Florida Administrative Code
6 - DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
6A - State Board of Education
Chapter 6A-4 - CERTIFICATION
Section 6A-4.002 - General Provisions
Universal Citation: FL Admin Code R 6A-4.002
Current through Reg. 50, No. 187; September 24, 2024
(1) Educator's certificates.
(a) Types of certificates. The
types of certificates are the professional certificate, the nonrenewable
professional certificate, the temporary certificate, and the athletic coaching
certificate. Requirements for obtaining all types of certificates are specified
in Rule 6A-4.004, F.A.C.
(b) An applicant for a Florida educator's
certificate shall be governed by Florida Statutes and rules for the temporary
and professional certificates that are in effect at the time of application and
qualification for the initial certificate provided successive certificates are
issued for consecutive school fiscal years. An individual who permits a
five-year temporary certificate per Rule
6A-4.004, F.A.C., to expire for
at least one (1) school fiscal year may secure another full-time certificate in
accordance with Florida Statutes and rules for temporary and professional
certificates which are in effect at the time the most recent application is
received in the Bureau of Educator Certification, Florida Department of
Education.
(c) Effective date of
certificates. Each certificate shall bear an effective date of July 1 of the
school fiscal year for which it is issued.
(d) Definition of coverage. The term
"coverage" as used in Florida State Board of Education rules for educator
certification purposes shall be defined as the designation on a Florida
educator's certificate which indicates the area in which an individual has a
content knowledge base. The term "coverage" shall be used synonymously with the
terms "subject, " "area, " or "field."
(e) Definition of endorsement. The term
"endorsement" as used in Florida State Board of Education rules for educator
certification purposes shall be defined as a rider on a Florida educator's
certificate with a designated coverage. An endorsement shown on a certificate
with a coverage signifies a pedagogical knowledge base which targets particular
levels, stages of development, or circumstances.
(f) Classification of coverages and
endorsements shown on certificates. Each coverage or endorsement shown on a
certificate shall be identified as an academic class, administrative class,
specialty class, or degreed career and technical class. The classification is
specified in the specialization rule for each coverage or
endorsement.
(g) Authority of the
Commissioner of Education. Under extenuating circumstances not covered in these
rules, the Commissioner is authorized to issue a certificate to an individual
upon the request of a Florida district school superintendent.
(h) Responsibility to qualify for and
maintain a valid certificate. It shall be the responsibility of each applicant
to complete all requirements for the temporary and professional certificates
and to file with the Bureau of Educator Certification, Florida Department of
Education, evidence of such completion within the specified timelines. For
renewal of the professional certificate, it shall be the responsibility of each
applicant to obtain current information regarding renewal requirements and
complete such requirements prior to expiration of the professional certificate.
Information regarding renewal of the professional certificate may be obtained
by contacting the employing Florida district school board or nonpublic school,
or by contacting the Bureau of Educator Certification, Florida Department of
Education, 325 West Gaines Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0400.
(i) Certificates from other states.
Certificates from other states shall not be valid for teaching in Florida.
1. Certificates from other states used to
document eligibility for a Florida certificate shall:
a. Be the valid standard educator's
certificate issued by that state which is comparable to a Florida Professional
Certificate;
b. Be issued in a
subject comparable to a Florida certification subject; and,
c. Require the same or higher level of
training required for certification in that subject in
Florida.
2. Official
documentation of another state's certificate or license shall be a legible copy
of the front and back of the original certificate or license, or a printed copy
of an official record of the certificate or license provided by the issuing
authority, and must include:
a. A certificate
or license title that clearly designates the stage or level for which the
educator qualifies;
b. The subject
area(s) and endorsement(s) for which the educator qualifies;
c. The ages and/or instructional grade levels
of students for which the educator qualifies to teach each subject or
endorsement;
d. The date(s) that
the certificate or license is valid; and,
e. The name of the educator and an educator
identification number or other unique identifier for validation of the
certificate or license against official records maintained by the issuing
authority.
(j)
Certificates from national certification organizations. Certificates issued by
national certification organizations shall not be valid for teaching in
Florida.
1. Certificates issued by national
certification organizations approved in Florida Statute or by the State Board
of Education to document eligibility for a Florida certificate shall:
a. Be the valid standard educator's
certificate issued by the national certification organization;
b. Be issued in a subject comparable to a
Florida certification subject;
c.
