processes and graduates’ performance.
219 (a) Continued approval of a specific teacher preparation
220 program shall be based upon evidence that the program continues
221 to implement the requirements for initial approval and upon
222 significant, objective, and quantifiable measures of the program
223 and the performance of the program completers.
224 (a) The criteria for continued approval must include each
225 of the following:
226 1. Documentation from the program that each program
227 candidate met the admission requirements provided in subsection
228 (3).
229 2. Documentation from the program that the program and each
230 program completer have met the requirements provided in
231 subsection (2).
232 3. Evidence of performance in each of the following areas:
233 a. Placement rate of program completers into instructional
234 positions in Florida public schools.
235 b. Rate of retention for employed program completers in
236 instructional positions in Florida public schools.
237 c. Performance of students in prekindergarten through grade
238 12 who are assigned to in-field program completers on statewide
239 assessments using the results of the student learning growth
240 formula adopted under s. 1012.34.
241 d. Performance of students in prekindergarten through grade
242 12 who are assigned to in-field program completers aggregated by
243 student subgroup, as defined in the federal Elementary and
244 Secondary Education Act (ESEA), 20 U.S.C. s.
245 6311(b)(2)(C)(v)(II), as a measure of how well the program
246 prepares teachers to work with a diverse population of students
247 in a variety of settings in Florida public schools.
248 e. Results of a program completer’s annual performance
249 evaluation pursuant to s. 1012.34.
250 f. Production of program completers in statewide critical
251 teacher shortage areas as identified in s. 1012.07. programs at
252 each public and nonpublic postsecondary educational institution
253 within the state is contingent upon the passing of the written
254 examination required by s. 1012.56 by at least 90 percent of the
255 graduates of the program who take the examination. The
256 Department of Education shall annually provide an analysis of
257 the performance of the graduates of such institution with
258 respect to the competencies assessed by the examination required
259 by s. 1012.56.
260 (b) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules for
261 continued approval of teacher preparation programs which include
262 the program review process, the continued approval timelines,
263 and the performance level targets for each of the continued
264 approval criteria in paragraph (a). Additional criteria for
265 continued program approval for public institutions may be
266 approved by the State Board of Education. Such criteria may
267 include a must emphasize instruction in classroom management and
268 must provide for the evaluation of the teacher candidates’
269 performance in this area. The criteria shall also require
270 instruction in working with underachieving students. Program
271 evaluation procedures must include, but are not limited to,
272 program completer’s graduates’ satisfaction with instruction and
273 an employer’s satisfaction with, and the program’s
274 responsiveness to, local school districts. The Commissioner of
275 Education shall determine the continued approval of each program
276 based on the data collected pursuant to this section and the
277 rules of the State Board of Education Additional criteria for
278 continued program approval for nonpublic institutions shall be
279 developed in the same manner as for public institutions;
280 however, such criteria must be based upon significant,
281 objective, and quantifiable graduate performance measures.
282 Responsibility for collecting data on outcome measures through
283 survey instruments and other appropriate means shall be shared
284 by the postsecondary educational institutions and the Department
285 of Education. By January 1 of each year, the Department of
286 Education shall report this information for each postsecondary
287 educational institution that has state-approved programs of
288 teacher education to the Governor, the State Board of Education,
289 the Board of Governors, the Commissioner of Education, the
290 President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of
291 Representatives, all Florida postsecondary teacher preparation
292 programs, and interested members of the public. This report must
293 analyze the data and make recommendations for improving teacher
294 preparation programs in the state.
295 (c) Each program must prepare and submit to the Department
296 of Education Continued approval for a teacher preparation
297 program is contingent upon the results of periodic reviews, on a
298 schedule established by the State Board of Education, of the
299 program conducted by the postsecondary educational institution,
300 using procedures and criteria outlined in an institutional
301 program evaluation plan approved by the Department of Education.
302 Each institutional program evaluation This plan must incorporate
303 the criteria established in paragraphs (a) and (b) and may
304 include additional data chosen by the program. The plan must
305 provide information on how the institution addresses continuous
306 program improvement and must include provisions for involving
307 primary stakeholders, such as program completers graduates,
308 public district school personnel, classroom teachers,
309 principals, community agencies, and business representatives in
310 the evaluation process. Upon request by an institution, the
311 department shall provide assistance in developing, enhancing, or
312 reviewing the institutional program evaluation plan and training
313 evaluation team members.
314 (d) Continued approval for a teacher preparation program is
315 contingent upon standards being in place that are designed to
316 adequately prepare elementary, middle, and high school teachers
317 to instruct their students in reading and higher-level
318 mathematics concepts and in the use of technology at the
319 appropriate grade level.
