HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES STAFF ANALYSIS
BILL #: CS/HB 1159 Educator Preparation and Certification
SPONSOR(S): Education & Employment Committee, Busatta Cabrera
TIED BILLS: None IDEN./SIM. BILLS: CS/SB 934
REFERENCE ACTION ANALYST STAFF DIRECTOR or
BUDGET/POLICY CHIEF
1) Secondary Education & Career Development 16 Y, 0 N Wolff Sanchez
Subcommittee
2) Post-Secondary Education & Lifelong Learning 15 Y, 0 N Wolff Kiner
Subcommittee
3) Education & Employment Committee 19 Y, 0 N, As CS Wolff Hassell
SUMMARY ANALYSIS
The bill provides additional pathways to certification for teachers. The bill permits applicants for certification to
satisfy the mastery of general knowledge requirement through receipt of a master’s degree or higher from an
institution the Department of Education (DOE) has identified as a quality program. Additionally, the bill permits
applicants to satisfy the professional education competence requirement through completion of a DOE
approved Educator Preparation Institute (EPI) and receipt of a highly effective rating on their performance
evaluation.
The bill requires that the core curricula for teacher preparation programs and EPI competency-based
certification programs include instruction on the early identification of students in crisis as well as the use of
technology in education and distance learning. The bill permits EPIs to provide instruction and professional
development for nondegreed teachers in career programs.
The bill authorizes an organization of private schools or a consortium of charter schools to develop an
alternative preparation program for certified teachers for submission to the DOE for approval.
The bill expands the William Cecil Golden Professional Development Program for School Leaders (PD
Program) to provide supports to additional school administrators and leaders while focusing on data- and
evidence-based training and supports.
The bill has an indeterminate positive impact on local government and the private sector. See fiscal comments.
The bill provides an effective date of July 1, 2021.
This document 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:
Teacher Preparation Programs
Present Situation
Teacher preparation programs are accountable for producing individuals with the competencies and
skills necessary to achieve the state education goals.1 State-approved teacher preparation programs
are offered by Florida public and private postsecondary institutions, public school districts, and private
providers by which candidates for educator certification can, depending on the type of program,
demonstrate mastery of general knowledge, professional preparation and education competence, and
subject area knowledge for purposes of attaining an educator certificate.2
As part of the initial approval requirements3 for a teacher preparation program, the program must
require its students to meet, at a minimum, the following prerequisites for admission into the program:4
Have at least a 2.5 GPA for the general education component of undergraduate studies or have
completed the requirements for a baccalaureate degree with a minimum of a 2.5 GPA from any
college or university.5
Demonstrate mastery of general knowledge, including the ability to read, write, and perform in
mathematics, by passing the General Knowledge Test (GKT) of the Florida Teacher
Certification Examination6 (FTCE) or, for a graduate level program, obtain a baccalaureate
degree from an institution.7
Teacher preparation programs may waive these admissions requirements for up to 10 percent of
admitted students. Programs must implement strategies to ensure these students receive assistance to
meet the professional certificate requirements and must annually report their status to the DOE.8
The State Board of Education (SBE) must adopt rules to establish uniform core curricula for each state-
approved teacher preparation program.9 These rules must include, at a minimum, the following:10
The Florida Educator Accomplished Practices.11
The state-adopted content standards.
Scientifically researched and evidence-based reading instructional strategies that improve
reading performance for all students, including explicit, systematic, and sequential approaches
to teaching phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and text comprehension and
multisensory intervention strategies.
Content literacy and mathematics practices.
Strategies appropriate for the instruction of English language learners.
1
Section 1004.04(1)(b), F.S.
2
See Florida Department of Education, Professional Development in Florida, http://www.fldoe.org/teaching/professional-dev/ (last
visited April 1, 2021). See also rule 6A-5.066, F.A.C.; ss. 1004.04(3)(a) and 1004.85(1), F.S.
3
Section 1004.04(3)(a)-(c), F.S.
4
Section 1004.04(3)(b)1.-2., F.S.
