HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES STAFF ANALYSIS
BILL #: CS/CS/HB 573 Educator Certification Pathways for Veterans
SPONSOR(S): Education & Employment Committee, Secondary Education & Career Development
Subcommittee, Snyder and others
TIED BILLS: None IDEN./SIM. BILLS: CS/SB 896
REFERENCE ACTION ANALYST STAFF DIRECTOR or
BUDGET/POLICY CHIEF
1) Secondary Education & Career Development 17 Y, 0 N, As CS Aaronson Sanchez
Subcommittee
2) Local Administration & Veterans Affairs 17 Y, 0 N Mwakyanjala Miller
Subcommittee
3) Education & Employment Committee 20 Y, 0 N, As CS Aaronson Hassell
SUMMARY ANALYSIS
In Florida, to be eligible for an educator certificate to teach in a public school, an individual must meet basic
eligibility requirements, including earning a bachelor’s degree or higher. The Florida Department of Education
(DOE) may issue a professional educator certificate, temporary certificate, or athletic coaching certificate to
eligible educators. A temporary certificate covers employment in full-time positions for which an educator
certification is required, is valid for 3 years, and is nonrenewable. To receive a temporary certificate, among
other requirements, an individual must demonstrate mastery of subject area knowledge or complete the
required degree or content courses specified by the State Board of Education (SBE) and attain a specified
grade point average in the courses.
The bill creates an additional pathway to educator certification for military service members. The bill specifies
that a military service member may receive a temporary educator certificate if he or she meets the following
requirements, in place of holding a bachelor’s degree:
document 48 months of active-duty military service with an honorable discharge or a medical
separation;
completed 60 college credits with a minimum grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale, as provided by
an eligible institution of higher learning; and
enrollment in a teacher preparation program approved by the SBE.
The bill requires that temporary certificate holders be assigned a teacher mentor during their first 2 years of
employment. The teacher mentor must hold a valid professional teaching certification, have at least 3 years of
teaching experience, and have earned an effective or highly effective rating on the prior year’s performance
evaluation.
The bill provides that a temporary certificate for military service members who meet the established
requirements is valid for a period of 5 years, is limited to a one-time issuance, and is nonrenewable.
The bill repeals the active duty requirement for an honorably discharged veteran or a veteran of a reserve in
order for the veteran or his or her spouse to be eligible for the waiver of specified educator certification fees.
The fiscal impact of the bill is indeterminate. See fiscal comments, infra.
The bill takes effect on July 1, 2022.
This docum ent does not reflect the intent or official position of the bill sponsor or House of Representatives .
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FULL ANALYSIS
I. SUBSTANTIVE ANALYSIS
A. EFFECT OF PROPOSED CHANGES:
Florida Educator Certification
Present Situation
In Florida, a person may serve as an educator in a traditional public school, charter school, virtual
school, or other publicly operated school if they hold a certificate issued by the Florida Department of
Education (DOE).1
To be eligible for an educator certificate, an individual must meet the following basic eligibility
requirements:2
be at least 18 years of age;
sign an affidavit attesting that the applicant will uphold the U.S. and State of Florida
Constitutions;
document receipt of a bachelor’s or higher degree from an accredited institution of higher
learning3 or from a nonaccredited institution identified by the DOE as having a quality program
resulting in a bachelor’s or higher degree;4
submit to fingerprinting and background screening and not have a criminal history that requires
the applicant’s disqualification from certification or employment;
be of good moral character; and
be competent and capable of performing the duties, functions, and responsibilities of an
educator.
In addition, each applicant must submit an application and the required fee to the DOE.5
After meeting basic eligibility requirements, a person may choose a certification route. The DOE issues
three types of educator certificates:
Professional Certificate: Florida’s highest type of full-time educator certification;6 valid for 5
years and renewable.7
Temporary Certificate: covers employment in full-time positions for which educator certification
is required;8 valid for 3 years and nonrenewable.9
1 Sections 1012.55(1) and 1002.33(12)(f), F.S.
2 Section 1012.56(2)(a)-(f), F.S.
3 Section 1012.56(2)(c), F.S.; Rule 6A-4.003(1), F.A.C. (approved accrediting agencies); see also 34 C.F.R. ss. 602.1-602.50; U.S.
Department of Education, Regional and National Institutional Accrediting Agencies,
http://www2.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/accreditation_pg6.html (last visited Feb. 3, 2022) (list of accrediting agencies approved by
the U.S. Department of Education).
4 Section 1012.56(2)(c), F.S.; Rule 6A-4.003(2), F.A.C. (criteria for approval of nonaccredited institutions of higher learning). For
initial certification, an applicant must attain at least a 2.5 overall grade point average on a 4.0 scale in the applicant’s major field of
study. Section 1012.56(2)(c), F.S.
5 Section 1012.56(1), F.S.; See s. 1012.59, F.S. The fee for initial certification is $75 per subject area. Rule 6A -4.0012(1)(a)1. and 2.,
F.A.C.
