Educator Certification in Florida

2014 Summer Institute for Higher Education

June 19, 2014

Presenter: David C. LaJeunesse
Outline for Today
Educator Quality Core Values
Certification Basics special focus on ESE
What We Are Working On
Certificate Renewal Changes
BEC Conversion Projects
Paperless Communication Certificates
2014 Legislation HB 433
Maximize FTCE/FELE Program
ESE Certification Redesign
Educator Certification Contacts
Questions & Answers
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Educator Quality Core Values
Being Responsive
Doing Good Work and Expanding the Capacity of
Others To Do the Same
Serving as Critical Friends through Positive and
Transformative Relationships
Demonstrating Respect, Honesty, and Integrity
Core Purpose: To prepare, support and empower the
most skillful teachers and leaders in the nation.
BHAG: Every Florida teacher and leader is prepared,
developed, supported and supervised by educators
who make teaching better

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Florida Educators Certificates
www.fldoe.org/edcert
301,500+ individuals currently hold a valid
Florida Educators Certificate
91% Professional and 6% Temporary (3% Athletic
Coaching)
Currently 68,000+ Professional in any ESE area
(22.6%)
Currently 2,300+ Temporary in any ESE area (0.8%)

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Certificate Types and Requirements
www.fldoe.org/edcert/cert_types.asp
Professional Certificate standard, renewable Florida
certificate, valid for 5 years. Requires:
A bachelors degree (or masters degree),
Mastery of General Knowledge,
Mastery of Subject Area Knowledge, and
Mastery of Professional Preparation and Education
Competence.
Temporary Certificate initial, non-renewable Florida
certificate, valid for 3 years. Requires:
A bachelors degree and meeting subject specialization with a
2.5 GPA, and
Employment in a Florida public, charter or state-supported
school with an approved PEC program.

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Alternative and Traditional Certification
www.fldoe.org/edcert/pathways.asp
Teacher Preparation Programs
FLAP/FLTEP, EPI, District Professional
Development Certification Program, OSAP
FL approved must include strategies appropriate
for instruction of students with disabilities
32 FL approved ESE bachelors programs
16 FL approved ESE post baccalaureate and masters
programs

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Alternative and Traditional Certification
www.fldoe.org/edcert/pathways.asp
Certificate Reciprocity
OSCERT ESE specialties vary state to state
NBPTS Exceptional Needs Specialist (Early
Childhood Young Adulthood)
Deaf/Hard of Hearing, Early Childhood, Mild/Moderate
Disabilities, Severe/Multiple Disabilities, Visual
Impairments
ABCTE Special Education
Other Alternative Routes
College Teaching, PTO, Coursework

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Certificate Renewal or Reinstatement
www.fldoe.org/edcert/renew.asp
6 semester hours or 120 Florida inservice
points during prior 5 years
ESE credit acceptable to renew any certificate
subject area coverage
7/1/14 credit must include 1 hour or 20
inservice points in teaching SWD

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Certificate Renewal Changes
Teaching Students with Disabilities (SWD) Credit
One (1) semester hour or 20 inservice points
Each renewal period
Applies to all Renewal Applications received on/after
July 1, 2014
Credit earned during validity period; OK, even if before
July 1, 2014
Goal of All Renewal Requirements: Educators
participate in current, relevant and on-going
professional learning for the benefit of all students,
including SWD

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Certificate Renewal Changes
Acceptable SWD Credit: Focuses on Instructing SWD
Gifted Education is not acceptable
American Sign Language (ASL) generally not
appropriate
Renewal Law and Rule do not identify a single, specific
course or inservice activity that must be completed
Goal: Educators select professional learning activities
that will expand their knowledge, skills and expertise
to better educate their students with disabilities
Not Required for District CTE/Substitute Certificates
Not Required for Department of Health Licenses