320 (e) Continued approval of teacher preparation programs is
321 contingent upon compliance with the student admission
322 requirements of subsection (4) and upon the receipt of at least
323 a satisfactory rating from public schools and private schools
324 that employ graduates of the program. Each teacher preparation
325 program must shall guarantee the high quality of its program
326 completers graduates during the first 2 years immediately
327 following completion of graduation from the program or following
328 initial certification, whichever occurs first. Any program
329 completer who is employed in a Florida public school during this
330 2-year period and who earns an evaluation result of developing
331 or unsatisfactory on the school district’s evaluation system
332 implemented under s. 1012.34 educator in a Florida school who
333 fails to demonstrate the essential skills specified in
334 subparagraphs 1.-5. shall be provided additional training by the
335 teacher preparation program at no expense to the educator or the
336 employer, if requested by the employing school district or
337 charter school. Such training must consist of an individualized
338 plan agreed upon by the school district and the postsecondary
339 educational institution which that includes specific learning
340 outcomes. The postsecondary educational institution assumes no
341 responsibility for the educator’s employment contract with the
342 employer. Employer satisfaction shall be determined by an
343 annually administered survey instrument approved by the
344 Department of Education that, at a minimum, must include
345 employer satisfaction of the graduates’ ability to do the
346 following:
347 1. Write and speak in a logical and understandable style
348 with appropriate grammar.
349 2. Recognize signs of students’ difficulty with the reading
350 and computational process and apply appropriate measures to
351 improve students’ reading and computational performance.
352 3. Use and integrate appropriate technology in teaching and
353 learning processes.
354 4. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of Sunshine
355 State Standards.
356 5. Maintain an orderly and disciplined classroom conducive
357 to student learning.
358 (e)(f)1. Each Florida public and private institution that
359 offers a state-approved teacher preparation program must
360 annually report information regarding its approved these
361 programs to the state and the general public. The report to the
362 state must include a list of candidates who are admitted to, who
363 are enrolled in, or who complete a teacher preparation program;
364 additional evidence necessary to document requirements for
365 continued approval; and data necessary to complete applicable
366 federal reporting requirements. The state reporting requirements
367 must minimize a program’s reporting burden whenever possible
368 without compromising data quality. The report to the general
369 public must include, at a minimum, the annual progress data
370 reported by the state under this paragraph, and may include
371 other information chosen by the institution or program This
372 information shall be reported in a uniform and comprehensible
373 manner that is consistent with definitions and methods approved
374 by the Commissioner of the National Center for Educational
375 Statistics and that is approved by the State Board of Education.
376 This information must include, at a minimum:
377 a. The percent of graduates obtaining full-time teaching
378 employment within the first year of graduation.
379 b. The average length of stay of graduates in their full
380 time teaching positions.
381 c. Satisfaction ratings required in paragraph (e).
382 2. Each public and private institution offering training
383 for school readiness related professions, including training in
384 the fields of child care and early childhood education, whether
385 offering career credit, associate in applied science degree
386 programs, associate in science degree programs, or associate in
387 arts degree programs, shall annually report information
388 regarding these programs to the state and the general public in
389 a uniform and comprehensible manner that conforms with
390 definitions and methods approved by the State Board of
391 Education. This information must include, at a minimum:
392 a. Average length of stay of graduates in their positions.
393 b. Satisfaction ratings of graduates’ employers.
394
395 This information shall be reported through publications,
396 including college and university catalogs and promotional
397 materials sent to potential applicants, secondary school
398 guidance counselors, and prospective employers of the
399 institution’s program graduates.
400 (f) By January 1 of each year, the Department of Education
401 shall report the results of each approved program’s annual
402 progress on the performance measures in paragraph (a) as well as
403 the current approval status of each program to:
404 1. The Governor.
405 2. The President of the Senate.
406 3. The Speaker of the House of Representatives.
407 4. The State Board of Education.
408 5. The Board of Governors.
409 6. The Commissioner of Education.
410 7. Each Florida postsecondary teacher preparation program.
411 8. Each district school superintendent.
412 9. The public.
413
414 This report may include the results of other continued approval
415 requirements provided by the State Board of Education rules and
416 recommendations for improving teacher preparation programs in
417 the state.
418 (5)(6) PRESERVICE FIELD EXPERIENCE.—All postsecondary
419 instructors, school district personnel and instructional
420 personnel, and school sites preparing instructional personnel
421 through preservice field experience courses and internships
422 shall meet special requirements. District school boards may are
423 authorized to pay student teachers during their internships.
424 (a) All instructors in postsecondary teacher preparation
425 programs who instruct or supervise preservice field experience
426 courses or internships in which candidates demonstrate an impact
427 on student learning growth must shall have each at least one of
428 the following: specialized training in clinical supervision; a
429 valid professional teaching certificate pursuant to ss. 1012.56
430 and 1012.585; and or at least 3 years of successful teaching
431 experience in prekindergarten through grade 12.
