WELCOME TO DUVAL COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS Teacher Certification

DCPS CERTIFICATION TEAM Phone Number: address: Web page: Jessica Altman, Coordinator Kim Burke, Support Technician Zelena Duggins, Secretary Kella Grant, Supervisor Renard Peeples, Coordinator

OVERVIEW DCPS Certification Check Sheet Statement of Eligibility Routes to obtaining Temporary/Professional Certificates Out-of-Field Highly Qualified Renewal of Professional Certificate

DCPS CERTIFICATION CHECK SHEET Review Name and SS# for accuracy School Name Name listed next to SS# is your assigned staffing supervisor Citizenship Status Teaching Field - what the Principal has listed as the subject you are teaching Certification Info- Information our office verified with the Department of Education Education Internship College Teaching Experience Hold a Florida Certificate – Circle yes here ONLY if you hold a Florida Temporary/Professional Certificate Out of State Certificate – State, Subject, and Validity If corrections are needed, please edit directly on the sheet.

CERTIFICATION ELIGIBILITY Eligible based upon reciprocity Out of State Certificate ~ Must be provided by applicant to the FLDOE with application and fee Eligible based upon conferred degree major Bachelor’s degree with a major in the content area Bachelor’s degree with required courses and 2.5 GPA Eligible based upon passing score on subject area exam Only available for Bachelor’s level subjects

UNDERSTANDING YOUR STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY The Statement of Status of Eligibility outlines the requirements for the issuance of a Florida Educator’s Certificate You are eligible for a Florida Educator’s Certificate as shown on your Statement of Status of Eligibility Temporary Certificate Professional Certificate

PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS A SAMPLE STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY. YOU MUST REFER TO YOUR STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY ISSUED BY THE FLDOE FOR SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS.

TEMPORARY CERTIFICATE Temporary Certificate is valid for three years and is non- renewable In order to obtain the Temporary Certificate: verification of employment and request for issuance of certificate on the appropriate certification form results of your fingerprint processing from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the FBI. Both of these items are completed by the Certification Office. No action by you is necessary. Request for issuance of your Certificate will be completed by the Certification Office within 60 days of hire.

PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATE Professional Certificate is valid for five years and is renewable In order to obtain the Professional Certificate: a passing score on the Florida General Knowledge Test. Florida Law requires that an individual satisfy this requirement within one school year from the date of employment in a Florida public school. a passing score on the Professional Education Test. This must be passed within the validity of the Temporary Certificate. a passing score on your specific subject area examination. This must be passed within the validity of the Temporary Certificate.

PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATE completion of a Florida approved Professional Education Competence Program administered and documented by your employer. (This is our MINT Program.) a minimum of 15 semester hours in education courses with credit in each professional education areas listed on your Statement of Eligibility. the Practical Teaching Experience requirement by completing one year of full-time teaching experience in an elementary or secondary school. If you have your Temporary Certificate and have completed all the requirements for a Professional Certificate, as listed on your Statement of Eligibility, you must submit an application and a non-refundable application fee to the FLDOE.

TEACHER CERTIFICATION EXAMINATIONS All FTCE/FELE examinations are computer based. Refer to your Statement of Eligibility to verify the examinations required for issuance of a Professional Certificate. Reminder ~ The General Knowledge Test must be passed within the first school year of your employment. There is a required wait time of 31 days between the administration of the same examination. Examinations with Written Performance Sections may require six (6) weeks to score (English 6-12, FELE Subtest 3, French K-12, General Knowledge Essay Subtest, German K-12 Subtest 2, Middle Grades English, Spanish K-12 and Speech 6-12 Subtest 2) Exam and registration information is available at the following link:

MENTORING AND INDUCTION FOR NOVICE TEACHERS (MINT) The MINT programs are designed to foster growth through structured professional learning opportunities and differentiated support. Completion of this program satisfies the Professional Education Competency requirement to obtain your Professional Certificate, if indicated on your Statement of Eligibility. ALL newly-hired DCPS educators participate in the district’s MINT program to include: New and/or returning educators to the education profession New and/or returning educators to DCPS Next steps? Introduce yourself to the Professional Development Facilitator (PDF) assigned to your school Professional Development/MINT ~

