New Legislation Regarding Florida Educator Certificates

6A-4.0292, F.A.C.

Beginning July 1, 2024, adding the Reading Endorsement to a Florida Professional Certificate requires a passing score on the Reading K-12 subject area exam AND an application/fee.

SDMC educators who want to include the Reading Endorsement in their annual contract must pass the Reading K-12 subject area exam AND have an application/fee for the Reading Endorsement on file with the FLDOE prior to July 1, 2024.

NOTE: This legislation does not affect educators who complete all five Reading Endorsement courses to add the Reading Endorsement.

6A-4.0051, F.A.C.

For renewal or reinstatement of Professional Certificates with a validity period beginning July 1, 2020, or thereafter, an educator must have earned at least two (2) college credits, forty (40) in-service points, or a combination thereof, in evidence-based instruction and interventions specifically designed for students with characteristics of dyslexia, including the use of explicit, systematic, and sequential approaches to reading instruction, developing phonological and phonemic awareness, decoding, and implementing multisensory intervention strategies. This credit must be earned no earlier than ten (10) years prior to the expiration date of the current Professional Certificate. (Ex. If Professional Certificate expires 06/30/25, credit can be earned no earlier than 6/30/15.)

Two college credits or 40 in-service points are required for the following subject area coverage:

• Elementary Education (K-6)
• Prekindergarten/Primary Education (age 3 through grade 3)
• Elementary Education (grades 1-6)
• Primary Education (grades K-3)
• English (grades 1-6)
• Middle Grades English (grades 5-9)
• Middle Grades Integrated Curriculum (grades 5-9)
• English (grades 6-12)
• Reading (K-12)
• Reading (Endorsement)
• English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) (grades K-12)

NOTE: The first group affected by this requirement has a Florida Educator Certificate with a validity period of 7/1/20-6/30/25. This requirement does not apply to educators who must renew their certificates between 2020-2024 because their validity period began prior to 7/1/20.

House Bill 1

All current Temporary Florida Educator Certificates will be re-issued with a five-year validity period as indicated below:

• Temporary Florida Educator Certificates valid from 7/1/20-6/30/23 will have a new validity period from 7/1/20-6/30/25. 
• Temporary Florida Educator Certificates valid from 7/1/21-6/30/24 will have a new validity period from 7/1/21-6/30/26. 
• Temporary Florida Educator Certificates valid from 7/1/22-6/30/25 will have a new validity period from 7/1/22-6/30/27.

The re-issued Temporary Florida Educator Certificates will be sent to the educator's email address on file with FLDOE. Educators will NOT be required to submit an application/fee for the change in the validity period.

Educators must still complete all requirements listed on the Statement of Eligibility and complete an Upgrade Application with the FLDOE before the Professional Certificate is issued. The FLDOE will not issue additional copies of the Statement of Eligibility. The educator must refer to the most recently issued Statement of Eligibility for the specific requirements to become eligible for the Professional Certificate. 

Educators who have already received a two-year extension to the Temporary Certificate will NOT be affected by this legislation.

The following types of Florida Educator Certificates will not be affected by this legislation because they will NOT be reissued with a five-year validity period.

• Athletic Coaching Certificate 
• Exchange Teacher Certificate 
• Military Veterans Certificate 
• Special Educational Leadership Certificate 
• Speech-Language Impaired Certificate
  
  
  

NOTE: This is the only official information SDMC has received from FLDOE. If additional information is received, this page will be updated.

Active Employees and Local Charter Schools

1. Check your MYPGS Inservice points. You need 100 General Inservice Points, and 20 SWD Points to renew.
2. To create an online FLDOE Versa Account, review this FLDOE video. If you already have an account, go to step 3. 
3. For step-by-step instructions on how to renew, review the FLDOE Educator Certification Renewal page (District Affiliation is 41-Manatee).
4. Apply for your renewal via the FLDOE Online Licensing Service.
5. Pay the processing fee via SDMC RevTrak Online Certification Payments.

Verifying Inservice Points for Renewal

Additional Requirements for Specific Certificates 

Effective for the 2024-2025 school year, the following certificates should refer to the New Rules for Teacher Certification 2025. 

• Elementary Education (K-6)
• Prekindergarten/Primary Education (age 3 through grade 3)
• Elementary Education (grades 1-6)
• Primary Education (grades K-3)
• English (grades 1-6)
• Middle Grades English (grades 5-9)
• Middle Grades Integrated Curriculum (grades 5-9)
• English (grades 6-12)
• Reading (K-12)
• Reading (Endorsement)
• English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) (grades K-12)

All teachers providing Tier-3 interventions must have a literacy micro-credential or be endorsed or certified in reading. All teachers teaching at 3rd Grade Summer Reading Camp must be endorsed or certified in reading.