432 (b) All school district personnel and instructional
433 personnel who supervise or direct teacher preparation students
434 during field experience courses or internships in which
435 candidates demonstrate an impact on student learning growth must
436 have evidence of “clinical educator” training, a valid
437 professional certificate issued pursuant to s. 1012.56, and at
438 least 3 years of teaching experience in prekindergarten through
439 grade 12 and must have earned an effective or highly effective
440 rating on the prior year’s performance evaluation under s.
441 1012.34 or be a peer evaluator under the district’s evaluation
442 system approved under s. 1012.34 successfully demonstrate
443 effective classroom management strategies that consistently
444 result in improved student performance. The State Board of
445 Education shall approve the training requirements.
446 (c) Preservice field experience programs must include
447 candidate practice provide specific guidance and demonstration
448 of the uniform core curricula specific to the candidates’ area
449 or areas of program concentration with a diverse population of
450 students in a variety of settings effective classroom management
451 strategies, strategies for incorporating technology into
452 classroom instruction, strategies for incorporating
453 scientifically researched, knowledge-based reading literacy and
454 computational skills acquisition into classroom instruction, and
455 ways to link instructional plans to the Sunshine State
456 Standards, as appropriate. The length of structured field
457 experiences may be extended to ensure that candidates achieve
458 the competencies needed to meet certification requirements.
459 (d) Postsecondary teacher preparation programs in
460 cooperation with district school boards and approved private
461 school associations shall select the school sites for preservice
462 field experience activities based upon the qualifications of the
463 supervising personnel as described in this subsection and the
464 needs of the candidates. These sites must represent the full
465 spectrum of school communities, including, but not limited to,
466 schools located in urban settings. In order to be selected,
467 school sites must demonstrate commitment to the education of
468 public school students and to the preparation of future
469 teachers.
470 (7) STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE.—The State Board of Education
471 shall approve standards of excellence for teacher preparation.
472 These standards must exceed the requirements for program
473 approval pursuant to subsection (4) and must incorporate state
474 and national recommendations for exemplary teacher preparation
475 programs.
476 (8) NATIONAL BOARD STANDARDS.—The State Board of Education
477 shall review standards and recommendations developed by the
478 National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and may
479 incorporate those parts deemed appropriate into criteria for
480 continued state program approval, standards of excellence, and
481 requirements for inservice education.
482 (9) FLORIDA COLLEGE SYSTEM INSTITUTIONS.—To the extent
483 practical, postsecondary educational institutions offering
484 teacher preparation programs shall establish articulation
485 agreements on a core of liberal arts courses and introductory
486 professional courses with field experience components which
487 shall be offered at Florida College System institutions.
488 (10) SHORT-TERM EXPERIENCES AS TEACHER ASSISTANTS.
489 Postsecondary institutions offering teacher preparation programs
490 and Florida College System institutions, in collaboration with
491 school districts, may develop and implement a program to provide
492 short-term experiences as teacher assistants prior to beginning
493 a teacher preparation program or alternative certification
494 program. The program shall serve individuals with baccalaureate
495 degrees who are interested in the teaching profession. This
496 experience may be accepted for use in teacher preparation
497 programs and competency-based alternative certification
498 programs, where applicable.
499 (6)(11) RULES.—The State Board of Education shall adopt
500 necessary rules pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to
501 implement this section.
502 Section 2. Section 1004.85, Florida Statutes, is amended to
503 read:
504 1004.85 Postsecondary educator preparation institutes.—
505 (1) As used in this section, the term “educator preparation
506 institute” means an institute created by a postsecondary
507 institution or a qualified private provider and approved by the
508 Department of Education.
509 (2)(a) Postsecondary institutions that are accredited or
510 approved as described in the State Board of Education rule may
511 seek approval from the Department of Education to create
512 educator preparation institutes for the purpose of providing any
513 or all of the following:
514 1.(a) Professional development instruction to assist
515 teachers in improving classroom instruction and in meeting
516 certification or recertification requirements.
517 2.(b) Instruction to assist potential and existing
518 substitute teachers in performing their duties.
519 3.(c) Instruction to assist paraprofessionals in meeting
520 education and training requirements.
521 4.(d) Instruction for baccalaureate degree holders to
522 become certified teachers as provided in this section in order
523 to increase routes to the classroom for mid-career professionals
524 who hold a baccalaureate degree and college graduates who were
525 not education majors.
526 (b) A private provider that has a proven history of
527 delivering high-quality teacher preparation, which is based on
528 evidence provided from other state recipients of its services
529 and data showing the successful performance of its completers
530 based on student achievement, may seek approval to offer a
531 competency-based certification program under subsection (3).
