Bill Text: FL S0934 | 2021 | Regular Session | Comm Sub

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Education

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (? 2-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-04-26 - Laid on Table, companion bill(s) passed, see CS/HB 1159 (Ch. 2021-228), CS/HB 7011 (Ch. 2021-9), CS/CS/SB 1028 (Ch. 2021-35) [S0934 Detail]

Download: Florida-2021-S0934-Comm_Sub.html

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       Florida Senate - 2021                              CS for SB 934
       
       
        
       By the Committee on Education; and Senator Wright
       
       
       
       
       
       581-02356-21                                           2021934c1
    1                        A bill to be entitled                      
    2         An act relating to education; amending s. 1004.04,
    3         F.S.; requiring additional specified strategies to be
    4         included in rules establishing uniform core curricula
    5         for each state-approved teacher preparation program;
    6         requiring that certain teacher preparation programs
    7         require students to demonstrate mastery of general
    8         knowledge by passing the General Knowledge Test of the
    9         Florida Teacher Certification Examination by the time
   10         of graduation; deleting a provision authorizing a
   11         teacher preparation program to waive certain
   12         admissions requirements for up to 10 percent of
   13         admitted students; amending s. 1004.85, F.S.;
   14         expanding the instruction that an educator preparation
   15         institute may provide to include instruction and
   16         professional development for part-time and full-time
   17         nondegreed teachers of career programs; requiring the
   18         Department of Education to approve a certification
   19         program if an institute provides evidence of its
   20         capacity to implement a competency-based program that
   21         includes specified strategies; amending s. 1012.39,
   22         F.S.; revising the minimum qualifications for part
   23         time and full-time nondegreed teachers of career
   24         programs; amending s. 1012.56, F.S.; revising the
   25         acceptable means of demonstrating mastery of general
   26         knowledge to include documentation of receipt of a
   27         master’s or higher degree from certain postsecondary
   28         institutions; revising the criteria for the Department
   29         of Education to issue a professional certificate;
   30         amending s. 1012.575, F.S.; authorizing an
   31         organization of private schools or a consortium of
   32         charter schools with an approved professional
   33         development system to design alternative teacher
   34         preparation programs; amending s. 1012.986, F.S.;
   35         defining the term “educational leader”; providing that
   36         the William Cecil Golden Professional Development
   37         Program for School Leaders must consist of a network
   38         of specified entities; revising the goals of the
   39         program; requiring the department to also offer
   40         program components through university or educational
   41         leadership academies and through educational
   42         leadership coaching and mentoring; making technical
   43         changes; providing an effective date.
   44          
   45  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   46  
   47         Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subsection (2) and paragraph
   48  (b) of subsection (3) of section 1004.04, Florida Statutes, are
   49  amended to read:
   50         1004.04 Public accountability and state approval for
   51  teacher preparation programs.—
   52         (2) UNIFORM CORE CURRICULA AND CANDIDATE ASSESSMENT.—
   53         (b) The rules to establish uniform core curricula for each
   54  state-approved teacher preparation program must include, but are
   55  not limited to, the following:
   56         1. Candidate instruction and assessment in the Florida
   57  Educator Accomplished Practices across content areas.
   58         2. The use of state-adopted content standards to guide
   59  curricula and instruction.
   60         3. Scientifically researched and evidence-based reading
   61  instructional strategies that improve reading performance for
   62  all students, including explicit, systematic, and sequential
   63  approaches to teaching phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary,
   64  fluency, and text comprehension and multisensory intervention
   65  strategies.
   66         4. Content literacy and mathematics practices.
   67         5. Strategies appropriate for the instruction of English
   68  language learners.
   69         6. Strategies appropriate for the instruction of students
   70  with disabilities.
   71         7. Strategies to differentiate instruction based on student
   72  needs.
   73         8. The use of character-based classroom management.
   74         9. Strategies appropriate for the early identification of
   75  students in crisis or experiencing a mental health challenge and
   76  the referral of such student to a mental health professional for
   77  support.
   78         10. Strategies to support the use of technology in
   79  education and distance learning.
   80         (3) INITIAL STATE PROGRAM APPROVAL.—
   81         (b) Each teacher preparation program approved by the
   82  Department of Education, as provided for by this section, shall
   83  require students to meet, at a minimum, the following
   84  requirements as prerequisites for admission into the program:
   85         1. For admission into the program, have a grade point
   86  average of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale for the general education
   87  component of undergraduate studies or have completed the
   88  requirements for a baccalaureate degree with a minimum grade
   89  point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale from any college or
   90  university accredited by a regional accrediting association as
