Certification
Certification Issues
To obtain employment in a Florida public school, educators are required to hold
a valid certificate. A certificate is a license from the Florida Department of Education
to practice as an educator in Florida’s public school system. Certification for
teaching in a public school in Florida is a state level issue. There are 67 counties
in Florida and each county is a separate school district. There are many differences
in the rules and procedures between the districts. However, all the districts employ
teachers based on state certification requirements.
The issuing of a certificate means the applicant has provided sufficient evidence
of preparation to be an educator, has had appropriate recommendations, and has undergone
a review of legal eligibility for certification (e.g., citizenship status; criminal
record review).
Aspiring, new and current Florida teachers are responsible for preparing for and
obtaining appropriate certification. Information on new Florida certification and
certification issues for those who already have a Florida certificate is provided
at this website:
http://www.fldoe.org/edcert/
Here is a brief review of typical certification issues:
Certificate Types: Florida offers two types of Educator Certificates: the Temporary
Certificate and the Professional Certificate. At the start of your career you may
not have met all of the requirements for a Professional Certificate, so you would
begin with a Temporary Certificate (issued one time only and good for 3 years)
The Temporary Certificate: Many new educators start their career with a temporary
certificate. You do not need prior teaching experience. When you have a bachelor’s
degree, you may be eligible for a 3 year temporary certificate. When you verify
you have met certain criteria, the state may issue a temporary certificate and give
you 3 years to complete all of the remaining qualifications for a Professional certificate.
Details on requirements for a temporary certificate may be found at this website:
http://www.fldoe.org/edcert/cert_types.asp
The Professional Certificate: The Professional Certificate is valid for 5 years,
may be renewed, and is the highest certification level for educators. To earn this
certificate you will need to demonstrate mastery of subject area knowledge, general
knowledge, and professional preparation and educator competence. Details on the
requirement for a Professional Certificate may be found at this website:
http://www.fldoe.org/edcert/cert_types.asp
Certified in Another State or National Board Certified? Florida has two reciprocity
routes for certified teachers and administrators to qualify for a Florida Professional
Certificate. If you hold a standard teaching certificate from another state or hold
a certificate issued by the National Board for Professional Teaching (NBPTS) you
may be eligible for a Florida Professional Certificate. Details to pursue a certificate
using a reciprocity process may be found at this website:
http://www.fldoe.org/edcert/level1.asp
Substitute Teaching: While regular teachers must meet state certification requirements,
the employment criteria for substitute teachers are determined by each school district.
Every district must comply with state statute 1012.35 that requires substitute teachers
to have at least a high school diploma or equivalent, submit a compete set of fingerprints
and complete an initial orientation and training program. Individual districts may
have additional criteria. If you are interested in being a substitute teacher you
must contact each school district where you wish to work and inquire as to the district’s
requirements and procedures for substituting in that district. The following page
on the Teach in Florida website will provide you contact information for each school
district:
http://www.teachinflorida.com/Recruitment/
RecruitmentContacts/tabid/81/Default.aspx
Certification Information Websites: The websites listed below provide information
about a variety of certification issues.