532 (3) Educator preparation institutes approved pursuant to
533 this section may offer competency-based alternative
534 certification programs specifically designed for noneducation
535 major baccalaureate degree holders to enable program
536 participants to meet the educator certification requirements of
537 s. 1012.56. Such programs shall be competency-based educator
538 certification preparation programs that prepare educators
539 through an alternative route. An educator preparation institute
540 choosing to offer a competency-based an alternative
541 certification program pursuant to the provisions of this section
542 must implement a program previously approved by the Department
543 of Education for this purpose or a program developed by the
544 institute and approved by the department for this purpose.
545 Approved programs shall be available for use by other approved
546 educator preparation institutes.
547 (a) Within 90 days after receipt of a request for approval,
548 the Department of Education shall approve a preparation an
549 alternative certification program pursuant to the requirements
550 of this subsection or issue a statement of the deficiencies in
551 the request for approval. The department shall approve a an
552 alternative certification program if the institute provides
553 sufficient evidence of the institute’s capacity to implement a
554 competency-based program that includes each of the following:
555 1.a. Participant instruction and assessment in the Florida
556 Educator Accomplished Practices.
557 b. The state-adopted student content standards.
558 c. Scientifically researched reading instruction.
559 d. Content literacy and mathematical practices.
560 e. Strategies appropriate for instruction of English
561 language learners.
562 f. Strategies appropriate for instruction of students with
563 disabilities.
564 g. School safety.
565 2. An educational plan for each participant to meet
566 certification requirements and demonstrate his or her ability to
567 teach the subject area for which the participant is seeking
568 certification, which is based on an assessment of his or her
569 competency in the areas listed in subparagraph 1 Instruction
570 must be provided in professional knowledge and subject matter
571 content that includes educator-accomplished practices and
572 competencies specified in State Board of Education rule and
573 meets subject matter content requirements, professional
574 competency testing requirements, and competencies associated
575 with teaching scientifically based reading instruction and
576 strategies that research has shown to be successful in improving
577 reading among low-performing readers.
578 3.2. Field experiences appropriate to the certification
579 subject area specified in the educational plan with a diverse
580 population of students in a variety of settings under the
581 program must provide field experience with supervision of from
582 qualified educators.
583 4.3. The program must provide A certification ombudsman to
584 facilitate the process and procedures required for participants
585 who complete the program to meet any requirements related to the
586 background screening pursuant to s. 1012.32 and educator
587 professional or temporary certification pursuant to s. 1012.56.
588 (b) Each program participant must:
589 1. Meet certification requirements pursuant to s.
590 1012.56(1) by obtaining a statement of status of eligibility in
591 the certification subject area of the educational plan and meet
592 the requirements of s. 1012.56(2)(a)-(f).
593 2. Participate in coursework and field experiences that are
594 experience that is appropriate to his or her educational plan
595 prepared under paragraph (a).
596 3. Before completion of the program, fully demonstrate his
597 or her ability to teach the subject area for which he or she is
598 seeking certification by documenting a positive impact on
599 student learning growth in a prekindergarten through grade 12
600 setting and achieving demonstrate mastery of professional
601 preparation and education competence by achievement of a passing
602 score on the professional education competency examination, the
603 basic skills examination, and the subject area examination for
604 the subject area certification which is required by state board
605 rule prior to completion of the program.
606 (c) Upon completion of all requirements for a an
607 alternative certification program approved pursuant to this
608 subsection, a participant shall receive a credential from the
609 sponsoring institution signifying that the participant has
610 completed a state-approved competency-based certification
611 program in the certification subject area specified in the
612 educational plan satisfaction of the requirements of s.
613 1012.56(6) relating to mastery of professional preparation and
614 education competence. A participant is shall be eligible for
615 educator certification through the Department of Education upon
616 satisfaction of all requirements for certification set forth in
617 s. 1012.56(2), including demonstration of mastery of general
618 knowledge, subject area knowledge, and professional preparation
619 and education competence, through testing or other statutorily
620 authorized means.
621 (d) If an institution offers an alternative certification
622 program approved pursuant to this subsection, such program may
623 be used by the school district or districts served by that
624 institution in addition to the alternative certification program
625 as required in s. 1012.56(8).
626 (4) Continued approval of each program approved pursuant to
627 this section shall be determined by the Commissioner of
628 Education based upon a periodic review of the following areas:
629 (a) Documentation from the program that each program
630 completer has met the requirements of paragraphs (3)(a)-(c);
631 (b) Evidence of performance in each of the following areas:
632 1. Placement rate of program completers into instructional
633 positions in Florida public schools.
634 2. Rate of retention for employed program completers in
635 instructional positions in Florida public schools.
636 3. Performance of students in prekindergarten through grade
637 12 who are assigned to in-field program completers on statewide
638 assessments using the results of the student learning growth
639 formula adopted under s. 1012.34.