   91  defined by State Board of Education rule or any college or
   92  university otherwise approved pursuant to State Board of
   93  Education rule.
   94         2. Demonstrate mastery of general knowledge sufficient for
   95  entry into the program, including the ability to read, write,
   96  and perform in mathematics, by passing the General Knowledge
   97  Test of the Florida Teacher Certification Examination by the
   98  time of graduation or, for a graduate level program, obtain a
   99  baccalaureate degree from an institution that is accredited or
  100  approved pursuant to the rules of the State Board of Education.
  101  
  102  Each teacher preparation program may waive these admissions
  103  requirements for up to 10 percent of the students admitted.
  104  Programs shall implement strategies to ensure that students
  105  admitted under a waiver receive assistance to demonstrate
  106  competencies to successfully meet requirements for certification
  107  and shall annually report to the Department of Education the
  108  status of each candidate admitted under such a waiver.
  109         Section 2. Paragraph (a) of subsection (2) and paragraph
  110  (a) of subsection (3) of section 1004.85, Florida Statutes, are
  111  amended to read:
  112         1004.85 Postsecondary educator preparation institutes.—
  113         (2)(a) Postsecondary institutions that are accredited or
  114  approved as described in State Board of Education rule may seek
  115  approval from the Department of Education to create educator
  116  preparation institutes for the purpose of providing any or all
  117  of the following:
  118         1. Professional development instruction to assist teachers
  119  in improving classroom instruction and in meeting certification
  120  or recertification requirements.
  121         2. Instruction to assist potential and existing substitute
  122  teachers in performing their duties.
  123         3. Instruction to assist paraprofessionals in meeting
  124  education and training requirements.
  125         4. Instruction for baccalaureate degree holders to become
  126  certified teachers as provided in this section in order to
  127  increase routes to the classroom for mid-career professionals
  128  who hold a baccalaureate degree and college graduates who were
  129  not education majors.
  130         5. Instruction and professional development for part-time
  131  and full-time nondegreed teachers of career programs under s.
  132  1012.39(1)(c).
  133         (3) Educator preparation institutes approved pursuant to
  134  this section may offer competency-based certification programs
  135  specifically designed for noneducation major baccalaureate
  136  degree holders to enable program participants to meet the
  137  educator certification requirements of s. 1012.56. An educator
  138  preparation institute choosing to offer a competency-based
  139  certification program pursuant to the provisions of this section
  140  must implement a program previously approved by the Department
  141  of Education for this purpose or a program developed by the
  142  institute and approved by the department for this purpose.
  143  Approved programs shall be available for use by other approved
  144  educator preparation institutes.
  145         (a) Within 90 days after receipt of a request for approval,
  146  the Department of Education shall approve a preparation program
  147  pursuant to the requirements of this subsection or issue a
  148  statement of the deficiencies in the request for approval. The
  149  department shall approve a certification program if the
  150  institute provides evidence of the institute’s capacity to
  151  implement a competency-based program that includes each of the
  152  following:
  153         1.a. Participant instruction and assessment in the Florida
  154  Educator Accomplished Practices across content areas.
  155         b. The use of state-adopted student content standards to
  156  guide curriculum and instruction.
  157         c. Scientifically researched and evidence-based reading
  158  instructional strategies that improve reading performance for
  159  all students, including explicit, systematic, and sequential
  160  approaches to teaching phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary,
  161  fluency, and text comprehension and multisensory intervention
  162  strategies.
  163         d. Content literacy and mathematical practices.
  164         e. Strategies appropriate for instruction of English
  165  language learners.
  166         f. Strategies appropriate for instruction of students with
  167  disabilities.
  168         g. Strategies to differentiate instruction based on student
  169  needs.
  170         h. The use of character-based classroom management.
  171         i. Strategies appropriate for the early identification of
  172  students in crisis or experiencing a mental health challenge and
  173  the referral of such students to a mental health professional
  174  for support.
  175         j. Strategies to support the use of technology in education
  176  and distance learning.
  177         2. An educational plan for each participant to meet
  178  certification requirements and demonstrate his or her ability to
  179  teach the subject area for which the participant is seeking
  180  certification, which is based on an assessment of his or her
  181  competency in the areas listed in subparagraph 1.
  182         3. Field experiences appropriate to the certification
  183  subject area specified in the educational plan with a diverse
  184  population of students in a variety of challenging environments,
  185  including, but not limited to, high-poverty schools, urban
  186  schools, and rural schools, under the supervision of qualified
  187  educators.
  188         4. A certification ombudsman to facilitate the process and
  189  procedures required for participants who complete the program to
  190  meet any requirements related to the background screening
  191  pursuant to s. 1012.32 and educator professional or temporary
  192  certification pursuant to s. 1012.56.
  193         Section 3. Paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of section
