To adopt and incorporate new Florida Teacher Certification Examinations (FTCE) competencies and skills, effective June 1, 2022, for the following FTCE subject areas: General Knowledge Test, Elementary Education K–6, English ....

 

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

State Board of Education

RULE NO.:RULE TITLE:

6A-4.0021Florida Teacher Certification Examinations

PURPOSE AND EFFECT: To adopt and incorporate new Florida Teacher Certification Examinations (FTCE) competencies and skills, effective June 1, 2022, for the following FTCE subject areas: General Knowledge Test, Elementary Education K–6, English 6–12, English for Speakers of Other Languages K–12, Exceptional Student Education K–12, Middle Grades English 5–9, Prekindergarten/Primary PK–3, and Reading K–12. The rule amendment also updates the names of two subject area examinations: Guidance and Counseling PK–12 will be renamed School Counseling PK–12 to align with current certification terminology, and Hearing Impaired K–12 will be renamed Deaf or Hard of Hearing K–12 to align with current certification terminology.

SUMMARY: The proposed rule will adopt and incorporate the “Competencies and Skills Required for Teacher Certification in Florida, Twenty-Sixth Edition,” effective June 1, 2022, which updates the competencies and skills for eight (8) certification areas to better reflect the Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking (B.E.S.T.) Student Performance Standards in English Language Arts, adopted and incorporated in Rule 6A-1.09401, F.A.C. The proposed rule also updates the names of the following two (2) subject area examinations: Guidance and Counseling PK–12 to School Counseling PK–12 to reflect the name change for the certification area in Rule 6A-4.0181, F.A.C., and Hearing Impaired K–12 to Deaf or Hard of Hearing K–12 to reflect the name change for the certification area in Rule 6A-4.0172, F.A.C.

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: 1001.02(1), (2)(n), 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: March 30, 2022, 9:00 a.m.

PLACE: Collier County School Board Office, 5775 Osceola Trail, Naples, FL 34109.

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]., 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) 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 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, and May 31, 2022, the general knowledge competencies and skills contained in the publication “Competencies and Skills Required for Teacher Certification in Florida, Twenty-Fifth Edition,” (http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-10344), which is incorporated by reference and made part of this rule effective October 1, 2020. Beginning June 1, 2022,  the general knowledge competencies and skills contained in the publication “Competencies and Skills Required for Teacher Certification in Florida, Twenty-Sixth Edition,” (INSERT LINK HERE), which is incorporated by reference and made part of this rule effective June 1, 2022. 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 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, and May 31, 2022, the professional education competencies and skills contained in the publication “Competencies and Skills Required for Teacher Certification in Florida, Twenty-Fifth Edition,” (http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-10344), which is incorporated by reference and made part of this rule effective October 1, 2020. Beginning June 1, 2022, the professional education competencies and skills contained in the publication “Competencies and Skills Required for Teacher Certification in Florida, Twenty-Sixth Edition,” (INSERT LINK HERE), which is incorporated by reference and made part of this rule effective June 1, 2022. 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 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, and May 31, 2022, the subject area competencies and skills contained in the publication “Competencies and Skills Required for Teacher Certification in Florida, Twenty-Fifth Edition,” (http://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-10344), which is incorporated by reference and made part of this rule effective October 1, 2020. Beginning June 1, 2022, the subject area competencies and skills contained in the publication “Competencies and Skills Required for Teacher Certification in Florida, Twenty-Sixth Edition,” (INSERT LINK HERE), which is incorporated by reference and made part of this rule effective June 1, 2022. 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) through (8) No change.

(9) Scoring of the subject area specialty examinations.

(a) No change.

(b) For subject area specialty examinations listed below, a score earned prior to May 1, 1990, shall be considered a passing score and shall be valid for certification in that subject area for a period of two (2) years from the test administration date. Effective August 1, 1990, a passing score for these subject area examinations will be a scaled score of at least two hundred (200). This scaled passing score will be equivalent to the following scores on the October 1988 test administration:

SUBJECT	SCORE
Biology 6-12	70 correct items
Computer Science K-12	72 correct items
Earth-Space Science 6-12	70 correct items
Emotionally Handicapped K-12	87 correct items
Geography 6-12	105 correct items
School Guidance and Counseling PK-12	83 correct items
History 6-12	89 correct items
Journalism 6-12	89 correct items
Mentally Handicapped K-12	63 correct items
Physical Education K-8	66 correct items
Physical Education 6-12	72 correct items
Physically Impaired K-12	79 correct items
Political Science 6-12	84 correct items
Reading K-12	69 correct items
School Psychologist PK-12	61 correct items
Specific Learning Disabilities K-12	78 correct items
Speech-Language Impaired K-12	79 correct items
Varying Exceptionalities K-12	80 correct items

(c) For subject area specialty examinations listed below, a score earned prior to October 1, 1990, shall be considered a passing score and shall be valid for certification in that subject area for a period of two (2) years from the test administration date. Effective October 1, 1990, a passing score for these subject area examinations will be a scaled score of at least two hundred (200). This scaled passing score will be equivalent to the following scores on the April 1989 test administration:

SUBJECT	SCORE
Art K-12	63 correct items
Elementary Education 1-6	84 correct items
English 6-12	71 on a scale that weights the multiple choice section eighty (80) percent and the essay section twenty (20) percent
Deaf or Hard of Hearing Impaired K-12	66 correct items
Mathematics 6-12	60 correct items
Music K-12	64 correct items
Primary Education K-3	88 correct items
Social Science 6-12	102 correct items

(d) through (bb) No change.

(10) 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, 4-22-19,

 

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: Richard Corcoran, Commissioner, Department of Education

DATE PROPOSED RULE APPROVED BY AGENCY HEAD: February 17, 2022

DATE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT PUBLISHED IN FAR: December 15, 2021