5
See rule 6A-4.003(1), F.A.C. The college or university must be accredited by a regional accrediting association as defined by the
State Board of Education (SBE) rule or any college or university otherwise approved by the SBE.
6
See s. 1012.56(3)(a), F.S. and rule 6A-4.0021, F.A.C.
7
See rule 6A-4.003(1), F.A.C. The institution must be accredited or approved by the SBE.
8
Section 1004.04(1), F.S.
9
Section 1004.04(2)(a), F.S.
10
Section 1004.04(2)(b)1-7, F.S.
11
Florida Department of Education, The Florida Educator Accomplished Practices (FEAPs),
http://www.fldoe.org/teaching/professional-dev/the-fl-educator-accomplished-practices.stml (last visited April 1, 2021). The Florida
Educator Accomplished Practices (FEAPs) are Florida's core standards for effective educators and provide valuable guidance to
Florida's public school educators and educator preparation programs throughout the state on what educators are expected to know and
be able to do.
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Strategies appropriate for the instruction of students with disabilities.
Strategies to differentiate instruction based on student needs.
The use of character-based classroom management.
Each teacher-candidate must be instructed and assessed on the uniform core curricula in his or her
program concentration area during course work and field experiences. Additionally, each candidate
must participate in field experience and pass the FTCE.12
EPIs are offered by Florida postsecondary institutions or qualified private providers to provide
instruction for baccalaureate or higher degree holders who did not earn an education-related degree,
resulting in qualification for a temporary teaching certificate.13 EPIs are designed for baccalaureate
degree holders to become certified teachers.14
EPIs are permitted to provide any or all of the following:15
Professional development to assist teachers in improving classroom instruction and in meeting
certification or recertification requirements.
Instruction to assist potential and existing substitute teachers in performing their duties.
Instruction, through a competency-based certification program, for baccalaureate degree
holders, from noneducation majors, to become certified teachers.
EPIs may be approved to offer competency-based certification programs for noneducation major
baccalaureate degree holders to permit participants to meet teacher certification requirements.16 In
order to be approved by the DOE, the EPI must submit evidence of its ability to provide students with
instruction in the statutorily mandated minimum core curricula of teacher preparation programs
described above.17
Effect of Proposed Changes
The bill provides additional requirements for the core curricula of teacher preparation programs and EPI
competency-based certification programs. The bill requires that the core curricula address:
Strategies for the early identification of students in crisis or experiencing a mental health
challenge and the referral of such students to a mental health professional for support.
Strategies to support the use of technology in education and distance learning.
The bill removes the requirements that an applicant for a teacher preparation program pass the GKT
prior to admission. Participants in teacher preparation programs must now complete the GKT
requirement prior to graduation from the program. Accordingly, the bill removes the authority for teacher
preparation programs to waive admission requirements.
The bill adds a new area of instruction that an EPI may provide, namely, instruction and professional
development for part-time or full-time nondegreed teachers of career programs.
12
Section 1004.04(2)(c)-(d), F.S.
13
Section 1004.85, F.S.
14
Section 1004.85(3), F.S.
15
Section 1004.85(2), F.S.
16
Section 1004.85(3), F.S.
17
Section 1004.85(3)(a), F.S.
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Teacher Certification
Present Situation
Florida is similarly situated to many other states with respect to the examination component of the
professional teacher certification process. Specifically, 27 other states and the District of Columbia
require passage of a test for baseline, core academic skills like the GKT.18
Florida has three types of teaching certificates: a professional certificate; a temporary certificate; and an
adjunct certificate.19 For all three, teacher-candidates must submit an application, satisfy general
eligibility requirements20 and certificate-specific requirements included in the chart below.