  194  1012.39, Florida Statutes, is amended to read:
  195         1012.39 Employment of substitute teachers, teachers of
  196  adult education, nondegreed teachers of career education, and
  197  career specialists; students performing clinical field
  198  experience.—
  199         (1) Notwithstanding ss. 1012.32, 1012.55, 1012.56, and
  200  1012.57, or any other provision of law or rule to the contrary,
  201  each district school board shall establish the minimal
  202  qualifications for:
  203         (c) Part-time and full-time nondegreed teachers of career
  204  programs. Qualifications shall be established for nondegreed
  205  teachers of career and technical education courses for program
  206  clusters that are recognized in the state and are based
  207  primarily on successful occupational experience rather than
  208  academic training. The qualifications for such teachers shall
  209  require:
  210         1. The filing of a complete set of fingerprints in the same
  211  manner as required by s. 1012.32. Faculty employed solely to
  212  conduct postsecondary instruction may be exempted from this
  213  requirement.
  214         2. Documentation of education and successful occupational
  215  experience including documentation of:
  216         a. A high school diploma or the equivalent.
  217         b. Completion of 6 years of full-time successful
  218  occupational experience or the equivalent of part-time
  219  experience in the teaching specialization area. The district
  220  school board may establish alternative qualifications for
  221  teachers with an industry certification in the career area in
  222  which they teach.
  223         c. Completion of career education training conducted
  224  through the local school district inservice master plan or
  225  through an educator preparation institute approved by the State
  226  Board of Education pursuant to s. 1004.85.
  227         d. For full-time teachers, completion of professional
  228  education training in teaching methods, course construction,
  229  lesson planning and evaluation, and teaching special needs
  230  students. This training may be completed through coursework from
  231  an accredited or approved institution or an approved district
  232  teacher education program.
  233         e. Demonstration of successful teaching performance.
  234         f. Documentation of industry certification when state or
  235  national industry certifications are available and applicable.
  236         Section 4.  Subsection (3) and paragraph (a) of subsection
  237  (7) of section 1012.56, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  238         1012.56 Educator certification requirements.—
  239         (3) MASTERY OF GENERAL KNOWLEDGE.—Acceptable means of
  240  demonstrating mastery of general knowledge are:
  241         (a) Achievement of passing scores on the general knowledge
  242  examination required by state board rule;
  243         (b) Documentation of a valid professional standard teaching
  244  certificate issued by another state;
  245         (c) Documentation of a valid certificate issued by the
  246  National Board for Professional Teaching Standards or a national
  247  educator credentialing board approved by the State Board of
  248  Education;
  249         (d) Documentation of two semesters of successful, full-time
  250  or part-time teaching in a Florida College System institution,
  251  state university, or private college or university that awards
  252  an associate or higher degree and is an accredited institution
  253  or an institution of higher education identified by the
  254  Department of Education as having a quality program; or
  255         (e) Achievement of passing scores, identified in state
  256  board rule, on national or international examinations that test
  257  comparable content and relevant standards in verbal, analytical
  258  writing, and quantitative reasoning skills, including, but not
  259  limited to, the verbal, analytical writing, and quantitative
  260  reasoning portions of the Graduate Record Examination. Passing
  261  scores identified in state board rule must be at approximately
  262  the same level of rigor as is required to pass the general
  263  knowledge examinations; or
  264         (f) Documentation of receipt of a master’s or higher degree
  265  from an accredited postsecondary educational institution that
  266  the Department of Education has identified as having a quality
  267  program resulting in a baccalaureate degree or higher.
  268  
  269  A school district that employs an individual who does not
  270  achieve passing scores on any subtest of the general knowledge
  271  examination must provide information regarding the availability
  272  of state-level and district-level supports and instruction to
  273  assist him or her in achieving a passing score. Such information
  274  must include, but need not be limited to, state-level test
  275  information guides, school district test preparation resources,
  276  and preparation courses offered by state universities and
  277  Florida College System institutions.
  278         (7) TYPES AND TERMS OF CERTIFICATION.—
  279         (a) The Department of Education shall issue a professional
  280  certificate for a period not to exceed 5 years to any applicant
  281  who fulfills one of the following:
  282         1. Meets all the applicable requirements outlined in
  283  subsection (2).
  284         2. For a professional certificate covering grades 6 through
  285  12:
  286         a. Meets the applicable requirements of paragraphs (2)(a)
  287  (h).
  288         b. Holds a master’s or higher degree in the area of
  289  science, technology, engineering, or mathematics.
  290         c. Teaches a high school course in the subject of the
  291  advanced degree.
  292         d. Is rated highly effective as determined by the teacher’s
  293  performance evaluation under s. 1012.34, based in part on
  294  student performance as measured by a statewide, standardized
  295  assessment or an Advanced Placement, Advanced International
  296  Certificate of Education, or International Baccalaureate
  297  examination.
  298         e. Achieves a passing score on the Florida professional