640 4. Performance of students in prekindergarten through grade
641 12 who are assigned to in-field program completers aggregated by
642 student subgroups, as defined in the federal Elementary and
643 Secondary Education Act (ESEA), 20 U.S.C. s.
644 6311(b)(2)(C)(v)(II), as a measure of how well the program
645 prepares teachers to work with a diverse population of students
646 in a variety of settings in Florida public schools.
647 5. Results of a program completer’s annual performance
648 evaluation pursuant to s. 1012.34.
649 6. Production of program completers in statewide critical
650 teacher shortage areas as identified in s. 1012.07.
651 (5)(4) Each institute approved pursuant to this section
652 shall submit to the Department of Education annual performance
653 evaluations that measure the effectiveness of the programs,
654 including the pass rates of participants on all examinations
655 required for teacher certification, employment rates,
656 longitudinal retention rates, and employer satisfaction surveys.
657 The employer satisfaction surveys must be designed to measure
658 the sufficient preparation of the educator to enter the
659 classroom. These evaluations shall be used by the Department of
660 Education for purposes of continued approval of an educator
661 preparation institute’s alternative certification program.
662 (6)(5) Instructors and supervisors of field experiences in
663 which participants demonstrate an impact on student learning
664 growth for a an alternative certification program approved
665 pursuant to this section must meet the same qualifications as
666 those required in s. 1004.04(5) possess a master’s degree in
667 education or a master’s degree in an appropriate related field
668 and document teaching experience.
669 (7)(6) Educator preparation institutes approved pursuant to
670 this section and providing approved instructional programs for
671 any of the purposes in subsection (2) are eligible for funding
672 from federal and state funds, as appropriated by the
673 Legislature.
674 (8)(7) The State Board of Education may adopt rules
675 pursuant to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to implement the
676 provisions of this section, including performance targets for
677 the measures used for continued program approval described in
678 subsection (4).
679 Section 3. Paragraph (d) of subsection (2) of section
680 1012.32, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
681 1012.32 Qualifications of personnel.—
682 (2)
683 (d) Student teachers and, persons participating in a field
684 experience pursuant to s. 1004.04(5) s. 1004.04(6) or s.
685 1004.85, and persons participating in a short-term experience as
686 a teacher assistant pursuant to s. 1004.04(10) in any district
687 school system, lab school, or charter school must, upon
688 engagement to provide services, undergo background screening as
689 required under s. 1012.56.
690
691 Fingerprints shall be submitted to the Department of Law
692 Enforcement for statewide criminal and juvenile records checks
693 and to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for federal criminal
694 records checks. A person subject to this subsection who is found
695 ineligible for employment under s. 1012.315, or otherwise found
696 through background screening to have been convicted of any crime
697 involving moral turpitude as defined by rule of the State Board
698 of Education, shall not be employed, engaged to provide
699 services, or serve in any position that requires direct contact
700 with students. Probationary persons subject to this subsection
701 terminated because of their criminal record have the right to
702 appeal such decisions. The cost of the background screening may
703 be borne by the district school board, the charter school, the
704 employee, the contractor, or a person subject to this
705 subsection.
706 Section 4. Subsection (1) of section 1012.55, Florida
707 Statutes, is amended to read:
708 1012.55 Positions for which certificates required.—
709 (1)(a) The State Board of Education shall classify school
710 services, designate the certification subject areas, establish
711 competencies, including the use of technology to enhance student
712 learning, and certification requirements for all school-based
713 personnel, and adopt rules in accordance with which the
714 professional, temporary, and part-time certificates shall be
715 issued by the Department of Education to applicants who meet the
716 standards prescribed by such rules for their class of service.
717 (b) Each person employed or occupying a position as school
718 supervisor, school principal, teacher, library media specialist,
719 school counselor, athletic coach, or other position in which the
720 employee serves in an instructional capacity, in any public
721 school of any district of this state shall hold the certificate
722 required by law and by rules of the State Board of Education in
723 fulfilling the requirements of the law for the type of service
724 rendered. Such positions include personnel providing direct
725 instruction to students through a virtual environment or through
726 a blended virtual and physical environment.
727 (c) The Department of Education shall identify appropriate
728 educator certification for the instruction of specified courses
729 in an annual publication of a directory of course code numbers
730 for all programs and courses that are funded through the Florida
731 Education Finance Program. However, the state board shall adopt
732 rules authorizing district school boards to employ selected
733 noncertificated personnel to provide instructional services in
734 the individuals’ fields of specialty or to assist instructional
735 staff members as education paraprofessionals.