Require the same or higher degree level of training required for certification
in that subject in Florida; and,
2. Official documentation of the national
certificate shall be a legible copy of the front and back of the original
certificate or a printed copy of an official record of the certificate or
license provided by the issuing authority, and must include:
a. A certificate or license title that
clearly designates the stage or level for which the educator
qualifies;
b. The subject area(s)
and endorsement(s) for which the educator qualifies;
c. The ages and/or instructional grade levels
of students for which the educator qualifies to teach each subject or
endorsement;
d. The date(s) that
the certificate or license is valid; and,
e. The name of the educator and an educator
identification number or other unique identifier for validation of the
certificate or license against official records maintained by the issuing
authority.
(k)
Alteration of certificates. The alteration of any certificate with the intent
to mislead or defraud shall be sufficient grounds for revocation of the
certificate. It shall be incumbent upon the certificate holder to establish
evidence of the absence of intent to mislead or defraud.
(l) The electronic database maintained by the
Bureau of Educator Certification serves as the custodial source for official
Department of Education records of each person to whom a Florida Educator's
Certificate is issued. Educator Certification notifies an educator by
electronic mail upon issuance of a certificate and provides the educator secure
access to review and retrieve a printable copy of his/her currently valid
certificate(s) via the Educator Certification website at
https://certify.fldoe.org. Authorized Florida school employers are provided
secure, online access (https://bec-pass.fldoe.org) to verify an educator's
certification information for employment screening before hiring instructional
personnel and school administrators. The bureau provides online access via the
Educator Certification website (https://www.fldoe.org/edcert/public.asp) for
the inspection of public records of educators to whom a currently valid
certificate is issued.
(m) A valid
standard certificate issued by the American Board for Certification of Teacher
Excellence (ABCTE), as documented according to subparagraph (1)(j)2. of this
rule, is acceptable to demonstrate mastery of general knowledge and mastery of
subject area knowledge in the comparable Florida subject(s). An acceptable
ABCTE certificate also satisfies the requirements for completion of
professional preparation courses and achievement of a passing score on the
professional education competency examination. An ABCTE certificate is not
acceptable to meet the requirement for completion of a professional education
competence demonstration program pursuant to Section
1012.56(8)(b),
F.S.
(n) A three-year temporary
certificate issued under subsection
6A-4.004(1),
F.A.C., which is valid as of March 27, 2023, is automatically modified to a
five-year temporary certificate beginning from the date of issuance of the
temporary certificate unless the temporary certificate has been extended for
two (2) years under the provisions of paragraph
6A-4.004(1)(c),
F.A.C. The automatic extension of temporary certificates to five (5) years does
not apply to specialized temporary certificates issued for military veterans,
covering speech-language impaired, or covering educational leadership, or
athletic coaching certificates, issued under the provision of subsection
6A-4.004(2), (4), (5), or
(6), F.A.C., or a temporary certificate
issued to exchange teachers under the provisions of paragraph
6A-4.002(6)(c),
F.A.C.
(2) Degree major.
(a) A degree major used in Florida State
Board of Education rules for educator certification purposes is defined as the
major field of study as identified by the degree granting institution. A degree
major completed at an accredited or approved institution as defined in Rule
6A-4.003, F.A.C., in an area in
which Florida offers certification may be utilized to satisfy the
specialization requirements specified in Rules 6A-4.008 through
6A-4.035 and
6A-4.054 through
6A-4.062, F.A.C., for the
subject to be shown on the certificate.
(b) The Commissioner is authorized to deny
acceptance of a major for educator certification purposes if the courses
completed for the major are not comparable in quantity and content to the
specific course requirements listed in Florida State Board of Education rules
for certification in that subject.
(3) College credit. College credit used for educator certification purposes shall be undergraduate or graduate credit earned at an accredited or approved institution or recommended by the American Council on Education (ACE) as specified in Rule 6A-4.003, F.A.C. All college credit shall be computed by semester hours. For purposes of converting quarter grade points to semester grade points, one (1) quarter hour of college credit shall equal two-thirds (2/3) of one (1) semester hour. State and community college credit used for educator certification purposes shall parallel those of the first and second years of course work at an accredited or approved institution and shall be comparable to courses offered at Florida state and community colleges that have been approved by the Florida Department of Education.
(a) Course exemption. Exemption
from a college course as verified in writing by the institution of higher
education shall be accepted the same as credit earned in that course to meet a
specific course requirement for certification.
