Florida HB 561: Educator Preparation and Certification

Bill Text

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An act relating to educator preparation and 2
certification; amending s. 1004.85, F.S.; authorizing 3
an educator preparation institute to allow certain 4
program participants to enroll in introductory 5
coursework; amending s. 1012.56, F.S.; revising the 6
criteria for the award of a temporary educator 7
certification to include certain persons with expired 8
professional certificates; amending s. 1012.585, F.S.; 9
requiring that subject area coverages and endorsements 10
for a certificateholder be reinstated with the 11
certificateholder's professional certificate; revising 12
requirements for reinstatement of a professional 13
certificate; providing that certain requirements for 14
reinstatement of a professional certificate may not be 15
satisfied using specific inservice points; amending s. 16
1012.981, F.S.; requiring the Florida Center for 17
Teaching Excellence to collaborate with the David C. 18
Anchin Center for the Advancement of Teaching for 19
specified purposes; requiring, rather than 20
authorizing, the center to submit a specified 21
professional learning system for approval by the 22
department; requiring the center to allow certain 23
certified educators to use such professional learning 24
system for specified purposes at no cost to the 25

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CS/HB 561 2026 Legislature

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educator; requiring the center to submit inservice 26
points for such educators to the department; requiring 27
the center to provide information on certain school 28
district professional learning systems to certain 29
certified educators; providing an effective date. 30
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Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 32
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Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subsection (3) of section 34
1004.85, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 35
1004.85 Postsecondary educator preparation institutes.— 36
(3) Educator preparation institutes approved pursuant to 37
this section may offer competency-based certification programs 38
specifically designed for noneducation major baccalaureate 39
degree holders to enable program participants to meet the 40
educator certification requirements of s. 1012.56. An educator 41
preparation institute choosing to offer a competency-based 42
certification program pursuant to the provisions of this section 43
must implement a program developed by the institute and approved 44
by the department for this purpose. Approved programs shall be 45
available for use by other approved educator preparation 46
institutes. 47
(b) Each program participant must: 48
1. Meet certification requirements pursuant to s. 49
1012.56(1) by obtaining an eligible a statement of status of 50

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eligibility in the certification subject area of the educational 51
plan and meet the requirements of s. 1012.56(2)(a)-(f) before 52
participating in field experiences. An educator preparation 53
institute may allow a program participant to enroll in and 54
complete coursework while the participant is working to obtain 55
an eligible statement of status of eligibility in the 56
certification subject area of the educational plan. 57
2. Demonstrate competency and participate in field 58
experiences that are appropriate to his or her educational plan 59
prepared under paragraph (a). Beginning with candidates entering 60
an educator preparation institute in the 2022-2023 school year, 61
a candidate for certification in a coverage area identified 62
pursuant to s. 1012.585(3)(f) must successfully complete all 63
competencies for a reading endorsement, including completion of 64
the endorsement practicum through the candidate's field 65
experience, in order to graduate from the program. 66
3. Before completion of the program, fully demonstrate his 67
or her ability to teach the subject area for which he or she is 68
seeking certification by documenting a positive impact on 69
student learning growth in a prekindergarten through grade 12 70
setting and, except as provided in s. 1012.56(7)(a)3., achieving 71
a passing score on the professional education competency 72
examination, the basic skills examination, and the subject area 73
examination for the subject area certification which is required 74
by state board rule. 75

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CS/HB 561 2026 Legislature

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Section 2. Paragraph (b) of subsection (7) of section 76
1012.56, Florida Statutes, is amended t