Recertification

Florida Educator Certification Renewal Requirements Taken directly from the Florida DOE website.

It is the responsibility of each applicant to obtain current information regarding renewal requirements from the employing school district or Bureau of Educator Certification.

Requirements for Renewal Applications Received On or After July 1, 2014

General Information

If you are employed by a district public or charter school in Florida, request a district application form for certificate renewal from your district office and submit the completed application to your employing school district.

If you are employed by a private school, or if you are not currently employed as an educator, apply for renewal online or request Application Form CG-10R and submit the completed application to the Bureau of Educator Certification.

• Six (6) semester hours of college credit to include at least one (1) semester hour in teaching students with disabilities (SWD) must be earned during each renewal period to renew your certificate. See information below on Acceptable College Credit Equivalencies for Renewal, Appropriate Topics for Renewal Credit, and retaining all subjects on your certificate.
• Renewal requirements must be completed during the last validity period of the Professional Certificate and prior to expiration of the Professional Certificate. It is the responsibility of each applicant to obtain current information regarding renewal requirements from the employing school district or Bureau of Educator Certification.
• The application form and appropriate fee must be submitted during the last year of the validity period of the certificate and prior to the expiration of the Professional Certificate. However, a late renewal application may be submitted after expiration of the Professional Certificate if the following criteria are met:
  • Appropriate renewal requirements, including the requirement for credit in teaching SWD, are completed prior to expiration of the Professional Certificate, and
  • Renewal application form, application fee, and additional $30.00 late fee are submitted to the Bureau of Educator Certification prior to July 1 of the year following expiration of the certificate.
• College level credits used for certificate renewal must be awarded by an accredited or approved institution (Word), or the American Council on Education (ACE), and must be reflected on an official transcript. You may view a list of Florida's accredited state universities and state colleges and community colleges.
• College level credit for CLEP, DANTES Subject Standardized Test, Excelsior, other examination, life experience, or other method must be reflected on an official transcript from an accredited or approved institution (Word), or the American Council on Education (ACE).
• College remedial credit is not acceptable.
• A grade of at least "C" must be earned in each college course used for renewal. A grade of "pass" or "satisfactory" is an acceptable grade.
• In the event a subject is deleted from the certificate at the request of the certificate holder or due to noncompletion of renewal requirements, all requirements which are in effect when an application is submitted to add the subject to the certificate again must be completed.

Appropriate Topics for Renewal Credit

• Teaching students with disabilities (SWD)
• Exceptional student education
• Content specific to the subject area(s)
• Methods or education strategies specific to the subject area(s)
• Methods of teaching reading and literacy skills acquisition
• Computer literacy, computer applications, or computer education
• ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages)
• Drug abuse, child abuse and neglect, or student dropout prevention
• Training related to the goals of the Florida K-20 System, such as:
  • Content - English, economics, mathematics, science, social sciences, foreign languages, humanities, global economy, technology, ecology, first aid, health, or safety
     
  • Classroom Strategies - Cooperative learning, problem-solving skills, critical-thinking skills, classroom management, child development, collaboration techniques for working with families, social services, child guidance and counseling, teaching reading, or educational assessments, etc.
     
  • School Administration Accountability - Instructional design, leadership skills, school and community relations, school finance, school facilities, school law, or school organization
     
  • Career and Adult Education Accountability - Adult learning, principles of adult or career and technical education, career and technical education for students with special needs, or career and technical guidance

• Twenty (20) inservice points in an approved Florida master inservice program are equivalent to one (1) semester hour of college credit.

• Sixty (60) inservice points in an approved Florida master inservice program are equivalent to three (3) semester hours of college credit.

• A passing numerical score on the Florida subject area exam specific to the coverage to be renewed is equivalent to three (3) semester hours of college credit for renewal purposes.

• When the certificate includes Exceptional Student Education, Visually Impaired, Hearing Impaired, or Speech-Language Impaired, a passing score on the corresponding Florida subject area exam satisfies the requirement for credit in teaching SWD for a total of three (3) semester hours of renewal credit.

• A valid certificate issued by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards will renew the Florida certificate in the subject shown on the national certificate.

• An Exceptional Needs Specialist certificate issued by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards satisfies the requirement for credit in teaching SWD, when the Florida professional certificate includes a subject in instructing students with disabilities.

• Teaching a college level course at an acceptable institution may be accepted the same as credit earned for that course.

Retention of Subjects

Retaining One Subject Coverage
Six (6) semester hours of college credit, which must include at least one (1) semester hour in teaching SWD, must be earned during the renewal period to renew your certificate. At least three (3) of the six (6) semester hours must meet the criteria in the section entitled Appropriate Topics for Renewal Credit.

Retaining More than Two Subject Coverage

You may use two consecutive validity periods to renew all coverages as follows:

• First Renewal Period
  Six (6) semester hours of college credit, which must include at least one (1) semester hour in teaching SWD, must be earned during the renewal period to renew your certificate. At least three (3) of the six (6) semester hours must meet the criteria in the section entitled Appropriate Topics for Renewal Credit. This will retain all subjects for the next validity period.

• Second Renewal Period
  You must earn at least six (6) semester hours of college credit, which must include at least one (1) semester hour in teaching SWD; and you must earn three (3) semester hours in Appropriate Topics for Renewal Credit for each additional subject you want to retain on your certificate.