(b) Course credit for college teaching
experience. Teaching a college credit course, excluding courses for
developmental credit, at an accredited or approved institution as described in
Rule 6A-4.003, F.A.C., shall be
accepted the same as credit earned in that course to meet a specific course
requirement for certification. A written statement from the registrar or other
official designated by the president verifying the college teaching experience
shall be filed with the Bureau of Educator Certification, Florida Department of
Education.
(c) College teaching
experience. College teaching experience for satisfying mastery of general
knowledge and mastery of professional preparation and education competence per
Section 1012.56(3) and
(6), F.S., must be earned if the individual
is a full or part-time employee or contractor of the college or university in
at least two (2) separate college or university semesters or equivalent
quarters as the instructor of record. Documentation of college teaching
experience must be an official letter on institution letterhead signed by the
chief human resources officer, registrar or dean, or designee, from the
accredited or approved institution as described in Rule
6A-4.003, F.A.C. The letter must
verify the following information:
1. The
beginning and ending dates of employment or contract; and
2. For each instance where the employee or
contractor served as instructor of record, a list of each course taught with
the beginning and ending dates, prefix, course number, and credit hours awarded
to students.
(d) A
college course for which multiple semester hour credits are earned may be used
to satisfy more than one (1) subject specialization or professional preparation
credit requirement. The number of specific credit requirements satisfied shall
not be greater than the total number of semester hour credits earned for the
college course.
(e) A grade of at
least "C" or the equivalent shall be earned in each course used for meeting
professional preparation requirements pursuant to subsection
6A-4.006(2),
F.A.C. A grade of pass shall be acceptable under the pass or fail grading
system and a grade of satisfactory shall be acceptable under a
satisfactory/unstisfactory grading system.
(4) Examinations. The examinations used for demonstration of mastery of general knowledge, professional education competence, and subject area knowledge shall be aligned with student standards approved by the State Board of Education pursuant to Sections 1012.56(4) and (9)(f), F.S., and Rule 6A-1.09401, F.A.C.
(a) To align with current student standards
and, therefore, be acceptable to satisfy educator certification requirements, a
passing score on an examination identified in state board rule must have been
earned during the ten (10) years immediately preceding application and
qualification for a certificate, unless otherwise stipulated in relevant
statute or rule.
(b) The State
Board of Education will identify a passing score, by amendment to this rule, on
an appropriate national or international examination to satisfy mastery of
general knowledge or, for a subject for which a Florida subject area
examination has not already been developed or approved, mastery of subject area
knowledge. The Department will coordinate a comprehensive study to determine if
the exam assesses comparable content and relevant standards to the approved
Florida Teacher Certification Examination (FTCE) competencies and skills or,
for subject area knowledge, the approved specialization requirements for the
subject area. The study must also recommend a passing score at approximately
the same level of rigor to establish an examinee's competence to become an
effective professional educator in the assessed content area.
(c) The verification of the attainment of
essential subject matter competencies is not acceptable for demonstrating
mastery of subject area knowledge whenever a Florida subject area examination
has been developed or a national or international examination has been approved
by the State Board of Education. Achievement of a passing score is required on
the examination as identified in state board rule to satisfy mastery of subject
area knowledge unless this requirement is satisfied by another acceptable means
provided in Section 1012.56(5),
F.S.
(d) Achievement of a score
above the Intermediate level on the Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) or the
Oral Proficiency Interview by Computer (OPIc), and a score above the
Intermediate level on the Writing Proficiency Test (WPT) on an examination
administered by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages
(ACTFL) shall satisfy subject area specialization requirements and mastery of
subject area knowledge in the comparable certification in a world language for
which a Florida subject area examination has not been developed.
(e) Achievement of a passing score of a two
(2) or above on the reading subtest and a two (2) or above on the listening
subtest of the Defense Language Proficiency TEST (DLPT) shall satisfy subject
area specialization requirements and mastery of subject area knowledge in the
comparable certification in a world language. Official documentation of
successful completion of the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center
(DLI) program as specified in Rule
6A-4.0243, F.A.C., may also be
used to satisfy subject area specialization requirements and mastery of subject
area knowledge.
