To adopt new Florida Teacher Certification Examinations (FTCE) competencies and skills, effective October 1, 2020, for the following FTCE subject areas: Guidance and Counseling PK–12, Hearing Impaired K–12, Music K–12, School Psychologist PK–12, ...

Notice of Development of Rulemaking

 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

State Board of Education

RULE NO.:RULE TITLE:

6A-4.0021Florida Teacher Certification Examinations

PURPOSE AND EFFECT: To adopt new Florida Teacher Certification Examinations (FTCE) competencies and skills, effective October 1, 2020, for the following FTCE subject areas: Guidance and Counseling PK–12, Hearing Impaired K–12, Music K–12, School Psychologist PK–12, Speech-Language Impaired K–12 and Visually Impaired K–12. Examine the current fee structure for all FTCE examinations and to adopt new lower registration fees, including the lowering of fees for first-time and retake attempts. The effect will be changes to the affected FTCE competencies and skills for the affected examinations; and fee modifications to all FTCE examinations.

SUBJECT AREA TO BE ADDRESSED: Florida Teacher Certification Examination.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY: 1012.55(1), 1012.56, 1012.59, FS.

LAW IMPLEMENTED: 1012.55, 1012.56, 1012.59, FS.

IF REQUESTED IN WRITING AND NOT DEEMED UNNECESSARY BY THE AGENCY HEAD, A RULE DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP WILL BE HELD AT THE DATE, TIME AND PLACE SHOWN BELOW:

DATE AND TIME: February 27, 2019, 10:00 a.m.

PLACE: Conference Call: 1(888)585-9008, Conference Room (code to join): 316-794-769. Florida Department of Education, Room 422B, 325 West Gaines St., Tallahassee, Florida, 32299.

THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT AND A COPY OF THE PRELIMINARY DRAFT, IF AVAILABLE, 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]. To request a workshop or submit a comment on this rule development, please contact: Chris Emerson, Director, Office of Executive Management, Department of Education, [phone] or e-mail [e-mail] or go to https://app1.fldoe.org/rules/default.aspx.

 

THE PRELIMINARY TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT IS:

 

6A-4.0021 Florida Teacher Certification Examinations.

(1) Scope. This rule governs the written examinations for teacher certification. Additional requirements for certification are specified in Chapter 6A-4, F.A.C.

(2) Description of the examinations and competencies to be demonstrated.

(a) The Florida Teacher Certification Examinations shall be developed by the Commissioner of Education.

(b) The written examinations shall include subtests of English language skills, reading, writing, mathematics, professional skills, and subject area specialty. These examinations may contain multiple-choice questions and questions requiring the examinee to write an answer or demonstrate a proficiency.

(c) The following competencies are to be demonstrated by means of the written examinations:

1. Between June 1, 2016 and August 31, 2017, the general knowledge competencies and skills contained in the publication “Competencies and Skills Required for Teacher Certification in Florida, Twenty-Second Edition,” (http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-05515), which is incorporated by reference and made part of this rule effective June 1, 2016. Between September 1, 2017 and September 30, 2017, the general knowledge competencies and skills contained in the publication “Competencies and Skills Required for Teacher Certification in Florida, Twenty-Third Edition,” (http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-07092), which is incorporated by reference and made part of this rule effective September 1, 2017. Beginning October 1, 2017, and September 30, 2020, the general knowledge competencies and skills contained in the publication “Competencies and Skills Required for Teacher Certification in Florida, Twenty-Fourth Edition,”(http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-07842), which is incorporated by reference and made part of this rule effective October 1, 2017. Beginning October 1, 2020, the general knowledge competencies and skills contained in the publication “Competencies and Skills Required for Teacher Certification in Florida, Twenty-Fifth Edition,”(DOS link), which is incorporated by reference and made part of this rule effective October 1, 2020. These publications may be obtained by contacting the Division of Accountability, Research and Measurement, Department of Education, 325 West Gaines Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0400.

