The Bureau of Educator Certification is responsible for implementing certification provisions in Florida statutes and State Board of Education Rule 6A-4, Florida Administrative Code, which include approving applications for certification and ensuring that prospective teachers meet eligibility requirements, demonstrate a mastery of general knowledge, subject area knowledge, and professional preparation and education competence.

Florida offers two types of educator certificates: the professional certificate and the temporary certificate; each has specific requirements and validation periods. The state also has two reciprocity procedures, one for out-of-state teachers who hold a valid certificate issued by another state and one for teachers with a currently valid certificate issued by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS).

Prospective teachers can earn certification in a variety of subject areas. Educators who currently hold a valid Florida Temporary or Professional Certificate can also add a subject coverage or endorsement.

The temporary teaching certificate provides individuals who meet certain specified requirements to teach while they complete the remaining requirements for a professional certificate. To be eligible for a temporary teaching certificate, individuals must hold at least a bachelor's degree and demonstrate mastery of subject area knowledge or subject specialization with a 2.5 GPA for a requested subject, in addition to meeting other requirements. Effective July 1, 2023, a temporary teaching certificate is valid for five years instead of three. Temporary teaching certificates are not renewable.

The Department of Education provides a complete listing of the requirements associated with the temporary teaching certificate on its website.

The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards is an independent nonprofit organization that certifies teachers who meet high standards that promote student learning. National Board Certificationis designed to develop, retrain, and recognize accomplished teachers and to generate ongoing improvement in schools nationwide. National Board Certification identifies teachers who meet the National Board Standards, which represent a consensus among educators about what accomplished teachers should know and be able to do in 25 certificate areas. To gain National Board Certification, teachers must demonstrate that they meet those standards by passing a series of assessment components.

A valid National Board Certificate is accepted for full reciprocity for a Florida Professional Certificate for new teachers in Florida. In addition, National Board Certification satisfies Florida's requirements for renewal of an educator's Florida Professional Certificate.

As of January 23, 2023, Florida had 13,590 National Board Certified Teachers. The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards provides a directory of Florida teachers with a National Board Certification.

The department's Division of Educator Quality provides a number of statewide oversight and support activities designed to ensure teacher quality. These include educator preparation programs, educator evaluation systems, professional development systems, educator recognition, and educator recruitment programs.

In addition, the department has established the Florida Educator Accomplished Practices (FEAPs)to identify expectations for effective educators. The FEAPs serve as the foundation for instructional personnel evaluation and professional learning systems, educator preparation programs and educator certification requirements.

Section 1012.98, Florida Statutes, requires each district to develop a professional development system and a master plan of in-service activities for all district personnel using student achievement and other data to identify school and student needs. Each district must provide in-service activities coupled with follow-up support to achieve school- and district-level improvement goals and standards. Principals may establish and maintain individual professional development plans tied to student performance for all instructional personnel. Additional requirements included in-service activities for administrators and continuous evaluation of the quality and effectiveness of professional development programs.

Certified educators are held to the standards of conduct as outlined in Florida statutes and State Board of Education Rule 6A-10.081, Florida Administrative Code. The Principles of Professional Conduct specifies what professional educators and members of the community can and should expect from educators. In addition to the standards, the Florida Educator Accomplished Practicesinclude professional responsibility and ethics as the foundation for the state's instructional personnel evaluation and professional learning systems, educator preparation programs, and educator certification requirements.

If an educator violates the code of ethics and misconduct is suspected, the Office of Professional Practices Servicesadministers a state-level grievance process that investigates alleged wrongdoing by Florida-certified teachers.

The Florida Department of Education's Bureau of Educator Recruitment, Development, and Retention assists prospective teachers who have an interest in teaching in the state. At the state level, the bureau organizes the Great Florida Teach-In, an annual job fair that enables educator candidates seeking employment in Florida to obtain interviews with district and charter school personnel responsible for hiring teachers. The bureau also maintains district recruitment contacts and local job fair information on its recruitment website for prospective teachers.

In addition, the bureau provides assistance to schools in starting and maintaining chapters of Florida Future Educators of America, which is a pre-collegiate and collegiate teacher program. The program provides a forum for students to become aware of career opportunities in education and nurtures their interest in teaching as a career.

Removing Barriers to Teacher Certification. The 2023 Legislature enacted Ch. 2023-16, Laws of Florida, to remove barriers to teacher certifications by adding options to the acceptable means of demonstrating mastery of general knowledge, subject area knowledge, and professional preparation and education competence. The law also increases the validity period of a non-renewable temporary teaching certificate from three to five years.

 Flexibility in Recruiting Career and Technology Education (CTE) Teachers. The 2023 Legislature enacted Ch. 2023-81, Laws of Florida, providing district school boards discretion to certify instructors to teach CTE programs. This law also requires school boards to award teachers in-service credit toward renewal of a professional certificate for supporting students in extracurricular CTE activities.

Expansion of Opportunities for Teacher Recruitment. The 2023 Legislature enacted Ch. 2023-38, Laws of Florida. Among its provisions, this law

• allows state-approved teacher preparation programs to provide a waiver of tuition and fees to students in the program who meet certain requirements;
• establishes the Dual Enrollment Educator Scholarship Program to assist teachers of grades 9-12 in obtaining the advanced credentials necessary to provide dual enrollment courses;
• establishes the Teacher Apprenticeship Program as an alternative pathway for individuals to enter the teaching profession, and authorizes a five-year temporary apprenticeship certificate;
• waives teacher certification initial exam and certification fees for retired law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, or paramedics; and 
• establishes the Heroes in the Classroom Bonus Program to provide a one-time sign-on bonus to retired first responders and veterans who become a full-time classroom teacher, with specified service duties.   

Interstate Education Compacts. The 2023 Legislature enacted Ch. 2023-165, Laws of Florida, adopts the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact (ITMC or Compact) as a regulatory framework to allow teachers with an eligible license held in a Compact member state to be granted an equivalent license in another Compact member state.

Modifications to Educator Certification Requirements. The 2023 Legislature enacted Ch. 2023-39, Laws of Florida, which expands eligibility for temporary certification to candidates who are currently enrolled in state-approved teacher preparation programs and who meet certain requirements. The bill also re-establishes the general knowledge test requirement for all applicants for a professional certificate while narrowing requirements for demonstration of mastery of professional preparation and education competence.

Educator Certification Pathways for Veterans. The 2022 Legislature enacted Ch. 2022-186, Laws of Florida, which provides an alternative pathway for veterans seeking subject area certification by removing the requirement for a baccalaureate degree for issuance of their temporary educator certificate if certain requirements are met.

Websites of Interest
Center for the Study of Teaching and Policy
Mira Education 
Florida Department of Education, Division of Educator Quality
Florida Department of Education, Educator Certification
Florida Department of Education, Professional Development
Florida Department of Education, Recruitment Programs
Florida Department of Education, Professional Practices
Florida Department of Education, PK-12 Public School Data and Reports, Staff
Florida Department of Education, Charter Schools Trainings and Professional Development
National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
National Council on Teacher Quality

Performance Information 

Bureau of Educator Certification, 1-800-445-6739
Website

Professional Development in Florida
Website

Office of Professional Practices Services, 850-245-0438
Website