Reading Endorsement and Literacy Micro-Credential

Professional Certificate

1) Create or login to your VERSA User Account (District Affiliation is 41- Manatee).

2) Apply for your addition with the FLDOE via Online Licensing Service.

3) Watch this Instructional Video on how to apply for your addition, if needed.

4) Pay the processing fee via SDMC RevTrak Online Certification Payments.

Temporary Certificate

1) Create or login to your VERSA User Account (District Affiliation is 41- Manatee).

2) Apply for your addition with the FLDOE via Online Licensing Service.

3) Watch this Instructional Video on how to apply for your addition, if needed.

4) If the addition is through in-service, you will pay the processing fee via SDMC RevTrak Online Certification Payments. If you are using a subject area exam or college credit to add an endorsement or subject, you will pay the processing fee to FLDOE.

Endorsements are recognition of an advanced level of professional knowledge and skill approved by the State of Florida. Endorsements are "add-ons" that appear on the Florida Professional Teaching Certificate.

Autism Endorsement
This program is overseen by the ESE department. All courses are published in MyPGS.

ESOL Endorsement
This program is for teachers responsible for teaching language instruction or reading, such as Elementary, English, Language Arts, Reading, and Exceptional Education. Category I requires proof of completion of the following 5 content areas, either with in-service and/or college courses, or by completing two courses, passing the ESOL Subject Area Test, and adding either the ESOL Endorsement or ESOL K-12 Certification (respectively) to your teaching certificate. These courses are offered online three times a year. For information on course offerings, contact the ESOL department.

Gifted Endorsement
This program is for teachers interested in or currently teaching Gifted students. It requires five 60 hour courses completed in this order: Nature and Needs, Special Populations, Guidance, Curriculum, and Creativity. The courses are "scaffolded" so that they build off of each other.

Reading Endorsement
This program is for teachers currently providing Tier 3 interventions, teaching summer reading camp, or teaching retained 3rd graders. It requires five 60 hour courses completed in order from Competency 1-5.

The District may issue an Adjunct Teacher Certificate to an instructional applicant who meets the requirements of s. 1012.56 (2) (a)-(f) and (10) and who has expertise in the subject area to be taught as evidenced by passing a subject area test. The School District of Manatee County has specified the Secondary Level Subject Area Examinations which are identified on the Florida Department of Education website as the subject area tests through which an applicant can demonstrate subject area mastery. Only passing exam scores earned no more than ten (10) years prior to the date of application are acceptable. Each adjunct teaching certificate is valid through the term of the annual contact between the educator and the District. An additional annual certification and an additional contract may be awarded by the District at the District’s discretion but only if the teacher is rated effective or highly effective during each year of teaching under the adjunct teaching certificate. The District may issue an adjunct teaching certificate for a part-time or full-time teaching position; however, an adjunct teaching certificate issued for a full-time teaching position is valid for no more than 3 years and is nonrenewable.

Eligibility Requirements

• Be at least 18 years of age.

• File an affidavit that the applicant subscribes to and will uphold the principles incorporated in the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Florida and that the information provided in the application is true, accurate, and complete. 

• Document receipt of a bachelor’s or higher degree from an accredited institution of higher learning, or a nonaccredited institution of higher learning that the Department of Education has identified as having a quality program resulting in a bachelor’s degree, or higher. Each applicant seeking initial certification must have attained at least a 2.5 overall grade point average on a 4.0 scale in the applicant’s major field of study. The applicant may document the required education by submitting official transcripts from institutions of higher education. 

• Document expertise in the subject area to be taught by submitting a passing test score for the Florida DOE subject area test for which the applicant is seeking adjunct teaching certification. 

• Each person who seeks adjunct teaching certification must be fingerprinted and screened in accordance with s. 1012.32 and must not be ineligible for such certification under s. 1012.315. 

• Be competent and capable of performing the duties, functions and responsibilities of an educator.

• Be of good moral character.

Employment Application

The Adjunct Teaching Certificate applicant must complete an instructional employment application in the same manner as all other instructional applicants. Please contact Personnel Services for additional information related to the application: (941) 708-8770

Qualifying for the Adjunct Teaching Certificate

To be cleared by Human Resources for an interview, the applicant must be eligible for the district issued certificate in a specific subject area. The applicant can then interview only for those vacancies in that class for that area of certification.