736 (d) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules pursuant
737 to ss. 120.536(1) and 120.54 to allow an individual who meets
738 the following criteria to be eligible for a temporary
739 certificate in educational leadership under s. 1012.56(7):
740 1. Earning a passing score on the Florida Educational
741 Leadership Examination;
742 2. Documenting 3 years of successful experience in a
743 management or leadership position; and
744 3. Documenting receipt of a bachelor’s degree or higher
745 from an accredited institution of higher learning or from a
746 nonaccredited institution of higher learning that the Department
747 of Education has identified as having a quality program that
748 results in a bachelor’s degree, or higher.
749 Section 5. Paragraph (c) of subsection (2), subsection (8),
750 and paragraph (d) of subsection (9) of section 1012.56, Florida
751 Statutes, are amended to read:
752 1012.56 Educator certification requirements.—
753 (2) ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA.—To be eligible to seek
754 certification, a person must:
755 (c) Document receipt of a bachelor’s or higher degree from
756 an accredited institution of higher learning, or a nonaccredited
757 institution of higher learning that the Department of Education
758 has identified as having a quality program resulting in a
759 bachelor’s degree, or higher. Each applicant seeking initial
760 certification must have attained at least a 2.5 overall grade
761 point average on a 4.0 scale in the applicant’s major field of
762 study. The applicant may document the required education by
763 submitting official transcripts from institutions of higher
764 education or by authorizing the direct submission of such
765 official transcripts through established electronic network
766 systems. The bachelor’s or higher degree may not be required in
767 areas approved in rule by the State Board of Education as
768 nondegreed areas. The State Board of Education may adopt rules
769 that, for purposes of demonstrating completion of specific
770 certification requirements, allow for the acceptance of college
771 course credits recommended by the American Council for Education
772 (ACE), as posted on an official ACE transcript.
773 (8) PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PREPARATION ALTERNATIVE
774 CERTIFICATION AND EDUCATION COMPETENCY PROGRAM.—
775 (a) The Department of Education shall develop and each
776 school district may must provide a cohesive competency-based
777 professional development preparation alternative certification
778 program by which members of a school district’s instructional
779 staff may satisfy the mastery of professional preparation and
780 education competence requirements specified in this subsection
781 and rules of the State Board of Education. Participants must
782 hold a state-issued temporary certificate. A school district
783 that implements the program shall provide a competency-based
784 alternative certification preparation program developed by the
785 Department of Education or developed by the district and
786 approved by the Department of Education. The program shall
787 include the following components:
788 1. A minimum period of initial preparation before prior to
789 assuming duties as the teacher of record.
790 2. An option for collaboration between school districts and
791 other supporting agencies or educational entities for
792 implementation.
793 3. Experienced peer mentors. Each individual selected by
794 the district as a peer mentor must hold a valid professional
795 certificate issued pursuant to s. 1012.56, must have earned at
796 least 3 years of teaching experience in prekindergarten through
797 grade 12, and must have earned an effective or highly effective
798 rating on the prior year’s performance evaluation under s.
799 1012.34 or be a peer evaluator under the district’s evaluation
800 system approved under s. 1012.34.
801 4. An assessment of teaching performance aligned to the
802 district’s system for personnel evaluation under s. 1012.34
803 which that provides for:
804 a. An initial evaluation of each educator’s competencies to
805 determine an appropriate individualized professional development
806 plan.
807 b. A summative evaluation postevaluation to assure
808 successful completion of the program.
809 5. Professional education preparation content knowledge
810 that includes, but is not limited to, the following:
811 a. The state-adopted student content standards, including
812 content literacy and mathematical practices, for each subject
813 identified on the temporary certificate Requirements specified
814 in state board rule for professional preparation.
815 b. The educator-accomplished practices approved by the
816 state board.
817 c. A variety of data indicators for monitoring student
818 progress.
819 d. Methodologies for teaching students with disabilities,
820 including technology-based methodologies, for teaching subject
821 content that supports the Sunshine State Standards for students.
822 e. Methodologies for teaching English language learners
823 appropriate for each subject area identified on the temporary
824 certificate Techniques for effective classroom management.
825 f. Techniques and strategies for operationalizing the role
826 of the teacher in assuring a safe learning environment for
827 students.
828 g. Methodologies for assuring the ability of all students
829 to read, write, and compute.
830 6. Required achievement of passing scores on the subject
831 area and professional education competency examination required
832 by the State Board of Education rule. Mastery of general
833 knowledge must be demonstrated as described in subsection (3).
834 (b)1. Each school district must and a state supported
835 public school or a private school may develop and maintain a
836 system by which members of the instructional staff may
837 demonstrate mastery of professional education competence as
838 required by law. Each program must be based on classroom
839 application of the Florida Educator Accomplished Practices and
840 instructional performance and, for public schools, must be
841 aligned with the district’s evaluation system approved under s.
842 1012.34 must include a performance evaluation plan for
843 documenting the demonstration of required professional education
844 competence.