Route 1: Course by Course ~ Review your Statement of Eligibility to identify individual course(s) you must complete. For course approval, you must contact the FLDOE directly and provide the name of the college, course prefix, course number and course title. Note: This satisfies the requirement for coursework, not the testing requirements. Also, you must participate in the MINT Program to satisfy the Professional Education Competency requirement. ROUTES FOR SATISFYING EDUCATION COURSES

Route 2: Alternative Certification Program (ACP) through DCPS ~ $950/3 Installments Must have TWO years remaining on Temporary Certificate to participate. In-Service (Workshop) Model ~ The workshop model is designed as a cohort model in which teachers attend workshops in a collegial atmosphere to learn professional education content. Workshops take place during the week after working hours. There are 22 sessions and it takes approximately 2 years to complete the program. Traditional On-Line Model ~ The on-line model program is designed for teachers who are self-motivated, have access to the internet and would benefit from a flexible study schedule. The program offers professional education coursework through distance learning. On-line mentor support is also available. This is self paced and self directed. Alternative Certification ~ Note: The Professional Education Competency requirement is met with this route, as the MINT Program is embedded in the Alternative Certification Program. Note: This satisfies the requirement for coursework, not the testing requirements. ROUTES FOR SATISFYING EDUCATION COURSES

Route 3: Educator Preparation Institute (EPI) ~ $2200 UNF, $3000 St. Johns Program provides an alternate route to teacher certification. Available for those with bachelors degrees in areas other than education seeking to become teachers, but not get a degree. Consists of competency-based instruction and professional preparation courses that equip teachers to demonstrate Education Competence for successful completion of the Professional Education test. University of North Florida ~ Dr. Betty Bennett St. Johns River College ~ Dawn Boles Note: The Professional Education Competency requirement is embedded in this program. However, you will still have to complete the MINT Program. Note: This satisfies the requirement for coursework, not the testing requirements.

ROUTES FOR SATISFYING EDUCATION COURSES Route 4: American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence ~ $ $3100 depending on needs Program provides an alternate route to teacher certification. Available for those with bachelors degrees in areas other than education seeking to become teachers, but not get a degree. Must pass a background check Take and pass two examinations: Professional Teaching Knowledge (PTK) Subject Area Exam Test preparation is done almost entirely online, giving candidates the flexibility to work towards earning their certification on their own time, with the average candidate taking 8 to 10 months to complete the program. Note: This satisfies the requirement for coursework and the testing requirements. However, you must participate in the MINT Program to satisfy the Professional Education Competency requirement.

OUT OF FIELD DEFINED Teaching “out-of-field” is defined as teaching a course/student requiring certification in a coverage that does not appear on your Florida Educator’s Certificate. At DCPS, it is often referred to as “being flagged for out- of-field.” Out-of-field is determined by reviewing the following: Courses assigned (What you are teaching) Students assigned (Who you are teaching) Appropriate certification (What appears on your Certificate) It is YOUR responsibility to know WHAT you are teaching and WHO you are teaching.

WHAT YOU ARE TEACHING You must know the course code number, not just the title of the course. These can be obtained from your CRT Operator and/or Assistant Principal of Curriculum. You MUST become familiar with the course code directory. It is separated into SIX sections: Administrative Grades Pre-K-5 Grades 6-8 Grades 9-12 ESE CTE

COURSE CODE DIRECTORY

SATISFYING OUT OF FIELD REQUIREMENTS Teaching a course out-of-field requires six (6) semester hours of appropriate college credit OR 120 points of appropriate in- service where available and allowed. This is required for ALL out-of-field course assignments and must be completed for EACH subject for which you are out-of-field. Appropriate credit must be completed AFTER the first day of your out-of-field assignment in the current school year. Credit used for a previous school year’s out-of-field requirement cannot be used to satisfy a subsequent school year’s requirement. For specific deadlines, always refer to your “Out-of-Field Agreement Notice” provided to you.