  299  education competency examination required by state board rule.
  300         3. Meets the applicable requirements of paragraphs (2)(a)
  301  (h) and completes a professional preparation and education
  302  competence program approved by the department pursuant to
  303  paragraph (8)(c) or an educator preparation institute approved
  304  by the department pursuant to s. 1004.85. An applicant who
  305  completes one of these programs the program and is rated highly
  306  effective as determined by his or her performance evaluation
  307  under s. 1012.34 is not required to take or achieve a passing
  308  score on the professional education competency examination in
  309  order to be awarded a professional certificate.
  310  
  311  Each temporary certificate is valid for 3 school fiscal years
  312  and is nonrenewable. At least 1 year before an individual’s
  313  temporary certificate is set to expire, the department shall
  314  electronically notify the individual of the date on which his or
  315  her certificate will expire and provide a list of each method by
  316  which the qualifications for a professional certificate can be
  317  completed. The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to
  318  allow the department to extend the validity period of a
  319  temporary certificate for 2 years when the requirements for the
  320  professional certificate were not completed due to the serious
  321  illness or injury of the applicant, the military service of an
  322  applicant’s spouse, other extraordinary extenuating
  323  circumstances, or if the certificateholder is rated highly
  324  effective in the immediate prior year’s performance evaluation
  325  pursuant to s. 1012.34 or has completed a 2-year mentorship
  326  program pursuant to s. 1012.56(8). The department shall extend
  327  the temporary certificate upon approval by the Commissioner of
  328  Education. A written request for extension of the certificate
  329  shall be submitted by the district school superintendent, the
  330  governing authority of a university lab school, the governing
  331  authority of a state-supported school, or the governing
  332  authority of a private school.
  333         Section 5. Section 1012.575, Florida Statutes, is amended
  334  to read:
  335         1012.575 Alternative preparation programs for certified
  336  teachers to add additional coverage.—A district school board, or
  337  an organization of private schools or a consortium of charter
  338  schools with an approved professional development system as
  339  described in s. 1012.98(6), may design alternative teacher
  340  preparation programs to enable persons already certificated to
  341  add an additional coverage to their certificates. Each
  342  alternative teacher preparation program shall be reviewed and
  343  approved by the Department of Education to assure that persons
  344  who complete the program are competent in the necessary areas of
  345  subject matter specialization. Two or more school districts may
  346  jointly participate in an alternative preparation program for
  347  teachers.
  348         Section 6. Subsections (1) and (2) of section 1012.986,
  349  Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
  350         1012.986 William Cecil Golden Professional Development
  351  Program for School Leaders.—
  352         (1) There is established the William Cecil Golden
  353  Professional Development Program for School Leaders to provide
  354  high-quality high standards and sustained support for
  355  educational principals as instructional leaders. For purposes of
  356  this section, “educational leader” means teacher leaders,
  357  assistant principals, principals, or school district leaders.
  358  The program shall consist of a collaborative network of school
  359  districts, state-approved educational leadership programs,
  360  regional consortia, charter management organizations, and state
  361  and national professional leadership organizations to respond to
  362  educational instructional leadership needs throughout the state.
  363  The network shall support the human-resource development needs
  364  of educational leaders principals, principal leadership teams,
  365  and candidates for principal leadership positions using the
  366  framework of leadership standards adopted by the State Board of
  367  Education, the Southern Regional Education Board, and the
  368  National Staff Development Council. The goal of the network
  369  leadership program is to:
  370         (a) Provide resources to support and enhance the roles of
  371  educational leaders principal’s role as the instructional
  372  leader.
  373         (b) Maintain a clearinghouse and disseminate data-supported
  374  information related to the continued enhancement of enhanced
  375  student achievement and learning, civic education, coaching and
  376  mentoring, mental health awareness, technology in education,
  377  distance learning, and school safety, based on educational
  378  research and best practices.
  379         (c) Build the capacity to Increase the quality and capacity
  380  of educational leadership development programs for preservice
  381  education for aspiring principals and inservice professional
  382  development for principals and principal leadership teams.
  383         (d) Support evidence-based leadership best teaching and
  384  research-based instructional practices through dissemination and
  385  modeling at the preservice and inservice levels for educational
  386  leaders both teachers and principals.
  387         (2) The Department of Education shall coordinate through
  388  the network identified in subsection (1) to offer the program
  389  components through multiple delivery systems, including:
  390         (a) Approved school district training programs.
  391         (b) Interactive technology-based instruction.
  392         (c) Regional consortium service organizations pursuant to
  393  s. 1001.451.
  394         (d) State, regional, university, or local educational
  395  leadership academies.
  396         (e) Educational leadership coaching and mentoring.
  397         Section 7. This act shall take effect July 1, 2021.