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Certificate Renewal Changes
Acceptable Courses on Teaching SWD
Courses with ESE or Special Education prefixes (Excluding Gifted)
Introduction to Exceptional Student Education
Nature and Needs of [Various Disabilities: EH, MH, SLD, ASD, etc.]
Teaching Students with Disabilities
Educating the Learning Disabled [or any other disability]
Assessment in Exceptional Education
Assessing Students with Disabilities
Varying Exceptionalities
Individualized Instruction for Exceptional Students
Management Strategies for Students with Disabilities
The Special Education Curriculum
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Certificate Renewal Changes
Master Inservice Plan (MIP) Professional
Development (PD) Points
20 Inservice Points = 1 Semester Hour
Educator May Accumulate One or More Points
in Teaching SWD to Satisfy the 20 Point Total

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Certificate Renewal Changes
Acceptable MIP ESE PD Component Areas
100 - Instructional Strategies
101- Classroom/Behavior Management
102 - Assessment
105 - Curriculum
Unacceptable MIP ESE PD Component Areas
103 - Procedural/Legal Requirements
104 - Working with Aides/Volunteers/Mentors

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Certificate Renewal Changes
Subject Area Examinations (SAE)
SAE in Exceptional Student Education, Hearing
Impaired, Visually Impaired, or Speech Language
Impaired = 3 semester hours of renewal credit and
SWD credit, if the corresponding subject is on the
certificate.
SAE in Exceptional Student Education = 3 semester
hours of renewal credit and SWD credit, if one of the
old subjects in EH, MH, SLD, PI, or VE is on the
certificate. [Note: Renewed certificate will list the old
subject unless/until applicant applies to add
Exceptional Student Education]

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Certificate Renewal Changes
National Board for Professional Teaching
Standards (NBPTS) Certificates
NBPTS Exceptional Needs Specialist Certificate
= 6 semester hours of renewal credit and
teaching SWD credit, if the Florida
Professional Certificate includes an ESE
coverage.

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ESE PD Resources
Exceptional Education and Student Services @
FDOE www.fldoe.org/ese
ESE Teacher Info www.fldoe.org/profdev.asp
ESE PD Portal http://pdportal.florida-ese.org/
Floridas Personnel Development supporting ESE
www.florida-ese.org/personneldevelopment/
FDLRS www.fdlrs.org/
Institute for Small and Rural Districts
www3.nefec.org/isrd/
College Credit from State Colleges and Universities

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BEC Conversion Projects
Convert primary database to Microsoft SQL Server
Convert to paperless official correspondence
Redevelop BEC-PASS and other BEC client systems
Support partners with necessary systems
Enhance quality and usability
Expand direct, electronic transmittal
Employ coordinated training modules
Improve processes for E-forms and Web viewing
Develop Web-based training system
Fully expand Online Application

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Paperless Communication - Certificates
Email notifications begin Summer 2014
Instructions to review via Certificate Status
Printable copy via Certificate Status
Continue to print and mail
Email notifications for all in January 2015
Duplicate application for printed copy
Productivity improvements, efficiency gains
and cost savings

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2014 Legislation: House Bill 433
Educator Certification
Chapter 2014-32 Education
Effective July 1, 2014
Permits banking of excess SWD credits for
renewal
Permits adoption of national/international tests
for General Knowledge or Subject Area Mastery
Study to evaluate Graduate Record Exam (GRE)
equivalency to Florida General Knowledge Test
Eliminates CLAST to satisfy General Knowledge
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2014 Legislation: House Bill 433
Educator Certification
Professional Education Test required with college
teaching experience for mastery of professional
preparation
Permits SBE approval of teacher preparation
programs offered by other providers
Establishes clinical educator requirements for
supervisors of field experiences or internships
conducted out-of-state/country
Educator Certification Rule Development site at
www.fldoe.org/edcert/crcur.asp

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Maximize FTCE/FELE Program
May 2014 General Knowledge 2.0,
Elementary Education Subtests Model
New Development Business Education,
Preschool Education, Reading and Spanish
Evaluate standardized national/international
examinations for low-demand subject areas
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ESE Certification Redesign
Bureau of Exceptional Education & Student
Services (BEESS) Strategic 5-Year Plan
Teachers and Leaders Workgroup
Floridas State Personnel Development Grant
(SPDG)
ESE Certification Redesign Workgroup
Collaboration for Effective Educator
Development, Accountability and Reform
(CEEDAR) Grant
State Leadership Team