SATISFYING OUT OF FIELD CREDIT FOR SUBJECTS OTHER THAN READING, GIFTED AND ESOL Accredited college credit (6 semester hours). Note: This credit may be obtained through appropriate CLEP credit Subject area exam passed for the out-of-field subject (if available) AND the subject added to your Florida Educator’s Certificate 120 points of in-service credit earned through the District’s Alternative Certification Program A combination of 60 Alternative Certification Program points and 3 semester hours of appropriate college credit

SATISFYING OUT OF FIELD CREDIT SUBJECT AREA EXAM EXCEPTIONS The testing option is NOT available for the subjects and/or coverages listed below: Guidance and Counseling Reading K-12 Autism Endorsement ESOL Endorsement Gifted Endorsement School Psychologist Educational Leadership Speech-Language Impaired Administration of Adult Education Local Director of Vocation Education You must complete six (6) semester hours of appropriate, accredited college credit in the subject area in which you are out-of-field.

SATISFYING OUT OF FIELD CREDIT FOR READING You must complete six (6) semester hours of appropriate, accredited college credit in the subject area in which you are out-of-field OR participate in TWO 60-point in-service workshops toward the Reading endorsement during EACH school year you have been identified as out-of-field. Reading: Endorsement ~ 15 semester hours of required college credit OR 300 required in-service points K-12 Coverage ~ 30 semester hours of required college credit OR a Master’s Degree in Reading To obtain Certification coverage you must take the subject area exam AND complete the coursework.

SATISFYING OUT OF FIELD CREDIT FOR ESOL COURSE Teachers of the following ESOL courses are required to have appropriate ESOL, English, Reading and/or Foreign Language certification and/or credit to be in compliance. The courses are: Elementary School Level: – English for Speakers of Other Languages Middle School Level: /10/20 – M/J Language Arts ESOL 1, 2, and 3; Developmental Language Arts; Developmental Language Arts (Reading) High School Level: /05/10/15/20/25 & /25 – English 1, 2, 3, and 4 through ESOL; – Developmental Language Arts through ESOL (MC); – Developmental Language Arts through ESOL (Reading) Completion of ONE 60-point ESOL workshop is not enough. You must complete a total of 120 in-service points, 6 semester hours of appropriate college credit, an exam, OR a combination of options may be required along with an application and fee to add a subject(s).

WHO YOU ARE TEACHING You must know the students assigned to you and their exceptionalities. You should pay close attention to the following exceptionalities, as they may directly impact your certification: Gifted Students English Language Learners (ELL) Autistic Students (ESE teachers only with 100% ASD class) This can be determined by reviewing your class roster in FOCUS and/or speaking with your school administrators.

SATISFYING OUT OF FIELD CREDIT FOR GIFTED STUDENTS You must complete six (6) semester hours of appropriate, accredited college credit in the subject area in which you are out-of-field OR participate in TWO 60-point in-service workshops toward the Gifted endorsement during EACH school year you have been identified as out-of-field. Gifted Endorsement ~ 15 semester hours of required college credit OR 300 required in-service points

SATISFYING OUT OF FIELD CREDIT FOR ESOL STUDENTS English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Endorsement for K-12 Primary Language Arts Teachers, K-12 ESE Language Arts, K-12 Reading Teachers, K-12 ESE Reading Teachers You must complete at least three semester hours of college credit OR participate in one free DCPS in-service workshops toward the ESOL requirement within the first two years from the date of assignment to a class with an ELL student (60 district ESOL in-service points) Note: One of these options must be completed within the first two school years from the date of the assignment to a class with an ELL student (the REMAINDER of the school year in which you are first “flagged” and by June 30 of the following school year). AND You must complete at least three semester hours of college credit OR participate in one DCPS in-service workshops toward the ESOL requirement during EACH school year thereafter until all requirements for certification in ESOL is completed. THEN ESOL endorsement must be added to your Florida Educator’s Certificate OR Pass the exam and THEN add the ESOL K-12 coverage (not the endorsement) to your Florida Educator’s Certificate. Note: You must still participate in DCPS in-service workshops (120 district ESOL in-service points within three years of adding ESOL K-12 by exam or it will be removed from your certificate upon renewal.)