(f) Effective for
tests administered on or after July 1, 2015, achievement of passing scores, as
identified by the State Board of Education pursuant to Rule
6A-4.0021(12),
F.A.C., on test sections of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) revised
General Test shall satisfy the requirement for mastery of general knowledge as
demonstrated on the comparable and relevant subtests of the General Knowledge
(GK) Test of the Florida Teacher Certification Examinations (FTCE), as follows:
1. The Analytical Writing section of the
Graduate Record Examination (GRE) revised General Test shall be acceptable as
equivalent to the General Knowledge (GK) Essay subtest.
2. The Quantitative Reasoning section of the
Graduate Record Examination (GRE) revised General Test shall be acceptable as
equivalent to the General Knowledge (GK) Mathematics subtest.
3. The Verbal Reasoning section of the
Graduate Record Examination (GRE) revised General Test shall be acceptable as
equivalent to both the General Knowledge (GK) English Language Skills and the
General Knowledge (GK) Reading subtests.
(g) An educator who has taken and failed the
General Knowledge (GK) Test found in Rule
6A-4.0021, F.A.C., is eligible
for a waiver of the GK Test if:
1. Subsequent
to failing the GK Test, the educator was provided three or more years of
support and instruction designed to help the educator pass the GK
Test;
2. The educator's final
summative rating under Section
1012.34, F.S., was either
effective or highly effective for each of the three most recent years that the
educator was rated; and
3. A school
district or charter school submits to the Department's Bureau of Educator
Certification, the Form entitled "General Knowledge Test Waiver, " Form No.
CT-134, providing assurances that the requirements listed in this paragraph
have been met. This form, effective August 2023 (http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-15713),
is incorporated by reference. A copy may be obtained at
https://fl-ect.fldoe.org and
submitted to edcertpartnerline@fldoe.org.
(h) An educator seeking to satisfy mastery of
professional preparation and education competence by means of completion of a
professional education competency program specified in Section
1012.56(6)(f),
F.S., is eligible to waive the Professional Education Test found in Rule
6A-4.0021, F.A.C., if:
1. The educator successfully completes the
professional preparation courses found in Rule
6A-4.006(2)(a),
F.A.C.;
2. The educator
successfully completes a professional education competency (PEC) program
specified in Section 1012.56(9),
F.S.;
3. The educator's final
summative rating under Section
1012.34, F.S., was either
effective or highly effective for three years; and
4. A school district or charter school
submits to the Department's Bureau of Educator Certification the Form entitled
"Professional Education Test Waiver, " Form No. CT-135, providing assurances
that the requirements listed in subparagraphs 1.-3. have been met. This form,
effective August 2023 (http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-15712),
is incorporated by reference. A copy may be obtained at
https://fl-ect.fldoe.org and
submitted to edcertpartnerline@fldoe.org.
(i) An educator seeking to satisfy mastery of
professional preparation and education competence by means of completion of a
professional learning certification program specified in Section
1012.56(6)(g),
F.S., or a competency-based certification program specified in Section
1012.56(6)(h),
F.S., is eligible to waive the Professional Education Test found in Rule
6A-4.0021, F.A.C., if:
1. The educator successfully completes the
applicable program; and
2. The
educator's final summative rating under Section
1012.34, F.S., is highly
effective.
(5) Teaching experience.
(a) Definition of
teaching experience. Teaching experience as used in Florida State Board of
Education rules for educator certification purposes shall be defined as
full-time teaching, administrative, or supervisory service.
1. Teaching experience used for academic,
administrative, degreed career and technical, and specialty class subjects
shall be gained in a public or state supported school as defined in Section
1003.01(2),
F.S.; or in a prekindergarten (ages three [3] and four [4]) school which is a
public or state supported school or is a contractor for a public school system
or in a birth through age two (2) school which is a public or state supported
school or is a contractor for a public school system. However, teaching
experience in a nonpublic school shall be acceptable provided the applicant
held a valid full-time teaching certificate issued by the state department of
education in the state where the teaching experience was acquired.
2. Teaching experience used for degreed
career and technical class subjects shall be gained in an elementary or
secondary school as specified in subparagraph (5)(a)1. of this rule, school
district postsecondary technical career center under Section
1001.44, F.S., charter technical
career center under Section
1002.34, F.S., or a Florida
College System institution.
(b) Utilization of teaching experience. A
year of full-time teaching experience may be accepted in lieu of three (3)
semester hours of college credit. A maximum of three (3) years of teaching
experience may be used in lieu of nine (9) semester hours of college credit.
