Pursuant to s. 1012.59, F.S., as amended by Senate Bill (SB) 7002, the proposed rule waives the initial fees for the Exceptional Student Education K–12 or the Elementary Education K–6 subject area examination for examinees ....

 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

State Board of Education

RULE NO.:RULE TITLE:

6A-4.0021Florida Teacher Certification Examinations

PURPOSE AND EFFECT: Pursuant to s. 1012.59, F.S., as amended by Senate Bill (SB) 7002, the proposed rule waives the initial fees for the Exceptional Student Education K–12 or the Elementary Education K–6 subject area examination for examinees meeting the specified criteria. Pursuant to s. 1012.56, F.S., as amended by SB 7002, this rule amendment also incorporates minimum passing scores on the SAT, ACT, and Classic Learning Test (CLT) that may be used to satisfy the mastery of general knowledge requirements for educator certification. The effect of this rule adoption will be greater access to general knowledge certification and certification in Exceptional Student Education K–12 and Elementary Education K–6 subject areas.

SUMMARY: To align with changes made by SB 7002 during the 2024 Legislative session, the proposed rule incorporates additional testing fee waiver eligibilities for specified areas and concordant passing scores on the SAT, ACT, and Classic Learning Test (CLT) to meet the mastery of general knowledge certification requirement.

SUMMARY OF STATEMENT OF ESTIMATED REGULATORY COSTS AND LEGISLATIVE RATIFICATION:

The Agency has determined that this will not have an adverse impact on small business or likely increase directly or indirectly regulatory costs in excess of $200,000 in the aggregate within one year after the implementation of the rule. A SERC has not been prepared by the Agency.

The Agency has determined that the proposed rule is not expected to require legislative ratification based on the statement of estimated regulatory costs or if no SERC is required, the information expressly relied upon and described herein: The proposed rule amendment is not expected to have any adverse impact on economic growth, business competitiveness, increase regulatory costs or any other factor set forth in s. 120.541(2), F.S. and will not require legislative ratification. This is based upon the nature of the changes and experience with similar changes in the past.

Any person who wishes to provide information regarding a statement of estimated regulatory costs, or provide a proposal for a lower cost regulatory alternative must do so in writing within 21 days of this notice.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY: 1012.55(1), 1012.56, 1012.59, F.S.

LAW IMPLEMENTED: 1012.55, 1012.56, 1012.59, F.S.

A HEARING WILL BE HELD AT THE DATE, TIME AND PLACE SHOWN BELOW:

DATE AND TIME: July 24, 2024, 9:00 a.m.

PLACE: Rosen Shingle Creek, 9939 Universal Blvd., Suwannee 18/19/20, Orlando, FL 32819

THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE IS: Phil Canto, Bureau Chief, Bureau of Postsecondary Assessment, Office of Assessment, Division of Accountability, Research, and Measurement, 325 W. Gaines Street, Suite 414, Tallahassee, FL, 32399, [phone].

 

THE FULL TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE IS:

6A-4.0021 Florida Teacher Certification Examinations.

(1) through (11) No change.

(12) Alternative Assessments: Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) Revised General Test, SAT, ACT, and Classic Learning Test (CLT).

(a) GRE test administrations on or after July 1, 2015, and SAT, ACT, and CLT test administrations on or after March 1, 2016, may be used as an acceptable means of demonstrating a mastery of general knowledge. In all cases, the minimum required score on the GRE, SAT, ACT, and CLT must have been earned during the ten (10) years immediately preceding application and qualification for a certificate, unless otherwise stipulated in law or rule. The GRE scores listed below shall be considered the minimum passing scores that may be used to satisfy the demonstration of mastery of general knowledge requirements. Passing scores are required in each of the general knowledge content areas assessed on the General Knowledge Test, which include writing (essay), English language skills, reading, and mathematics. The table below provides the defines the General Knowledge Test content area subtests for GRE, SAT, ACT, and CLT and corresponding GRE subtest alternatives, followed by the minimum required passing scores to satisfy the General Knowledge requirements for each of the GRE subtests indicated. A passing score on a GRE subtest in an applicable general knowledge content area, as defined in the table below, will satisfy the requirement of demonstrating a mastery of general knowledge for the applicable general knowledge content area.