6 Rule 6A-4.004(2), F.A.C.
7 Section 1012.56(7)(a), F.S.; See Rule 6A-4.0051(3)(c), F.A.C. (validity period is expressed as 5 years from July 1 of the school fiscal
year). The DOE also issues a nonrenewable 5-year professional certificate that allows an applicant with a bachelor’s deg ree in the area
of speech-language impairment to complete a master’s degree in speech -language impairment. Section 1012.56(7)(c), F.S.; Rule 6A-
4.004(3), F.A.C.
8 Rule 6A-4.004(1)(a)2., F.A.C.
9 Section 1012.56(7), F.S. (flush-left provisions at the end of subsection; validity period is expressed in school fiscal years); Rule 6A-
4.004(1)(a), F.A.C. The DOE also issues a nonrenewable temporary certificate, which is valid for 2 years, in the area of spee ch-
language impairment. Sections 1012.56(7)(c) and 1012.54, F.S.; Rule 6A-4.001(1), F.A.C.
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Athletic Coaching Certificate: covers full-time and part-time employment as a public-school
athletic coach;10 includes two types of athletic coaching certificates – one is valid for 5 years and
may be issued for subsequent 5-year periods while the other is valid for 3 years and may be
issued only once.11
Currently, all states in the United States require a bachelor’s degree for a person to receive a
professional educator certification and the most common pathway for certification is the traditional route
by initially earning a professional teaching certificate. 12
Professional Certification
A professional teaching certificate is valid for 5 years and is renewable. 13 To receive a professional
certificate, an applicant must:
meet the basic eligibility requirements for certification;14
demonstrate mastery of general knowledge;15
demonstrate mastery of subject area knowledge;16 and
demonstrate mastery of professional preparation and education competence. 17
Mastery of general knowledge for a professional teaching certificate may be demonstrated through
several methods, including the passing of one of several different examinations identified by the State
Board of Education (SBE),18 having a valid teaching certificate from another state, 19 having a SBE
approved national educator credentialing,20 having a master’s or higher degree,21 or completion of two
semesters of college teaching experience at a specified Florida institution. 22
Mastery of subject area knowledge for a professional teaching certificate may be demonstrated through
the passing of a subject matter examination under specific conditions, a valid teaching certificate from
another state, a valid certificate from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, or a
passing score or program completion of a specified defense language proficiency test or program. 23
The SBE also maintains a system for the development and approval of teacher preparation programs
for new teacher certification.24 Teacher preparation programs have entrance requirements for all
applications, including those who already have a bachelor’s degree, including a minimum GPA of 2.5
on a 4.0 scale and passage of the General Knowledge Test of the Florida Teacher Certification
Examination by the time of graduation.25
10 Section 1012.55(2), F.S.
11 Rule 6A-4.004(4), F.A.C. (validity periods expressed in school fiscal years).
12 TEACH National, 2021 Teacher Certification (Complete Guide) , https://www.teach.org/becoming-teacher/teaching-certification
(last visited Feb. 3, 2022).
13 Section 1012.56(7)(a), F.S.
14 Section 1012.56(2)(a)-(f), F.S.
15 Section 1012.56(2)(g) and (3), F.S.; Florida Department of Education, General Knowledge,
http://www.fldoe.org/teaching/certification/general-cert-requirements/general-knowledge.stml (last visited Feb. 3, 2022).
16 Section 1012.56(2)(h) and (5), F.S.
17 Section 1012.56(2)(i) and (6), F.S.; Florida Department of Education, Professional Preparation and Education Competence,
http://www.fldoe.org/teaching/certification/general-cert-requirements/professional-preparation-edu-competenc.stml (last visited Feb.
3, 2022).
18 Section 1012.56(3)(e), F.S. Examinations for mastery of general knowledge include the Florida General Knowledge Test and
identified test sections of the GRE, including GRE Analytical Writing, GRE Quantitative Reasoning, and GRE Verbal Reasoning.
19 Section 1012.56(3)(b), F.S.
20 Section 1012.56(3)(c), F.S.
21 Section 1012.56(3)(f), F.S. Degree must be from an accredited postsecondary educational institution that the DOE has identified as
having a quality program resulting in a bachelor’s degree or higher.