Not more than one (1) year of teaching experience may be used in lieu of three
(3) semester hours of college credit toward satisfying a single course
requirement in professional preparation. Not more than two (2) years of
teaching experience may be used in lieu of six (6) semester hours of college
credit toward satisfying requirements in a specialization area. When teaching
experience is used to satisfy a course requirement in a specialization area or
to satisfy a subject special methods course requirement in professional
preparation, the teaching experience shall be comparable to the course
requirement acquired in the subject or field and at the appropriate
instructional level to which it is applied.
(c) Limitations on the use of teaching
experience. Teaching experience shall not be accepted in lieu of college credit
to satisfy the following certification requirements:
1. Renewal or reinstatement of a professional
certificate;
2. Reissuance of a
temporary certificate;
3.
Satisfaction of a graduate credit requirement;
4. Satisfaction of an entire certification
subject.
(6) Noncitizens. A noncitizen may be issued an Official Statement of Status of Eligibility or a certificate as specified below:
(a) An Official Statement of Status of
Eligibility shall be issued when the applicant meets requirements specified in
Section 1012.56(1),
F.S.
(b) The certificate may be
issued when the applicant meets requirements specified in Rule
6A-4.004, F.A.C., and an
official of the employing Florida public, state supported, or nonpublic school
verifies that the individual has been accepted for employment in compliance
with the United States Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986.
(c) Exchange teachers.
1. An exchange teacher is defined as a
teacher from a country other than the United States teaching as the result of a
reciprocal arrangement with the United States government or a nationally
recognized organization in the United States and another country.
2. A temporary certificate valid for three
(3) years may be issued to an exchange teacher. The certificate shall reflect
the designation of exchange teacher and may reflect the Florida certificate
subject(s) for which the exchange teacher is qualified based on the
specialization requirements specified in Rules
6A-4.008 through
6A-4.035 and
6A-4.054 through
6A-4.062, F.A.C. Only one (1)
certificate may be issued under this provision when an applicant meets the
following requirements:
a. Submits an
application form and fee as specified in Rule
6A-4.0012, F.A.C.
b. Submits verification from an authorized
program sponsor documenting approval by the U.S. Department of State for
participation in an exchange program. Verification shall be provided by the
employing school district, state supported or nonpublic school; and,
c. Submits a request for issuance of the
temporary certificate, including verification of specified in paragraph (6)(b)
of this rule, from the employing Florida school superintendent or chief
administrative officer of the state supported or nonpublic school which has a
Department of Education approved system for documenting the demonstration of
required professional education competence.
3. The validity of an exchange teacher
temporary certificate may be extended for up to two (2) additional years for a
period not to exceed a total of five (5) years. The extended exchange teacher
certificate will be issued under this provision when an applicant meets the
following requirements:
a. Submits an
application form and fee as specified in Rule
6A-4.0012, F.A.C.;
b. Submits written verification from the
authorized program sponsor documenting approval by the U.S. Department of State
to extend participation in the exchange program that stipulates the length of
the approved extension; and,
c.
Submits a letter of reference on official letterhead from the employing school
district, state-supported or nonpublic school that describes the exchange
teacher's performance during the previous years of the exchange and how the
host has benefited from the exchange teacher's
presence.
Rulemaking Authority 1001.02, 1012.55, 1012.56 FS. Law Implemented 1001.10(5)(b), 1012.55, 1012.56 FS.
New 4-10-64, Amended 4-8-68, 4-11-70, 10-18-71, 3-19-72, 12-18-72, 6-17-73, 4-19-74, Repromulgated 12-5-74, Amended 6-22-76, 6-27-77, 12-26-77, 4-27-78, 7-1-79, 7-2-79, 6-26-80, 7-28-81, 1-3-82, 5-11-82, 6-22-83, 3-28-84, 1-31-85, 3-13-85, Joint Administrative Objection Filed - See FAR Vol. 12, No. 11, March 14, 1986, Formerly 6A-4.02, Amended 12-25-86, 10-18-88, 10-10-89, 4-15-91, 11-10-92, 5-30-94, 11-13-96, 10-15-01, 12-27-04, 7-27-06, Joint Administrative Procedures Committee objection resolved by Chapter 86-156, Laws of Florida, Florida Administrative Register Vol. 35, No. 27, July 10, 2009, Amended 1-1-14, 12-31-14, 10-26-15, 6-23-161, 12-20-16, 2-19-19, 7-14-21, 9-20-22, 6-27-23., 8-22-23
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