Certification Overview
Florida has several avenues available to complete your teacher
training. The following is a brief overview of the certification
requirements. The Bureau of Educator Certification web page has
detailed certification information.
Certification Coverages
In Florida, there are two types of certification coverage --
vocational and academic. The vocational coverage is divided into two
areas -- non-degreed and degreed. The non-degreed certification
requirements are based on work experience in a career field
and are established by each school district. The degreed vocational
certification areas are: Business Education, Marketing, Industrial
Arts-Technology Education, Home Economics, and Agriculture. The
requirements for each degreed vocational certification are similar to
the requirements established by the state for certification in an academic
coverage.
Nondegreed Vocational Certificate
These certificates are issued by each school district and not by
the state. Therefore, the district controls the requirements needed
for certification. Usually the district requires six years of
experience in a career field, but some districts may reduce this requirement
if you hold a degree. The reduction may be based upon the major or type
of degree.
Academic Certificates
The Florida Department of Education issues two types of teaching
certificates for academic subjects -- a Temporary Certificate, valid
for three years, and a Professional Certificate, valid for five
years. The certificates are issued only after you have completed the
following:
- Submitted an application for certification with the
appropriate fee and required documents;
- Established eligibility for the certificate;
- Secured employment with a school district; and
- The employing district submits your fingerprints for a
background investigation.
When you apply for a Florida Educator’s Certificate, the Bureau
of Educator Certification issues an Official Statement of Status
of Eligibility, which outlines all requirements that must be
completed for the Temporary Certificate and for the Professional
Certificate. If the Statement of Status of Eligibility indicates you
are eligible for the subject area for which you applied, this document allows a district
to consider you for employment. Once you are employed by a school
district, the district will request that the Department of Education
issue you the appropriate certificate. However, if the Statement of
Status of Eligibility indicates you are not eligible, you must submit
official documentation indicating you have completed the requirements
listed on the Statement of Status of Eligibility.
Certification Eligibility
General
Academic certification and degreed vocational certification
require a bachelors degree or higher with at least a 2.5 grade point
average (GPA). The GPA is based on the grades received in the
courses that are applicable toward the certification requested.
Temporary Certificate
Eligibility is established by one of the following methods.
- Hold at least a bachelors degree with an acceptable major, a
degree major in a certification area; or
- Hold at least a bachelors degree and complete the specialization
requirements for a certification area, or
- Hold at least a bachelors degree and take and pass the subject
area exam for a certification area.
Professional Certificate
Eligibility is established by one of the following methods.
- Hold a valid standard teaching certificate from another state.
- Complete the requirements for the Temporary Certificate and
complete any lacking professional requirements as outlined
on the Statement of Status of Eligibility.
There are three ways to complete the professional
requirements:
- Complete the required semester hours in professional
preparation and take and pass all
teacher certification exams, or
- Complete one of the alternative teacher
certification programs in Florida and take and pass all
teacher certification exams, or
- Submit documentation of two semesters of full time teaching at a college or university that
offers at least an associate degree and take and pass the certification subject area exam.
- Graduate from a Florida state approved teacher training program.
Teacher certification exam descriptions:
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