2. Between June 1, 2016 and August 31, 2017, the professional education competencies and skills contained in the publication “Competencies and Skills Required for Teacher Certification in Florida, Twenty-Second Edition,” (http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-05515), which is incorporated by reference and made part of this rule effective June 1, 2016. Between September 1, 2017 and September 30, 2017, the professional education competencies and skills contained in the publication “Competencies and Skills Required for Teacher Certification in Florida, Twenty-Third Edition,” (http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-07092), which is incorporated by reference and made part of this rule effective September 1, 2017. Beginning October 1, 2017, and September 30, 2020, the professional education competencies and skills contained in the publication “Competencies and Skills Required for Teacher Certification in Florida, Twenty-Fourth Edition,”(http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-07842), which is incorporated by reference and made part of this rule effective October 1, 2017. Beginning October 1, 2020, the professional education competencies and skills contained in the publication “Competencies and Skills Required for Teacher Certification in Florida, Twenty-Fifth Edition,” (DOS link), which is incorporated by reference and made part of this rule effective October 1, 2020. These publications may be obtained by contacting the Division of Accountability, Research and Measurement, Department of Education, 325 West Gaines Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0400.

3. Between June 1, 2016 and August 31, 2017, the subject area competencies and skills contained in the publication “Competencies and Skills Required for Teacher Certification in Florida, Twenty-Second Edition,” (http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-05515), which is incorporated by reference and made part of this rule effective June 1, 2016. Between September 1, 2017 and September 30, 2017, the subject area competencies and skills contained in the publication “Competencies and Skills Required for Teacher Certification in Florida, Twenty-Third Edition,” (http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-07092), which is incorporated by reference and made part of this rule effective September 1, 2017. Beginning October 1, 2017, and September 30, 2020, the subject area competencies and skills contained in the publication “Competencies and Skills Required for Teacher Certification in Florida, Twenty-Fourth Edition,”(http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-07842), which is incorporated by reference and made part of this rule effective October 1, 2017. Beginning October 1, 2020, the subject area competencies and skills contained in the publication “Competencies and Skills Required for Teacher Certification in Florida, Twenty-Fifth Edition,”(DOS link), which is incorporated by reference and made part of this rule effective October 1, 2020. These publications may be obtained by contacting the Division of Accountability, Research and Measurement, Department of Education, 325 West Gaines Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0400.

(3) No change.

(4) Registration, fees, and refunds.

(a) Registration for the examinations shall be for the initial examinations or for one (1) or more examinations not previously passed. To register to take the examinations, an applicant shall register online with the test administration agency at: http://www.fldoe.org/accountability/assessments/postsecondary-assessment/ftce/. The Florida Teacher Certification Examinations (FTCE)/Florida Educational Leadership Examination (FELE) Registration Form, PS 2015 (http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-05900) (Effective October 2015) is incorporated by reference herein.

(b) Beginning April 22, 2019 September 1, 2009, registration fees shall be as follows:

Examination	Fee
General Knowledge Test, First-Time Registration (Full Battery)	$130.00
General Knowledge Test, Single Subtest Retake Registration	$32.50 150.00
General Knowledge Test, Two Subtests Retake Registration	$65.00
General Knowledge Test, Three Subtests Retake Registration	$97.50
General Knowledge Test, Full Battery Retake Registration	$130.00
Professional Education Test, First-Time Registration	$150.00
Professional Education Test, Retake Registration	$150.00 170.00
Subject Area Examination, First-Time Registration	$150.00 200.00
Subject Area Examination, Retake Registration	$150.00 220.00

(c) Beginning April 22, 2019 July 1, 2013, registration fees for Prekindergarten/Primary PK-3 shall be as follows:

Prekindergarten/Primary PK-3	Fee
First-Time Registration (Full Battery)	$150.00 200.00
Single Subtest Retake Registration	$37.50 150.00
Two Subtests Retake Registration	$75.00 200.00
Three Subtests Retake Registration	$112.50 220.00
Full Battery Retake Registration	$150.00 220.00

(d) Beginning April 22, 2019 May 1, 2014, registration fees for Elementary Education K-6 shall be as follows:

Elementary Education K-6	Fee
First-Time Registration (Full Battery)	$150.00 200.00
Single Subtest Retake Registration	$37.50 150.00
Two Subtests Retake Registration	$75.00 200.00
Three Subtests Retake Registration	$112.50 220.00
Full Battery Retake Registration	$150.00 220.00

(e) Beginning April 22, 2019 January 1, 2015, registration fees for English 6-12 and Middle Grades English 5-9 shall be as follows:

First-Time Registration (Full Battery)	$150.00 200.00
Single Section Retake Registration	$75.00 150.00
Full Battery Retake Registration	$150.00 220.00

(f) Refunds. Fees may be refunded provided written requests for refunds are received by the test administration agency at least twenty-four (24) hours preceding the examination date. Failure to appear for or to complete an examination shall result in forfeiture of fees.

(5) through (13) No change.

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,