SATISFYING OUT OF FIELD CREDIT FOR ESOL STUDENTS (continued) English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Coverage for Math, Science, Social Studies, Computer Literacy, ESE (Other than Reading or Language Arts), Guidance Counselors, School Based Administrators, Music, Art, Physical Education, Health, Vocational, Media Specialists, Foreign Language, ROTC, other teachers not listed in a category You must complete at least three semester hours of appropriate college credit OR participate in one DCPS in-service workshop toward the ESOL requirement within the first two years from the date of assignment to a class with an ELL student (60 district ESOL in-service points) Note: This must be completed within the first two school years from the date of the assignment to a class with an ELL student (the REMAINDER of the school year in which you are first “flagged” and by June 30 of the following school year.) OR Pass the exam and THEN add the ESOL K-12 coverage (not the endorsement) to your Florida Educator’s Certificate. Note: You must still participate in DCPS in-service workshops (120 district ESOL in- service points within three years of adding ESOL K-12 by exam or it will be removed from your certificate upon renewal.)

SATISFYING OUT OF FIELD CREDIT FOR ASD STUDENTS Exceptional Student Education Teachers MUST know if 100% of their class is ASD. If at any time during the school year, the class is 100% ASD and the Autism Endorsement does not appear on your Florida Educator Certificate, you are out-of- field and must satisfy credit. You must complete six (6) semester hours of appropriate, accredited college credit in the subject area in which you are out-of-field during EACH school year you have been identified as out-of-field. Autism Endorsement ~ 15 semester hours of appropriate required college credit.

HELPFUL HINTS FOR TEACHING OUT OF FIELD I have been “flagged!” What do I do now?? Read your “Out-of-Field Agreement Notice” carefully. Discuss the possibility of an error with your Principal. Only the Principal can report the error for review to the Certification Office. Determine how much credit you will need. If you are out- of-field for ESOL, read the ESOL Training Brochure carefully. Always contact the Duval County Certification Office if you have out-of-field questions or concerns. Select your best option and register for appropriate courses as soon as possible. Never procrastinate!

HELPFUL HINTS FOR TEACHING OUT OF FIELD Not all college courses are acceptable to satisfy out-of-field credit. Contact the Duval County Certification Office before enrolling! College courses can be costly and availability varies. Courses you wish to enroll in may not be available every semester. Don’t wait until the last minute to inquire about or register for courses! DCPS in-service workshops fill quickly. Attend workshops early in the school year and beat the crowd! Register on time and allow time during the school year for retakes. You only have three or four opportunities to take an exam during a school year. Realize that SOME exams are available almost every day through computer-based testing, but some are not. Note: Remember, there are some subject areas where the testing option is NOT available.

HIGHLY QUALIFIED CONTACT INFORMATION Sue Martin, Coordinator, Highly Qualified Web page:

RENEWAL OF PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATE Renewal requirements must be completed during the last validity period of the Professional Certificate and prior to expiration of the Professional Certificate. What is required for me to renew? Six (6) semester hours of appropriate college credit or 120 in-service points must be earned during each renewal period to renew your certificate. Either 20 in-service points or 1 semester hour of college credit in Exceptional Student Education must be included in the total. How do I renew? Completed application form (available online or in Certification Office) Appropriate fee ($75.00 check or money order made payable to DCPS) Documentation of completed renewal credit (certificates of completion and/or in- service record and/or official transcripts) If you are employed in a public school, you must renew through the local school district office, NOT through the FLDOE. You may renew during the last year of the validity period of the Professional Certificate and prior to the expiration of that certificate.

APPROPRIATE ESE CREDIT This is part of the renewal requirement, not to add subject/endorsement to your Professional Certificate. You may register for Professional Development Courses through the ERO system. DCPS Website – Professional Development Component Number must BEGIN with the following numbers: 1100 Instructional Strategies 1101 Classroom Management 1102 Assessment 1105 Curriculum Gifted coursework is NOT appropriate. FDLRS Free 20 hour Teaching Students w/Disabilities module

DCPS CERTIFICATION CHECK SHEET Out-of-Field Statement of Agreement If you are currently out-of-field, there will be a date you must have completed the appropriate tasks Arrest Record If you have an arrest record, you must gather your documents. A certified copy of the arrest, the disposition of the case, and a letter explaining the events leading to the arrest. General Knowledge Test If you have not taken and passed the General Knowledge Test, your deadline for completion will be indicated Certification Expiration Signature, , telephone number and date Complete the mailing address portion

LAST REMINDERS Refer to your Statement of Eligibility Refer to your DCPS Certification Check Sheet Watch for those Out-of-Field s