845 2. The Commissioner of Education shall determine the
846 continued approval of programs implemented under this paragraph,
847 based upon the department’s review of performance data. The
848 department shall review the performance data as a part of the
849 periodic review of each school district’s professional
850 development system required under s. 1012.98.
851 (c) The Commissioner of Education shall determine the
852 continued approval of programs implemented under paragraph (a)
853 based upon the department’s periodic review of the following:
854 1. Evidence that the requirements in paragraph (a) are
855 consistently met; and
856 2. Evidence of performance in each of the following areas:
857 a. Rate of retention for employed program completers in
858 instructional positions in Florida public schools.
859 b. Performance of students in prekindergarten through grade
860 12 who are assigned to in-field program completers on statewide
861 assessments using the results of the student learning growth
862 formula adopted under s. 1012.34.
863 c. Performance of students in prekindergarten through grade
864 12 who are assigned to in-field program completers aggregated by
865 student subgroups, as defined in the federal Elementary and
866 Secondary Education Act (ESEA), 20 U.S.C. s.
867 6311(b)(2)(C)(v)(II), as a measure of how well the program
868 prepares teachers to work with a variety of students in Florida
869 public schools.
870 d. Results of a program completer’s annual performance
871 evaluation pursuant to s. 1012.34.
872 e. Production of program completers in statewide critical
873 teacher shortage areas as defined in s. 1012.07.
874 (9) EXAMINATIONS.—
875 (d) The department shall provide procedures for an
876 applicant who fails an examination developed by the department
877 or by an entity under contract with the department to review his
878 or her examination questions and his or her incorrectly answered
879 responses to the questions. The applicant bears the actual cost
880 for the department to provide an examination review pursuant to
881 this subsection. Notwithstanding any other provisions of law,
882 only an applicant who fails an examination within a score range
883 established by rule of the State Board of Education is entitled
884 to an examination review under this paragraph or to challenge
885 the validity of the examination If an applicant takes an
886 examination developed by this state and does not achieve the
887 score necessary for certification, the applicant may review his
888 or her completed examination and bring to the attention of the
889 department any errors that would result in a passing score.
890 Section 6. Paragraph (a) of subsection (3) of section
891 1012.585, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
892 1012.585 Process for renewal of professional certificates.—
893 (3) For the renewal of a professional certificate, the
894 following requirements must be met:
895 (a) The applicant must earn a minimum of 6 college credits
896 or 120 inservice points or a combination thereof. For each area
897 of specialization to be retained on a certificate, the applicant
898 must earn at least 3 of the required credit hours or equivalent
899 inservice points in the specialization area. Education in
900 “clinical educator” training pursuant to s. 1004.04(5)(b) s.
901 1004.04(6)(b) and credits or points that provide training in the
902 area of scientifically researched, knowledge-based reading
903 literacy and computational skills acquisition, exceptional
904 student education, normal child development, and the disorders
905 of development may be applied toward any specialization area.
906 Credits or points that provide training in the areas of drug
907 abuse, child abuse and neglect, strategies in teaching students
908 having limited proficiency in English, or dropout prevention, or
909 training in areas identified in the educational goals and
910 performance standards adopted pursuant to ss. 1000.03(5) and
911 1008.345 may be applied toward any specialization area. Credits
912 or points earned through approved summer institutes may be
913 applied toward the fulfillment of these requirements. Inservice
914 points may also be earned by participation in professional
915 growth components approved by the State Board of Education and
916 specified pursuant to s. 1012.98 in the district’s approved
917 master plan for inservice educational training, including, but
918 not limited to, serving as a trainer in an approved teacher
919 training activity, serving on an instructional materials
920 committee or a state board or commission that deals with
921 educational issues, or serving on an advisory council created
922 pursuant to s. 1001.452.
923 Section 7. Section 1012.71, Florida Statutes, is amended to
924 read:
925 1012.71 The Florida Teachers Classroom Supply Assistance
926 Lead Program.—
927 (1) For purposes of the Florida Teachers Classroom Supply
928 Assistance Lead Program, the term “classroom teacher” means a
929 certified teacher employed by a public school district or a
930 public charter school in that district on or before September 1
931 of each year whose full-time or job-share responsibility is the
932 classroom instruction of students in prekindergarten through
933 grade 12, including full-time media specialists and guidance
934 counselors serving students in prekindergarten through grade 12,
935 who are funded through the Florida Education Finance Program. A
936 “job-share” classroom teacher is one of two teachers whose
937 combined full-time equivalent employment for the same teaching
938 assignment equals one full-time classroom teacher.