GK SUBTEST	ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT	MINIMUM REQUIRED ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT SCORE
GK Essay
	GRE Analytical Writing	A combined score of 4 out of 6
	SAT Evidence-Based Reading & Writing	A score of 560
	ACT English	A score of 22
	CLT Verbal Reasoning & Grammar/Writing	A combined score of 49
GK English Language Skills
	GRE Verbal Reasoning	A score of 151
	SAT Evidence-Based Reading & Writing	A score of 560
	ACT English	A score of 22
	CLT Verbal Reasoning & Grammar/Writing	A combined score of 49
GK Reading
	GRE Verbal Reasoning	A score of 151
	SAT Evidence-Based Reading & Writing	A score of 560
	ACT Reading	A score of 23
	CLT Verbal Reasoning & Grammar/Writing	A combined score of 49
GK Mathematics
	GRE Quantitative Reasoning	A score of 147
	SAT Mathematics	A score of 540
	ACT Mathematics	A score of 22
	CLT Quantitative Reasoning	A score of 20

 

GK SUBTEST/GRE SUBTEST	GRE SCORE
GK Writing (Essay)/GRE Analytical Writing	A combined score of 4 out of 6
GK English Language Skills/GRE Verbal Reasoning	A scaled score of 151
GK Reading/GRE Verbal Reasoning	A scaled score of 151
GK Mathematics/GRE Quantitative Reasoning	A scaled score of 147

(13) Military Testing Fee Waivers.

(a) No change.

(b) To apply for a military testing fee waiver, a request must be submitted via the Department of Education, Educator Certification website at https://web03.fldoe.org/TeacherCertFeeWaiver http://www.fldoe.org/teaching/certification/military/ along with documentation establishing that the applicant meets the requirements for a military testing fee waiver per paragraph (13)(a) of this rule. The following chart lists the required documentation.

BASIS FOR WAIVER OF FEE	DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED
Member of Armed Forces	Military ID card
Spouse of member of Armed Forces	Military dependent ID card (DD Form 1173)
Member of reserves	Military ID card or NGB22 Form or DD 256A Form
Spouse of member of reserves	Military dependent ID card (DD Form 1173) or Military dependent ID card (DD Form 1173-1)
Honorably discharged veteran	Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (DD Form 214 Member 4)
Spouse or surviving spouse of honorably discharged veteran	DD Form 214 Member 4 of spouse and marriage certificate
Honorably discharged veteran of reserves	DD Form 214 Member 4, NGB22 Form or DD 256A Form
Spouse of honorably discharged veteran of reserves	DD Form 214 Member 4, NGB22 Form or DD 256A Form of spouse and marriage certificate
Surviving spouse of member of armed forces on active duty at time of death	Official documentation from Department of Defense
Surviving spouse of member of reserves at time of death	Official documentation from Department of Defense

(c) through (d) No change.

(e) Fees for retake examinations under subsection (4) of this rule may not be waived. Subsequent registration for any examination under subsection (4) of this rule taken before July 1, 2018, will be considered a retake and not eligible for a fee waiver under this section.

(14) Retired First Responder Testing Fee Waivers.

(a) No change.

(b) To apply for a retired first responder testing fee waiver, a request must be submitted via the Department of Education, Educator Certification website at https://web03.fldoe.org/TeacherCertFeeWaiver http://www.fldoe.org/teaching/certification/retiredfirstresponder/ along with documentation establishing that the applicant meets the requirements for a retired first responder testing fee waiver per paragraph (14) (13)(a) of this rule.

(c) through (d) No change.