Application Process

The Adjunct Teaching Certificate applicant must complete the District’s application for Adjunct Educators Certificate and submit a payment through the SDMC RevTrak Web Store in the amount of $75.00 for each subject requested. In addition to completing the District’s application for employment and paying the fees as referenced above, all Adjunct Teaching Certificate applicants must submit an official set of college transcripts verifying a bachelor’s degree, and document expertise in the subject area to be taught by submitting a passing test score for the Florida DOE subject area test for which the applicant is seeking adjunct teaching certification.

The Athletic Coaching Certificate is for athletic coaches seeking their professional certificate. It requires three 60 hour online courses and two additional courses equaling 7 hours.

Coaching Certification Courses for Paid Athletic Coaches

Before an athletic coach on a Temporary Athletic Coaching Certificate can move to a Professional Athletic Coaching Certificate, they must complete the following courses: 

Plan of Study

• First Aid & CPR Course (6 hours)
• Ethics for Educators (1 hour online)
• Coaching Principles Course (60 hours online) – offered through ASEP (Human Kinetics)
• Sport First Aid (60 hours online) – offered through ASEP (Human Kinetics)
• Sport Specific (60 hours online) – offered through ASEP (Human Kinetics)
  Choose only one sport-specific course:

Football 
Track & Field 
Cheerleading 
Basketball 
Softball 
Golf 
Baseball 
Tennis 
Strength & Conditioning 
Swimming 
Volleyball 
Wrestling

If courses are not completed before the temporary certificate expires, they will be ineligible to coach.

Note: Each ASEP 60-hour course is valid for one year from the start date. If a coach does not complete the course within the year, they will be responsible for paying to attend the course a second time.

Courses

1) Complete a First Aid & CPR course. (6 hours)
See your Athletic Director to register for the course. 
Email proof of completion (copy of certificate or card) to profdvt@manateeschools.net.

2) Complete MyPGS course #10615 Ethics for Educators.
If you do not have a MyPGS account, please contact  profdvt@manateeschools.net for assistance. 
When you are finished, a facilitator will mark your status "Complete", and the course will be added to your transcript.

3) Complete the 60-hour online course through ASEP (Human Kinetics).
Register and pay for the course at https://www.asep.com/asep_content/org/MCSD.cfm 
Email proof of completion (copy of certificate or transcript) to profdvt@manateeschools.net.

 When All Required Courses Are Complete

Email profdvt@manateeschools.net to request a Plan of Study.
A copy will be sent to the Certification department, Athletic Director and Coach.

The School District of Manatee County defines non-degreed teachers of Career and Technical Education programs as those staff members whose qualifications are established based on occupation expertise in the areas of agriculture, business, health occupations, family and consumer science, and industrial, marketing, public service education, engineering and technology. A person holding a Career and Technical Education Certificate must be assigned to teach only Career and Technical Education Courses as identified in the Florida Course Code Directory. Career and Technical Education courses may be taught by qualified non-degreed personnel with expertise based upon verified satisfactory occupational experience.

Eligibility Requirements

• Be at least 18 years of age.

• File an affidavit that the applicant subscribes to and will uphold the principles incorporated in the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Florida and that the information provided in the application is true, accurate, and complete. 

• Six years of occupational expertise in the field, or

• Four years of occupational experience in the field plus an associate degree in the corresponding area, or 

• Two years of occupational experience in the field plus a bachelor’s degree in the corresponding area. 

• All District certifications require that the applicant hold a license or industry certification when available. 

• Each person who seeks non-degreed certification must be fingerprinted and screened in accordance with s. 1012.32 and must not be ineligible for such certification under s. 1012.315.

• Be competent and capable of performing the duties, functions and responsibilities of an educator. 

• Be of good moral character.

Employment Application

The Non-Degreed Career and Technical Certificate applicant must complete an instructional employment application in the same manner as all other instructional applicants. For additional information related to the application, please call Personnel Services at (941) 708-8770.

Qualifying for the Career Technical & Technical Certificate

To be cleared by Human Resources for an interview, the applicant must be eligible for the district issued certificate in a specific subject area. The applicant can then interview only for those vacancies that are that class of certification.

Application Process

Non-Degree Career/Technical Certificate applicants must complete the District’s application for employment and attach a money order or a personal check in the amount of $75.00 for each subject requested. Make payable to the School District of Manatee County.

In addition to completing the District’s application for employment and paying the fees as referenced above, all Non-Degree Career/Technical applicants must also include: 

1) A set of official transcripts for any college credit or degrees completed

2) Copies of licenses or applicable certificates for performing the trade 

3) Employment Verification of the prior occupational experience