To align provisions with recent changes to section 1012.56, F.S., from House Bill 1 in the 2023 legislative session, which was signed into law on March 27, 2023. The amendments will revise the validity period of certain ....

 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

State Board of Education

RULE NOS.:RULE TITLES:

6A-4.002General Provisions

6A-4.004Florida Educator's Certificates with Academic, Administrative, Degreed Career and Technical, and Specialty Class Coverages

PURPOSE AND EFFECT: To align provisions with recent changes to section 1012.56, F.S., from House Bill 1 in the 2023 legislative session, which was signed into law on March 27, 2023. The amendments will revise the validity period of certain temporary certificates from three years to five years and automatically extend certain valid three-year temporary certificates to five years from the date of issuance unless already extended. The effect is to provide additional time for teachers to complete the requirements to obtain a Professional Certificate. Additional amendments to Rule 6A-4.002, F.A.C., will revise the criteria outlined for the acceptance of college teaching experience in order for educator certification applicants to satisfy requirements for the Professional Certificate. The effect of these additional amendments will expand acceptable college teaching experience to satisfy the mastery of general knowledge and mastery of professional preparation and education competence.

SUMMARY: The rule will be amended to align with the recent statutory changes in section 1012.56, F.S., and increase the number of applicants with acceptable college teaching experience who may be able to satisfy the mastery of general knowledge and mastery of professional preparation and education competence and be eligible for a Professional Certificate.

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 or business competitiveness, or 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 proposed changes, which amends the criteria for acceptance of college teaching experience and extends the time temporary teaching certificates are valid.

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: 1001.02, 1012.55, 1012.56, F.S.

LAW IMPLEMENTED: 1001.10(5)(b), 1012.55, 1012.56, F.S.

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

DATE AND TIME: May 24, 2023, 9:00 a.m.

PLACE: Miami Dade College, Hialeah Campus, Building#5, Room 5101B, 1780 W. 49th St. Hialeah, FL 33012.

THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE IS: Michelle L. Gaines, Bureau Chief, Educator Certification, [phone].

 

THE FULL TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE IS:

 

6A-4.002 General Provisions.

(1) Educator’s certificates.

(a) No change.

(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 fivethree-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) through (m) No change.

(n) A three-year temporary certificate issued under 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 Rule 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 Rule 6A-4.004(2), (4), (5), or (6), F.A.C., or a temporary certificate issued to exchange teachers under the provisions of Rule 6A-4.002(6)(c), F.A.C.

(2) No change.

(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, oOne (1) quarter hour of college credit shall equal two-thirds (2/3) of one (1) semester hour. State and cCommunity and junior 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 and junior colleges that which have been approved by the Florida Department of Education.

(a) No change.

(b) Course credit for cCollege teaching experience. Teaching a college credit course, excluding courses for developmental credit academic remediation, 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.

(c) Teaching faculty. Documentation of college teaching experience related to mastery of general knowledge and mastery of professional preparation and education competence shall be an official letter from the registrar or dean from the accredited or approved institution verifying the dates of employment, and the prefix, number, and credit hours of the courses taught. The college teaching experience must have:

1. Been earned in at least two (2) separate college or university terms;

2. Resulted in earned college-level credit for the students in at least one (1) course each term; and,

3. Been earned while a member of the teaching faculty at the accredited or approved institution as a:

a. Full-time member of the teaching faculty of a college (Section 1012.82, F.S.), or a full-time equivalent teaching faculty member at a university (Section 1012.945, F.S.); or

b. Part-time member of the teaching faculty with total college teaching experience equivalent to at least two (2) semesters of full-time experience.

(d) No change.

(e) A grade of at least “C” or the equivalent shall be earned in each course used for meeting professional preparation requirements pursuant to Rule 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) No change.

(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. No change.

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. in a public or state supported vocational or technical school, or in an accredited community or junior college as described in Rule 6A-4.003, F.A.C.

(b) through (c) No change.

(6) No change.

Rulemaking Authority 1001.02, 1012.55, 1012.56 FS. Law Implemented 1001.10(5)(b), 1012.55, 1012.56 FS. History–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,

 

6A-4.004 Florida Educator’s Certificates with Academic, Administrative, Degreed Career and Technical, and Specialty Class Coverages.

A Florida educator’s certificate is issued to an applicant with academic, administrative, degreed career and technical, and specialty class coverages as specified below.

(1) Temporary certificate.

(a) The fivethree-year nonrenewable temporary certificate may be issued to an applicant who does not qualify for the professional certificate but meets the following requirements:

1. through 3. No change.

(b) Expired temporary certificates. A new fivethree-year nonrenewable temporary certificate may be issued to an applicant who satisfies all the following:

1. through 2. No change.

(c) No change.

(2) through (8) No change.

 (9) Addition of endorsements. An endorsement may be added to a valid fivethree-year nonrenewable temporary or renewable professional certificate when an applicant meets the following requirements:

(a) through (b) No change.

(10) No change.

Rulemaking Authority 1001.02, 1012.55, 1012.56 FS. Law Implemented 1012.55, 1012.56 FS. History–New 4-20-64, Amended 4-8-68, 7-7-68, 4-11-69, 4-11-70, 9-17-72, 8-17-74, Repromulgated 12-5-74, Amended 11-9-76, 7-1-79, 8-27-80, 1-3-82, 4-26-84, 11-18-84, 6-18-85, Formerly 6A-4.04, Amended 12-25-86, 10-18-88, 9-12-89, 12-4-89, 4-15-91, 10-10-91, 5-3-94, 10-15-01, 12-27-04, 11-26-08, 3-5-14, 12-20-16, 8-21-18, 3-17-20, 9-20-22,

 

NAME OF PERSON ORIGINATING PROPOSED RULE: Michelle L. Gaines, Bureau Chief, Educator Certification.

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

DATE PROPOSED RULE APPROVED BY AGENCY HEAD: April 20, 2023

DATE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT PUBLISHED IN FAR: March 29, 2023