(e) Fees for retake examinations under subsection (4) of this rule may not be waived. Subsequent registration for any examination under subsection (4) of this rule will be considered a retake and not eligible for a fee waiver under this section.

(15) Exceptional Student Education K–12/ Elementary Education K–6 Waivers.

(a) An individual is eligible for a waiver from the Department of Education for the first-time testing fees prescribed in paragraphs (4)(a)-(e) of this rule, if he or she:

1. Holds a valid active Temporary or Professional Certificate in Exceptional Student Education K–12 and applies to add a subject coverage in Elementary Education K–6; or

2. Holds a valid active Temporary or Professional Certificate in Elementary Education K–6 and applies to add a subject coverage in Exceptional Student Education K–12.

(b) To apply for a testing fee waiver, a request must be submitted via the Department of Education, Bureau of Educator Certification website at https://web03.fldoe.org/TeacherCertFeeWaiver along with documentation establishing that the applicant meets the requirements for a testing fee waiver per paragraph (15)(a) of this rule.

The following chart lists the required documentation:

BASIS FOR WAIVER OF FEE	DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED
Holds a Temporary or Professional Certificate in Exceptional Student Education K–12 and application to add a subject coverage in Elementary Education K–6	Valid active certificate in ESE K–12
Holds a Temporary or Professional Certificate in Elementary Education K–6 and application to add a subject coverage in Exceptional Student Education K–12	Valid active certificate in K–6

(c) Additional documentation. Where the required documentation submitted does not establish eligibility, due to a name change or other circumstance, the applicant will be notified by the Department within ninety (90) days and afforded the opportunity to submit additional documentation to verify eligibility.

(d) All documents submitted to verify eligibility for the Exceptional Student Education K–12/ Elementary Education K–6 fee waivers will be retained in the certification record maintained by the department and will not be returned to the applicant. Approval for testing fee waivers remains valid for five (5) years from the date issued unless a document used to verify indicates an earlier expiration date or end date of its validity and, in that case, validity of the testing fee waiver expires when the verifying document expires. In no case shall a person use or attempt to use a testing fee waiver if the person does not meet the eligibility criteria set forth in Section 1012.59(4), F.S.

(e) Fees for retake examinations under subsection (4) of this rule may not be waived. Subsequent registration for any examination under subsection (4) of this rule will be considered a retake and not eligible for a fee waiver under this section.

Rulemaking Authority 1012.55(1), 1012.56, 1012.59 FS. Law Implemented 1012.55, 1012.56, 1012.59 FS. History–New 8-27-80, Amended 1-11-82, 1-6-83, 5-3-83, 10-5-83, 10-15-84, Formerly 6A-4.021, Amended 12-25-86, 4-26-89, 4-16-90, 7-10-90, 4-22-91, 10-3-91, 8-10-92, 11-28-93, 4-12-95, 7-1-96, 9-30-96, 10-1-99, 7-17-00, 7-16-01, 3-24-02, 7-16-02, 3-24-03, 7-21-03, 12-23-03, 7-13-04, 5-24-05, 5-23-06, 5-21-07, 5-19-08, 7-21-08, 7-9-09, 6-22-10, 6-21-11, 11-22-11, 8-23-12, 5-21-13, 10-22-13, 2-25-14, 12-23-14, 7-28-15, 10-26-15, 7-26-16, 2-20-17, 8-20-17, 6-19-18, 11-28-18, 4-22-19, 5-3-22, 11-23-22, 11-21-23,

 

NAME OF PERSON ORIGINATING PROPOSED RULE: Phil Canto, Bureau Chief, Bureau of Postsecondary Assessment, Office of Assessment, Division of Accountability, Research, and Measurement

NAME OF AGENCY HEAD WHO APPROVED THE PROPOSED RULE: Manny Diaz Jr., Commissioner of Education

DATE PROPOSED RULE APPROVED BY AGENCY HEAD: June 21, 2024

DATE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT PUBLISHED IN FAR: April 30, 2024