22 Section 1012.56(3)(d), F.S.
23 Section 1012.56(5), F.S.
24 Section 1004.04(1), F.S.
25 Section 1004.04(3), F.S.
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There are three state approved teacher preparation programs in Florida, including Initial Teacher
Preparation Programs (ITPs), Educator Preparation Institutes (EPIs), and Professional Development
Certification Programs (PDCPs).26 ITPs are the traditional pathway to a teaching license, culminating in
a bachelor’s or master’s degree and leading directly to professional teacher certification. 27 ITPs do not
require a bachelor’s degree to apply and are offered by Florida postsecondary institutions.28
EPIs provide an alternate route for educator licensure, allowing candidates who already hold a
bachelor’s degree to work as teachers while earning their professional certification. 29 PDCPs offer an
alternate route allowing teachers with temporary licenses to work as teachers with a mentorship
component while working towards full certification.30
Temporary Certification
A temporary teaching certificate is valid for 3 school fiscal years and is nonrenewable. 31 To receive a
temporary certificate, an applicant must:
meet the basic eligibility requirements for certification;32
obtain full-time employment in a position that requires a Florida educator certificate by a school
district or private school that has a DOE-approved professional education competence
demonstration program;33 and
do one of the following:
o demonstrate mastery of subject area knowledge;34 or
o complete the required degree or content courses specified in state board rule for subject
area specialization35 and attain at least a 2.5 grade point average on a 4.0 scale in the
subject area courses.36
To qualify for a temporary certificate, an applicant must meet subject area specialization requirements
in at least one subject. Each subject area has specific degree or course requirements set in State
Board Rule,37 and select subject areas including Reading, Speech-Language Impaired, School
Counseling, School Psychology, and School Social Work require a master’s or specialist degree. 38
The DOE offers a variety of pathways to transition from a temporary to professional teaching
certification, including certification programs, professional training programs, and professional
preparation college courses.39
Athletic Coaching Certification
26 Florida Department of Education, Florida Teacher Preparation Programs 2021 Annual Program Performance Reports Summary
and Analysis (2022), available at https://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/7502/urlt/22AnnTeachPrepReport.pdf.
27 Section 1004.04(3), F.S.
28 Florida Department of Education, State-Approved Educator Preparation Programs, available at
https://www.fldoe.org/teaching/preparation/initial-teacher-preparation-programs/approved-teacher-edu-programs.stml (last visited
Feb. 3, 2022). The DOE identifies 52 state-approved educator preparation programs at colleges and universities throughout Florida.
29 Section 1004.85(2), F.S.
30 Section 1012.56(8), F.S.
31 Section 1012.56(7)(c), F.S.
32 Section 1012.56(2)(a)-(f) and (7)(b), F.S
33 Section 1012.56(1)(b), F.S.; Rule 6A-4.004(1)(a), F.A.C.
34 Section 1012.56(7)(b), F.S.; Florida Department of Education, Subject Area Knowledge
http://www.fldoe.org/teaching/certification/general-cert-requirements/subject-area-knowledge.stml
(last visited Feb. 3, 2022).
35 Section 1012.56(7)(b), F.S. The degree and content requirements are specified in ch. 6A -4, F.A.C.
36 Section 1012.56(2)(c), F.S.; See Florida Department of Education, Certificate Types and Requirements,
http://www.fldoe.org/teaching/certification/general-cert-requirements (last visited Feb. 3, 2022).
37 Section 1012.56(7)(b), F.S. The degree and content requirements are established in ch. 6A-4, F.A.C.
38 Florida Department of Education, Educator Certification, Certificate Subjects,
https://www.fldoe.org/teaching/certification/certificate-subjects/#degreed (last visited Feb. 14, 2022).
39 Florida Department of Education, Certification Pathways and Routes, Pathways to Upgrade from a Temporary to a Professional
Certificate, https://www.fldoe.org/teaching/certification/pathways -routes/ (last visited Feb. 3, 2022).
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There are two types of athletic coaching certificates, one valid for 3 years and nonrenewable and one
valid for 5 years and may be issued for subsequent 5-year periods.40 To receive a nonrenewable
athletic coaching certificate for 3 years, an applicant must: 41
complete and submit the required Educator Certification Application to the DOE;42 and
submit fingerprint reports processed by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and
Florida Bureau of Investigation.
To receive a renewable athletic coaching certificate for 5 years, an applicant must:43
complete and submit the required Educator Certification Application to the DOE; 44
submit fingerprint reports processed by the FDLE and Florida Bureau of Investigation;
complete 9 semester hours in athletic coaching to include care and prevention of athletic injuries
and dangers of drug use, theory and practice of coaching a specific sport; and
have a valid cardiopulmonary resuscitation course completion card or certificate issued by an
entity approved by the Florida Department of Health (FDOH).45
Teacher Mentorship
The DOE provides PDCPs as a pathway to upgrade from a temporary certification to a professional
teaching certification. The program includes many components to prepare individuals to transition into
professional certification, including a mentorship and induction component. 46 A teacher mentor shall be
selected by the district for educators in the PDCP pathway, and the mentor must meet the following
requirements:47
hold a valid professional certificate;
earned at least 3 years of teaching experience in prekindergarten through grade 12;
completed specialized training in clinical supervision and participate in ongoing mentor training
provided by the DOE, including components on teacher development, peer coaching, time
management, and other related topics;48
earned an effective or highly effective rating on the prior year’s performance evaluation; and
may be a peer evaluator under the district’s evaluation system.
A teacher mentorship must provide minimu