939 (2) The Legislature, in the General Appropriations Act,
940 shall determine funding for the Florida Teachers Classroom
941 Supply Assistance Lead Program. The funds appropriated are for
942 classroom teachers to purchase, on behalf of the school district
943 or charter school, classroom materials and supplies for the
944 public school students assigned to them and may not be used to
945 purchase equipment. The funds appropriated shall be used to
946 supplement the materials and supplies otherwise available to
947 classroom teachers. From the funds appropriated for the Florida
948 Teachers Classroom Supply Assistance Lead Program, the
949 Commissioner of Education shall calculate an amount for each
950 school district based upon each school district’s proportionate
951 share of the state’s total unweighted FTE student enrollment and
952 shall disburse the funds to the school districts by July 15.
953 (3) From the funds allocated to each school district and
954 any local contributions received for the Florida Teachers
955 Classroom Supply Assistance Lead Program, the district school
956 board shall calculate an identical amount for each classroom
957 teacher, which is that teacher’s proportionate share of the
958 total amount allocated to the district from the state and any
959 local contributions. A job-share classroom teacher may receive a
960 prorated share of the amount provided to a full-time classroom
961 teacher. The district school board and each charter school board
962 shall provide each classroom teacher with his or her total
963 proportionate share by September 30 of each year through a debit
964 card by any means determined appropriate by the district school
965 board or charter school board, including, but not limited to,
966 direct deposit, check, debit card, or purchasing card,
967 notwithstanding any law to the contrary. The debit card must
968 include an identifier placed on the front of the card which
969 clearly indicates that the card has been issued for the Florida
970 Teachers Classroom Supply Assistance Program. Expenditures under
971 the program are not subject to state or local competitive
972 bidding requirements. Funds received by a classroom teacher do
973 not affect wages, hours, or terms and conditions of employment
974 and, therefore, are not subject to collective bargaining. Any
975 classroom teacher may decline receipt of or return the funds
976 without explanation or cause. This subsection shall apply
977 retroactively to July 1, 2007.
978 (4) Each classroom teacher must sign a statement
979 acknowledging receipt of the funds, keep receipts for no less
980 than 4 years to show that funds expended meet the requirements
981 of this section, and return any unused funds to the district
982 school board at the end of the regular school year. Any unused
983 funds that are returned to the district school board shall be
984 deposited into the school advisory council account of the school
985 at which the classroom teacher returning the funds was employed
986 when that teacher received the funds or deposited into the
987 Florida Teachers Classroom Supply Assistance Lead Program
988 account of the school district in which a charter school is
989 sponsored, as applicable.
990 (5) The statement must be signed and dated by each
991 classroom teacher before receipt of the Florida Teachers
992 Classroom Supply Assistance Lead Program funds and shall include
993 the wording: “I, ...(name of teacher)..., am employed by the
994 ....County District School Board or by the ....Charter School as
995 a full-time classroom teacher. I acknowledge that Florida
996 Teachers Classroom Supply Assistance Lead Program funds are
997 appropriated by the Legislature for the sole purpose of
998 purchasing classroom materials and supplies to be used in the
999 instruction of students assigned to me. In accepting custody of
1000 these funds, I agree to keep the receipts for all expenditures
1001 for no less than 4 years. I understand that if I do not keep the
1002 receipts, it will be my personal responsibility to pay any
1003 federal taxes due on these funds. I also agree to return any
1004 unexpended funds to the district school board at the end of the
1005 regular school year for deposit into the school advisory council
1006 account of the school where I was employed at the time I
1007 received the funds or for deposit into the Florida Teachers
1008 Classroom Supply Assistance Lead Program account of the school
1009 district in which the charter school is sponsored, as
1010 applicable.”
1011 (6) The Department of Education may enter into public
1012 private partnerships in order to increase the capacity of the
1013 funds provided to school teachers. A district school board may
1014 enter into public-private partnerships For the 2009-2010 fiscal
1015 year, the Department of Education is authorized to conduct a
1016 pilot program to determine the feasibility of managing the
1017 Florida Teachers Lead Program through a centralized electronic
1018 system. The pilot program must:
1019 (a) Be established through a competitive procurement
1020 process;
1021 (b) Provide the capability for participating teachers to
1022 purchase from online sources;
1023 (c) Provide the capability for participating teachers to
1024 purchase from local vendors by means other than online
1025 purchasing;
1026 (d) Generally comply with the provisions of this section;
1027 (e) Be subject to annual auditing requirements to ensure
1028 accountability for funds received and disbursed; and
1029 (f) Provide for all unused funds to be returned to the
1030 state at the close of each fiscal year.
1031
1032 Any participation in this pilot program by school districts and
1033 individual teachers must be on a voluntary basis. The department
1034 may limit the number of participating districts to the number it
1035 deems feasible to adequately measure the viability of the pilot
1036 program. The department is not required to implement this pilot
1037 program if it determines that the number of school districts
1038 willing to participate is insufficient to adequately measure the
1039 viability of the pilot program.
1040 Section 8. This act shall take effect July 1, 2013.