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ESE Certification Redesign
Analyze data and current requirements
Develop recommendations for revision of ESE
certification standards
Performance Indicators:
Increase # and % effective and highly effective ESE
teachers
Increase % of ESE students taught by in-field teachers
Increase knowledge and skills of educational leaders
related to SWD

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Florida ESE Areas current
www.fldoe.org/edcert/subjlist.asp
Subject Coverages:
Exceptional Student Education (Grades K-12)
Hearing Impaired (Grades K-12)
Speech-Language Impaired (Grades K-12) [masters degree]
Visually Impaired (Grades K-12)
Endorsements:
Gifted add to any academic coverage (2 IHE, 68 district programs)
Prekindergarten Disabilities add to any ESE, early childhood, or
elementary area (1 IHE program)
Autism Spectrum Disorders add to any ESE area (4 IHE, 9 district
programs)
Severe or Profound Disabilities add to any ESE area (1 IHE
program)
Orientation & Mobility add only to Visually Impaired

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Florida ESE Areas repealed
Prior to FY 2002-2003:
Adaptive Physical Education (Endorsement)
Emotionally Handicapped (Grades K-12)
Mentally Handicapped (Grades K-12)
Physically Impaired (Grades K-12)
Specific Learning Disabilities (Grades K-12)
Varying Exceptionalities (Grades K-12)

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FTCE Subject Area Examinations
www.fl.nesinc.com
Hearing Impaired K-12
Speech-Language Impaired K-12
Visually Impaired K-12
Exceptional Student Education K-12
lacks sufficient content area assessment for
teachers to be highly qualified

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ESE Exam Competencies & Skills
www.fldoe.org/asp/ftce/ftcecomp.asp
Knowledge of foundations of ESE
Knowledge of assessment and evaluation
Knowledge of instructional practices in ESE
Knowledge of assessing, designing, and
implementing positive behavioral supports
Knowledge of language development, reading,
and communication skills
Knowledge of skills related to interpersonal
interactions and participation
Knowledge of the transition process

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ESE Teachers Required Credentials
www.fldoe.org/articulation/CCD/default.asp
Based on level of instruction, not student
performance level
PK-Grade 6 = ESE area plus PK-3 or Elementary
Education
Middle Grades = ESE area plus relevant 5-9
content area(s) (i.e. English, Math, Science,
Social Science) [MGIC repealed 10/2011]
High School = ESE plus relevant 6-12 content
area(s)

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Process for ESE Certification Change
Goals:
Identify and prioritize policy reform needs
Ensure alignment of proposed reforms with student,
teacher and leader standards across the full career
continuum
Collect relevant data to support needs with
accountability measures for improved student
achievement
Conduct research with input from all stakeholder
groups to reinforce credibility
Identify potential impacts and develop mitigation
strategies

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Process for ESE Certification Change
SBE Rule changes
subject area designations
subject specialization requirements
teacher credential requirements (CCD)
FL Legislative changes
multi-tier certificates
scaffolding standards and expectations

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Potential Certification Structures
1. K-12 non-categorical ESE certificate
2. Non-categorical ESE certificate that specifies grade
level (elementary/secondary)
3. Non-categorical ESE certificate that specifies grade
level (elementary/secondary) and subject area
endorsement
4. Categorical ESE certificate that specifies area of
disability specialization
5. ESE certificate with a subject content area
specialization or endorsement
6. Subject content area certificate with an ESE
endorsement
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EDUCATOR CERTIFICATION CONTACTS
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Public Access Points: Office Mailing Address:
www.fldoe.org/edcert
EdCert@fldoe.org
U.S. Domestic Toll-Free: 800-445-6739
Outside U.S.: 850-245-5049

Bureau of Educator Certification
Suite 201, Turlington Building
325 W. Gaines Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0400
Leadership:
David C. LaJeunesse, Chief
David.LaJeunesse@fldoe.org
850-245-0431

Veronica White, Policy Specialist
Veronica.White@fldoe.org
850-245-0569

6/19/2014
Questions & AnswersThank You!