Temporary Certificate Professional Certificate Adjunct Certificate
Requirements21 Requirements22 Requirements23
All general eligibility criteria, plus: All general eligibility criteria, plus: All general eligibility criteria ,
Demonstrate mastery of Demonstration of general plus:
subject area knowledge knowledge Does not require passage of
Obtain full-time employment Demonstration of subject the GKT or mastery of general
in a position for which a area knowledge knowledge
Florida educators’ certificate Demonstration of Demonstrate expertise in the
is required in a Florida professional preparation
public, state supported, or a area to be taught by passing a
and education competence
nonpublic school which has subject-area test.
an approved system for
documenting the Adjunct certificate-holders may
demonstration of required be employed as part-time
professional education instructional staff. The adjunct
competence certificate is valid for only one
year and may be reissued if the
individual receives a rating of
“effective” or “highly effective.”
A temporary certificate is nonrenewable, valid for three school years, and allows a teacher-candidate to
be employed full-time while completing the outstanding requirements for a professional teaching
certificate.24 Demonstration of the mastery of general knowledge must be satisfied within one year of
the date of employment under the temporary certificate.25
In addition to achieving a passing score on the GKT, there are four additional ways to satisfy the
mastery of general knowledge requirement. They are:26
Documentation of a valid professional standard teaching certificate issued by another state;
Documentation of a valid certificate issued by the National Board for Professional Teaching
Standards or other credentialing board approved by the State Board of Education (SBE);
Documentation of two semesters of teaching in a postsecondary institution identified by the
DOE as having a quality program; or
18
Praxis, State Requirements, https://www.ets.org/praxis/states (last visited April 1, 2021).
19
Rule 6A-4.004(4), F.A.C., provides for an “athletic” certificate. This certificate is distinct from those referenced above in that it is
limited to athletic coaches who do not have responsibility for subject matter instruction.
20
Section 1012.56(2), F.S.
21
Section 1012.56(7)(b), F.S.
22
Section 1012.56(7)(a), F.S.
23
Section 1012.57, F.S.
24
Florida Department of Education, Certificate Types and Requirements, http://www.fldoe.org/teaching/certification/general-cert-
requirements/ (last visited April 1, 2021).
25
Section 1012.56(2)(g), F.S.
26
Section 1012.56(3)(a)-(e), F.S.
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Achievement of passing scores on national or international examinations that test comparable
content and relevant standards including, the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).
An applicant for a professional certificate, is considered to have satisfied the demonstration of
professional preparation and education competence if they successfully completed a professional
preparation and education competence program approved by the DOE and received a highly effective
rating on their performance evaluation under s. 1012.34, F.S.
A district school board may design an alternative teacher preparation program to enable certified
teachers to add additional coverage to their certificates.27 Any such program must be reviewed and
approved by the DOE.28 The program must be designed to assure that persons who complete the
program are competent in the necessary areas of subject matter specialization.29 Two or more districts
may jointly participate in an alternative prepapartion program for teachers.30
Effect of Proposed Changes
The bill allows applicants for teacher certification to satisfy the mastery of general knowledge
requirement by submitting documentation of receipt of a master’s or higher degree from an accredited
postsecondary institution identified by the DOE as having a quality program resulting in a
baccalaureate degree or higher.
The bill exempts an applicant that completes an EPI program approved by the DOE and is rated highly
effected in their performance evaluation from the requirement to take or achieve a passing score on the
professional education competency examination before awarded a professional certificate.
The bill authorizes an organization of private schools or a consortium of charter schools to develop an
alternative preparation program for certified teachers. Programs developed by these entities must be
reviewed and approved by the DOE in the same manner as a program developed by a district school
board.
School District Employment of Certain Instructional Personnel
Present Situation
Each school district is required to establish minimum qualifications for substitute teachers, part-time
and full-time teachers in adult education programs and part-time or full-time nondegreed teachers of
career programs.31 The minimum requirements for substitute teachers must provide:32
The filing of fingerprints in the same manner as other school district personnel.
Documentation of minimum education level of high school diploma or equivalent.
Completion of an initial orientation and training program provided by the school district.33
Part-time or full-time teachers in adult education programs are required to submit fingerprints in the
same manner as other school district personnel.34 Such teachers employed solely to provide
postsecondary instruction may be exempted from this requirement.35